Read Online If I Never Went Home by Ingrid Persaud - Free Book Online
Authors: Ingrid Persaud
Ads: Link
‘Every morning is a big headache dealing with you, madam. The day ain’t even start good yet and I already dead tired.’
Bea picked up her fork and dug into the fruit until she had pulled a mouthful of the tart flesh free from its membrane. She brought each small forkful to eye level and inspected its tight, cellular structure before savouring it.
‘Stop eating so slow, child. You want to kill me?’
‘Mummy, you forget it’s Saturday. No school.’
Her mother rolled her eyes to the ceiling. ‘I have a whole heap of things to do! When I was your age I was helping my mother in the house. But you? Whole day you in the yard or next door playing. Stay inside and read a book today.’
‘I promised Michael we’d finish making the play house behind the Julie mango tree.’
‘You think I reach where I is in life playing dolly house every day so? Go play. See if you don’t end up like your father.’
Bea continued excavating the grapefruit. ‘So what if I come out like Daddy?’
‘Don’t be rude, child. And stay out of big people business.’
Bea bent her head. ‘Sorry.’
‘I hope you sorry for true. My life would be a lot better if it wasn’t for you and your damn father. I don’t get a minute to myself because of all you.’
Her father, tall, slim, almond-brown with curly black hair, walked into the kitchen, wiping the corners of his eyes clean. Even with his rumpled morning face there was no mistaking that he was a handsome man. He smiled at Bea. ‘Morning, Beezy.’
She smiled back. ‘Morning, Daddy. Can we go for a long long long long long drive today?’
‘No problem, pumpkin. Where you want to go?’
As Alan turned to pick up the kettle he bumped into Mira. Her coffee mug crashed to the floor and shattered, spilling hot coffee over the counter and cupboards, staining her dress and puddling the floor.
‘Look at the mess you make! You nearly burn me real bad!’ Mira shouted. ‘But don’t worry.’ She jabbed her finger at her chest. ‘The maid here will clean up and finish cooking the food!’
Alan looked around, probably searching for a rag. ‘Woman, have a heart. I just wake up. It was an accident. You need help today?’
‘Need help? Well look at my crosses. Only a real stupid fool would ask a question like that. The house don’t clean itself, you know!’
‘Let me help you clean up the kitchen and then we go do the rest of the house tomorrow. We planning a little cook by Zyda and Derek them. And Mama say she want me to take she to see Tanti June quite up in Arima. And you know Tanti living in real bush.’
‘Why you always have to be the one to take she here, there and everywhere?’ snapped Mira. ‘She don’t have other children? Last I check she have more than one son.’
‘Look, she asked me to help she out.’ Alan wiped the counter with a paper towel. ‘And I go take Bea for the drive so you will get some peace and quiet.’
Mira opened drawers, searching for another rag. ‘She always want something doing. Go here. Do this. Do that. Want. Want. Want. Man, I fed up with your blasted mother!’
That’s when he grabbed a meat knife off the countertop, gripped Mira’s arm and pushed it at her throat. ‘You don’t tell me nothing about my mother!’ he hissed.
The tip of the long blade pressed against Mira’s skin. The kitchen was deadly quiet. With Mira’s hard breathing the knife could easily draw blood.
Bea did not remember how long the standoff lasted. Eventually Alan threw the knife on the kitchen counter and marched out. The attack was over as abruptly as it had started. All the while Bea had sat frozen to her chair with a spoonful of grapefruit poised in mid-air. Mira stood still on the spot where Alan had pinned her. Outside the car door slammed shut. The engine started. He was gone.
Bea had eaten her last grapefruit.
CHAPTER NINE
It’s funny how when it’s holidays the time goes fast like a racing car. When it’s school time it slows right
Bea picked up her fork and dug into the fruit until she had pulled a mouthful of the tart flesh free from its membrane. She brought each small forkful to eye level and inspected its tight, cellular structure before savouring it.
‘Stop eating so slow, child. You want to kill me?’
‘Mummy, you forget it’s Saturday. No school.’
Her mother rolled her eyes to the ceiling. ‘I have a whole heap of things to do! When I was your age I was helping my mother in the house. But you? Whole day you in the yard or next door playing. Stay inside and read a book today.’
‘I promised Michael we’d finish making the play house behind the Julie mango tree.’
‘You think I reach where I is in life playing dolly house every day so? Go play. See if you don’t end up like your father.’
Bea continued excavating the grapefruit. ‘So what if I come out like Daddy?’
‘Don’t be rude, child. And stay out of big people business.’
Bea bent her head. ‘Sorry.’
‘I hope you sorry for true. My life would be a lot better if it wasn’t for you and your damn father. I don’t get a minute to myself because of all you.’
Her father, tall, slim, almond-brown with curly black hair, walked into the kitchen, wiping the corners of his eyes clean. Even with his rumpled morning face there was no mistaking that he was a handsome man. He smiled at Bea. ‘Morning, Beezy.’
She smiled back. ‘Morning, Daddy. Can we go for a long long long long long drive today?’
‘No problem, pumpkin. Where you want to go?’
As Alan turned to pick up the kettle he bumped into Mira. Her coffee mug crashed to the floor and shattered, spilling hot coffee over the counter and cupboards, staining her dress and puddling the floor.
‘Look at the mess you make! You nearly burn me real bad!’ Mira shouted. ‘But don’t worry.’ She jabbed her finger at her chest. ‘The maid here will clean up and finish cooking the food!’
Alan looked around, probably searching for a rag. ‘Woman, have a heart. I just wake up. It was an accident. You need help today?’
‘Need help? Well look at my crosses. Only a real stupid fool would ask a question like that. The house don’t clean itself, you know!’
‘Let me help you clean up the kitchen and then we go do the rest of the house tomorrow. We planning a little cook by Zyda and Derek them. And Mama say she want me to take she to see Tanti June quite up in Arima. And you know Tanti living in real bush.’
‘Why you always have to be the one to take she here, there and everywhere?’ snapped Mira. ‘She don’t have other children? Last I check she have more than one son.’
‘Look, she asked me to help she out.’ Alan wiped the counter with a paper towel. ‘And I go take Bea for the drive so you will get some peace and quiet.’
Mira opened drawers, searching for another rag. ‘She always want something doing. Go here. Do this. Do that. Want. Want. Want. Man, I fed up with your blasted mother!’
That’s when he grabbed a meat knife off the countertop, gripped Mira’s arm and pushed it at her throat. ‘You don’t tell me nothing about my mother!’ he hissed.
The tip of the long blade pressed against Mira’s skin. The kitchen was deadly quiet. With Mira’s hard breathing the knife could easily draw blood.
Bea did not remember how long the standoff lasted. Eventually Alan threw the knife on the kitchen counter and marched out. The attack was over as abruptly as it had started. All the while Bea had sat frozen to her chair with a spoonful of grapefruit poised in mid-air. Mira stood still on the spot where Alan had pinned her. Outside the car door slammed shut. The engine started. He was gone.
Bea had eaten her last grapefruit.
CHAPTER NINE
It’s funny how when it’s holidays the time goes fast like a racing car. When it’s school time it slows right
Similar Books
