Read Online Aurora 03 - Three Bedrooms, One Corpse by Charlaine Harris - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Charlaine Harris
Ads: Link
“but she didn’t deserve to be murdered. No one deserves to be killed for making some mistakes.”
“You’re right,” said Jimmy, backing down instantly, though obviously not changing his opinion at all. “Well, I can see you ladies have a lot to talk about, so I’ll just take myself outside to work in the toolshed. Call me when lunch is ready, Susu.”
“Okay,” she responded warmly. When he was out the back door and down the steps, her face seemed to fold in.
“Oh, Roe, he’s always going out to that toolshed! He’s redone it as a workshop, and he spends hours out there piddling with this or that. He’s a good husband as far as providing goes, and he loves the kids, but I just don’t feel like he really lives here half the time.”
Caught unawares, I couldn’t think of what to say. I patted her shoulder awkwardly, uncomfortable as usual when touching people.
“You know what he does?” Susu asked as she rummaged in the refrigerator and emerged with some leftover dishes. “He goes and looks at houses! When we have this lovely home that I don’t want to give up, ever! He just makes these appointments and looks at houses!” She popped the dishes in the microwave and punched in a time setting. “I don’t know how he explains to the realtors that I’m never with him—I’m sure they expect his wife to come along if he’s really house-hunting. I’ve had people whose homes were for sale ask me how Jimmy liked their house, and I didn’t know anything about it!” Susu grabbed a tissue from a crochet-covered tissue box and blotted her eyes with ferocious intensity. “It’s so humiliating.”
“Oh, Susu,” I said with considerable distress, “I have no idea why Jimmy would do that.” The microwave beeped, and Susu began pulling things out and then got two plates from the cupboard.
“I’ll bet you’ve heard about it, though, haven’t you?” She could tell my answer by my face.
“Everyone has. Even Bethany came home from school asking me if it was true her daddy was peculiar.”
“Maybe this house is just so much yours,” I said hesitantly. I knew it was stupid to open my mouth, but I did it anyway.
“Of course it’s mine,” Susu said grimly. “It’s been my family’s and it’s in my name and I love it and it’s going to stay that way.”
There seemed little more to say. Susu had drawn a line, and her husband was stepping over it, his fanciful house-hunting an odd symptom of a deep dissatisfaction.
Or at least that was the way I saw it. (I am as bad at practicing amateur psychology as anyone I know.) I tried to get up and leave, having turned down repeated invitations to eat with them, but Susu determinedly kept me talking, though lunch was seemingly ready. She wanted us to talk about all the other bridesmaids. These reminiscences seemed to feed her something she needed.
Naturally, all of them but me were married; some had been married more than once. Or twice.
“I heard you’ve been dating Aubrey Scott,” Susu said encouragingly.
“We’ve been going out for a few months.”
“What’s it like to date a minister? Does he want to kiss and everything?”
“He wants to kiss; I don’t know about ‘everything.’ He’s got hormones, same as anyone else.” I had to smile at her.
“Oooh, oooh,” said Susu, shaking her head in mock horror. “Roe, you may not have gotten married, but you’ve dated more interesting people than any of us ever dated.”
“Like who?”
“That policeman, for one. And that writer. And now a priest. Don’t the Episcopalians call ‘em priests like Catholics do? And remember, even when you were in high school, you dated. ..”
Now, I knew Susu intended this list to cheer me up, but it had exactly the opposite effect.
Like looking at my closetful of bridesmaid dresses. So as soon as I could, I started the parting process. As I was getting into my car, I said as casually as I could, “Did Little Jim have a football game Wednesday
“You’re right,” said Jimmy, backing down instantly, though obviously not changing his opinion at all. “Well, I can see you ladies have a lot to talk about, so I’ll just take myself outside to work in the toolshed. Call me when lunch is ready, Susu.”
“Okay,” she responded warmly. When he was out the back door and down the steps, her face seemed to fold in.
“Oh, Roe, he’s always going out to that toolshed! He’s redone it as a workshop, and he spends hours out there piddling with this or that. He’s a good husband as far as providing goes, and he loves the kids, but I just don’t feel like he really lives here half the time.”
Caught unawares, I couldn’t think of what to say. I patted her shoulder awkwardly, uncomfortable as usual when touching people.
“You know what he does?” Susu asked as she rummaged in the refrigerator and emerged with some leftover dishes. “He goes and looks at houses! When we have this lovely home that I don’t want to give up, ever! He just makes these appointments and looks at houses!” She popped the dishes in the microwave and punched in a time setting. “I don’t know how he explains to the realtors that I’m never with him—I’m sure they expect his wife to come along if he’s really house-hunting. I’ve had people whose homes were for sale ask me how Jimmy liked their house, and I didn’t know anything about it!” Susu grabbed a tissue from a crochet-covered tissue box and blotted her eyes with ferocious intensity. “It’s so humiliating.”
“Oh, Susu,” I said with considerable distress, “I have no idea why Jimmy would do that.” The microwave beeped, and Susu began pulling things out and then got two plates from the cupboard.
“I’ll bet you’ve heard about it, though, haven’t you?” She could tell my answer by my face.
“Everyone has. Even Bethany came home from school asking me if it was true her daddy was peculiar.”
“Maybe this house is just so much yours,” I said hesitantly. I knew it was stupid to open my mouth, but I did it anyway.
“Of course it’s mine,” Susu said grimly. “It’s been my family’s and it’s in my name and I love it and it’s going to stay that way.”
There seemed little more to say. Susu had drawn a line, and her husband was stepping over it, his fanciful house-hunting an odd symptom of a deep dissatisfaction.
Or at least that was the way I saw it. (I am as bad at practicing amateur psychology as anyone I know.) I tried to get up and leave, having turned down repeated invitations to eat with them, but Susu determinedly kept me talking, though lunch was seemingly ready. She wanted us to talk about all the other bridesmaids. These reminiscences seemed to feed her something she needed.
Naturally, all of them but me were married; some had been married more than once. Or twice.
“I heard you’ve been dating Aubrey Scott,” Susu said encouragingly.
“We’ve been going out for a few months.”
“What’s it like to date a minister? Does he want to kiss and everything?”
“He wants to kiss; I don’t know about ‘everything.’ He’s got hormones, same as anyone else.” I had to smile at her.
“Oooh, oooh,” said Susu, shaking her head in mock horror. “Roe, you may not have gotten married, but you’ve dated more interesting people than any of us ever dated.”
“Like who?”
“That policeman, for one. And that writer. And now a priest. Don’t the Episcopalians call ‘em priests like Catholics do? And remember, even when you were in high school, you dated. ..”
Now, I knew Susu intended this list to cheer me up, but it had exactly the opposite effect.
Like looking at my closetful of bridesmaid dresses. So as soon as I could, I started the parting process. As I was getting into my car, I said as casually as I could, “Did Little Jim have a football game Wednesday
Similar Books
