Read Online Five Days in Summer by Katia Lief - Free Book Online Page B

thrashed valiantly, but David was unmovable. Unbendable . How many times had they demonstrated their “unbendable arms” to a grandmother who was capable of pride at even their hiccups?
    They would hold their arms straight, concentrate, and say, “Go on, Grandma. Try and bend it.”
    She never tried in earnest, certain she could easily buckle their elbows. “My goodness!” she would exclaim.
    “No, really try!” David insisted.
    Once, she really did try, and in fact could not budge that arm an iota.
    They had learned this skill in the children’s aikido classes at the dojo where Emily had met Will. They prided themselves on their plan to be a family of black belts. Will and Emily both had theirs, though since motherhood she’d fallen out of practice. He kept his skills up by teaching in the children’s program on Saturday mornings, which also allowed him hands-on mentoring of his own sons.
    “I thought aikido taught you to defend, not fight?” Sarah said. It was her last stand, and it worked.
    David pulled away first and threw up his arms. Sam lay pinned beneath him, panting, his bright eyesscheming. His hands flew up into David’s armpits and David collapsed in laughter. The shiny card lay next to them, ignored.
    Sarah hurried downstairs to the kids’ room. Maxi was standing in her crib, gripping the railing, face soaked by tears. Sarah kicked the foot lever that lowered the side and lifted her baby’s baby into her arms. Maxi was hot. Sarah stripped off her pajamas and opened a window. She decided to check the temperature and consider turning on the central air conditioning.
    Maxi’s eyes darted to the door.
    “Mama Bae?” Mommy Baby. Maxi’s special phrase for two essential halves of one existence.
    Sarah felt a rush of relief and turned around to look, but the bedroom doorway was empty. No Mama Bae. No Emily.
    “You’ll see Mommy soon, sweetie. Let’s go upstairs and see what we’ve got for your breakfast.”
    The tears started again in force, but at the same time the small body relaxed onto Sarah’s shoulder. She hugged her grandbaby against her chest and stroked the wispy blond hair at her neck as she walked heavily up the stairs.
    The boys were setting the table with bowls and spoons for cereal. Sam took out all the boxes and lined them up on the counter while David brought the carton of milk to the table. Sarah stopped herself from reminding them that they didn’t need to display all the choices at once and shouldn’t leave the milk out in this heat.
    “Bravo,” she said. “What excellent helpers you two are.”
    The boys settled in at their places while Sarah prepared a bottle for Maxi.
    Sam asked first. “Where’s Mommy?”
    “She didn’t go to the movies, did she?” David asked.
    Sarah wished she hadn’t lied to them, but what could she say? Mommy’s disappeared. You may never see her again.
    “She went out already. She had an errand in Hyannis.”
    Sammie shrugged, and David just looked at her, considering her answer. Sarah was relieved when he didn’t argue, though she hadn’t a clue what she’d say when they found out Emily had never come home. She hoped Will got back soon; it was his place to explain it to them.
    The boys finished their cereal and bolted from the table. Maxi was fussy, eating only half her rice cereal, occasionally glancing around and chirping, “Mama Bae.”
    Sarah phoned Barbara, who agreed to come by in twenty minutes. She told the boys to get their clothes on and busied herself getting dressed and preparing another bottle to bring in the car for Maxi. Still in his pajamas, Sam ran through the kitchen, pinched his sister on the shoulder and ran away laughing. Maxi cried strenuously. Sarah was still calming her down when the doorbell rang and Barbara issued her familiar “Yoo-hoo!” to signal her arrival.
    Sarah made fifty color copies of her sign and bought a roll of tape. She had been wrong about Maxi being no bother; she cried and thrashed on