Read Online How To Recognize A Demon Has Become Your Friend (Necon Modern Horror Book 9) by Linda Addison - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Linda Addison
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Everything, from the white lace window
curtains that allowed sunlight to fill the room to the butcher block counters
and round oak table, relaxed Claire. Each item had been chosen with care.
Claire’s home was filled with a collage of second hand furniture.
“Harry will be sorry to see you
leave,” Sharon said. “I don’t talk him to death since we’ve been friends. There
aren’t many who could put up with me as much as you do.”
“You aren’t so hard to be
around.” Claire turned around to face Sharon. “It’s not as though we’re leaving
the country. When we get settled I’ll call you.”
“It’s not the same as having you
right down the street. I wish we could all get together for dinner before you
leave, but I know Ron doesn’t like us.” Claire opened her mouth to protest but
Sharon waved her hand. “I’ve known for a long time. All the excuses you’ve given
for not coming to our house for dinner were just to protect our feelings.”
“I’m sorry, Sharon.”
“Don’t apologize for him. I hate
the walls he builds around you. He doesn’t want you to have friends or work or
do anything, just wait for him.”
“It’s not all like that, he
— “
“I know I know. He can be
charming. I’ve seen him turn on that light when I was at your house. But it’s
not worth the price. You have your own light.”
Claire shook her head slowly. “I
wish things were as simple as you see them.”
“I wish they were, too. When are
you moving?”
“We have to be out by the end of
this week. Ron’s brother is letting us store our furniture in his garage. We’ll
stay in a hotel until we find an apartment. I’d better get back. Ron went to
get some boxes so we can start packing today.” Claire walked to the kitchen
door.
“Wait a minute.” Sharon went into
one of the cabinets. She stuffed some twenties and several singles into
Claire’s hand. “Don’t say anything. Just keep this for yourself.”
Claire hugged her and left,
knowing they would exchange Christmas cards and fewer and fewer phone calls
until time stretched between them, fading their friendship. She knew because it
had happened too many times before.
School children were on their way
home for lunch as Claire walked down the street.
She loved this neighborhood. It
was safe and comfortable, nothing like the rough, broken-down neighborhoods
they had lived in before. This was the kind of neighborhood she had always
dreamed of living in.
...through sickness and through health...
In the bright sunshine everything
looked whitewashed, except little islands of shaded coolness under the trees.
The heat coming off the sidewalk between the trees made it hard for her to
breathe through the tears she fought to keep in.
When Ron came home, Claire was
sitting in the dining room going through the box of papers and photos she had
collected over their life together.
Two high school diplomas in black
binders were piled on top of a folder of papers. Jenny’s spelling bee award,
Matt’s honor society award and their report cards from all the schools they had
attended over the years. A new school every couple of years as they moved from
one apartment to another.
...do you take this man...
They were happy in the beginning.
She hadn’t noticed how unhappy their three children seemed in the later
pictures with him. Not that it showed on their faces, but there was sadness in
their eyes. Sadness she hadn’t been aware of before today.
“I don’t think there’s room in
the hotel for that box,” he said, sitting at the table. “Besides, I don’t know
why you spend so much time with those old pictures.”
“There are a lot of memories in
here,” she said without looking up.
“Memories don’t pay the bills.”
He lit a cigarette.
“Memories are all I have,” she
said abruptly, looking at him. When did he get all that gray hair? Had it been
so long since she had looked at him, really looked at him? She thought only she
had aged. She
curtains that allowed sunlight to fill the room to the butcher block counters
and round oak table, relaxed Claire. Each item had been chosen with care.
Claire’s home was filled with a collage of second hand furniture.
“Harry will be sorry to see you
leave,” Sharon said. “I don’t talk him to death since we’ve been friends. There
aren’t many who could put up with me as much as you do.”
“You aren’t so hard to be
around.” Claire turned around to face Sharon. “It’s not as though we’re leaving
the country. When we get settled I’ll call you.”
“It’s not the same as having you
right down the street. I wish we could all get together for dinner before you
leave, but I know Ron doesn’t like us.” Claire opened her mouth to protest but
Sharon waved her hand. “I’ve known for a long time. All the excuses you’ve given
for not coming to our house for dinner were just to protect our feelings.”
“I’m sorry, Sharon.”
“Don’t apologize for him. I hate
the walls he builds around you. He doesn’t want you to have friends or work or
do anything, just wait for him.”
“It’s not all like that, he
— “
“I know I know. He can be
charming. I’ve seen him turn on that light when I was at your house. But it’s
not worth the price. You have your own light.”
Claire shook her head slowly. “I
wish things were as simple as you see them.”
“I wish they were, too. When are
you moving?”
“We have to be out by the end of
this week. Ron’s brother is letting us store our furniture in his garage. We’ll
stay in a hotel until we find an apartment. I’d better get back. Ron went to
get some boxes so we can start packing today.” Claire walked to the kitchen
door.
“Wait a minute.” Sharon went into
one of the cabinets. She stuffed some twenties and several singles into
Claire’s hand. “Don’t say anything. Just keep this for yourself.”
Claire hugged her and left,
knowing they would exchange Christmas cards and fewer and fewer phone calls
until time stretched between them, fading their friendship. She knew because it
had happened too many times before.
School children were on their way
home for lunch as Claire walked down the street.
She loved this neighborhood. It
was safe and comfortable, nothing like the rough, broken-down neighborhoods
they had lived in before. This was the kind of neighborhood she had always
dreamed of living in.
...through sickness and through health...
In the bright sunshine everything
looked whitewashed, except little islands of shaded coolness under the trees.
The heat coming off the sidewalk between the trees made it hard for her to
breathe through the tears she fought to keep in.
When Ron came home, Claire was
sitting in the dining room going through the box of papers and photos she had
collected over their life together.
Two high school diplomas in black
binders were piled on top of a folder of papers. Jenny’s spelling bee award,
Matt’s honor society award and their report cards from all the schools they had
attended over the years. A new school every couple of years as they moved from
one apartment to another.
...do you take this man...
They were happy in the beginning.
She hadn’t noticed how unhappy their three children seemed in the later
pictures with him. Not that it showed on their faces, but there was sadness in
their eyes. Sadness she hadn’t been aware of before today.
“I don’t think there’s room in
the hotel for that box,” he said, sitting at the table. “Besides, I don’t know
why you spend so much time with those old pictures.”
“There are a lot of memories in
here,” she said without looking up.
“Memories don’t pay the bills.”
He lit a cigarette.
“Memories are all I have,” she
said abruptly, looking at him. When did he get all that gray hair? Had it been
so long since she had looked at him, really looked at him? She thought only she
had aged. She
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