Read Online Bright Eyes by Catherine Anderson - Free Book Online Page A

she reminded him of his little sister, Bethany, as a child, all big brown eyes and innocence. Only he couldn’t remember Bethany ever talking like this. The kid had an amazing command of English.
    “How old are you, Rosie?”
    “Four. My birthday is February twenty-fourth. This month, I’ll be four and a half.”
    “I take it that I’m not very well liked at your house right now.”
    She pursed her bow-shaped mouth again. “No, not very. My mommy’s really glad Chester bit you on the butt.”
    Zeke gulped down laughter again. “Ah.”
    “Most times, my mom likes everybody,” she said solemnly. “But she doesn’t like you very good ’cause you’re not being nice to my brother.”
    “I’m not?”
    “No, and that needs to get fixed before Gramps lets our cows eat all your cabbages.”
    “I see.”
    She glanced at his hand. “That’s all the money I’ve got. I’ve been saving for a dune buggy for my Barbie.” She rolled her saucer-shaped eyes and puffed at her bangs. “I guess she’ll have to walk everywhere a while longer. That’s okay, I suppose. Walking is good for the cardigan vascular system.” She lowered her voice slightly to add, “That’s your heart, in case you didn’t know.”
    Right then, his cardigan vascular system was in serious danger of developing a ravel. His palm burned where the coins rested. He couldn’t take this child’s Barbie doll savings.
    “I know it’s quite a lot of money,” she went on, “but maybe not enough for paint. Poppy says he’s going to win the lottery tonight, but he tells me that every Saturday.” She shrugged her narrow shoulders, then leaned forward to whisper conspiratorially, “Aunt Valerie says he’s got about as much chance of winning the jackpot as a pig does to fly. If she’s right, he may not be obscenely rich anytime soon.”
    “That’s too bad.”
    “Oh, well.” She shrugged again. “It makes Poppy happy to think he might hit the big one. With his back hurting all the time, it’s a nice distraction. Mommy says there’s no harm in hoping, just so long as he doesn’t spend his egg money before the chickens lay.”
    Zeke nodded. “There’s wisdom in that.”
    “Mommy’s real smart about stuff like that. She was raised on the farm.” She bent over to scratch one brightly painted toe. “Here’s the problem. If Poppy doesn’t win tonight, we won’t have the money to pay you off until Mommy’s ship comes in.”
    Zeke found himself wondering what this child’s IQ was. It was like conversing with a tiny adult. He held out his hand, trying to return her quarters and pennies. “I’ve made arrangements with your mother for Chad to work off the debt, Rosie. You don’t have to pay me anything.”
    She shook her head, refusing to take the change. “Chad can work, just like you arranged, only he can’t work as long as you want. He’s got to go to camp. It’s extremely important. Mommy says it’s vital.”
    So they were discussing camp again, were they? Zeke settled back to listen. Judging by the determined glint in Rosie’s eyes, he was going to hear her out whether he wanted to or not.
    “Chad has been real unhappy since the divorce. My dad hasn’t come to see him one single time since school got out.”
    Zeke was appalled. “Not even for a short visit?”
    “Nope. And he hasn’t sent Mommy any money for us, either.” She heaved another sigh. “It’s a very long story. Mommy doesn’t think I know about most of it, but I’ve heard her talking to Grammy when she thought I wasn’t listening.”
    Zeke rubbed his jaw. “I see.”
    “My daddy ripped her off.”
    “Ah.” He was trying to think of a way to stop this disclosure when Rosie wrinkled her nose and said, “Like before the divorce? Daddy told Mommy that the development company was short on cash and talked her into taking out a second orange on our house.”
    “A second what?”
    “ Orange . That’s where the man at the bank gives you lots of money for