Read Online Microsoft Word - NaturalDisaster.doc by Shawn Clements - Free Book Online
Authors: Shawn Clements
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was full of people. There were groups gathered in the kitchen, in the living room, out on
the lawn. Jake had expected it, even welcomed it. It meant he could sort of float, say a few words to
people, and move on. He didn't have to maintain an entire conversation with anyone.
He'd gone right to the bathroom when he and Tor had arrived, spending a few moments with a cold
washcloth so he didn't look quite so trashed. He studied himself in the mirror, told himself he
needed sleep, and realized with a shock that he felt a little calmer, a little more like he'd survive the day. Possibly.
Cath was in the kitchen talking to a group of women whom Jake assumed were 'Lissa's friends. He
caught her eye long enough to make sure that she was okay, and moved onto the living room, look-
ing for Tor. Jacob was in there, sitting on the couch and talking to a few adults who looked uncom-
fortable, as if they were just as clueless about what to say to the boy as Jake was. Maybe more.
Tor wasn't there, though, so Jake paused only long enough to accept condolences from people who
offered them and to nod to David, who was keeping a careful eye on his mother. Jess was talking
quietly to a man Jake vaguely remembered from the distant past, and otherwise ignoring Jake and
Tor. She'd spoken to Cath at the graveyard, but she'd passed him right by.
Thank God for small mercies, he thought.
Outside, Tor was sitting on the front step, talking on the phone and wearing the half smile he
seemed to save up for his niece. "Gotta go," he said, looking up Jake. "I'll call you in a couple of days." He paused and nodded. "I'll tell him. Hug your momma for us. Bye."
Jake sat down next to him and leaned in a little. "How're they?" he asked.
"Good. Said to give you their love and tell you they'd be in touch real soon. If there's anything they can do…"
Jake nodded. "Thanks."
Tor slipped his arm around Jake's waist. "How are you doing?"
"Better." Jake inclined his head. "Thanks," he said again. "Sorry I--"
"Nothing to be sorry about."
43
Natural Disaster
There wasn't, and Jake knew it. "Okay."
They sat there for a few minutes, listening to the hum of voices from the yard and through the open
windows next to them. There was a round of laughter and Jake found himself smiling a tiny bit; it
had been days since he'd heard anything like that. A car pulled in and a few more people arrived,
nodding to him and Tor before being joined by a man from the lawn.
Jake closed his eyes and rested his head on Tor's shoulder; was just opening his mouth to say he
was feeling tired and like he could sleep for a year, when there was a shout from inside the house.
"You nasty old bitch!"
Jake sat bolt upright and Tor was already on his way in, throwing open the screen door just as Ja-
cob said it again.
"You bitch! How dare you say anything about them? How dare you say anything at all? My mom
chose them, you old cow, and you have no right!"
Jake pushed past Tor and looked around the room. Stunned faces looked at Jacob, who was stand-
ing in the middle of the room, his good hand clenched into a fist. Jess was on the couch, her mouth
open as she stared at Jacob.
"David, take her out of here," Jake said quietly. "You're not welcome here, Jess. Go poison someone else."
Jacob turned and fled, stomping off to his room. The slam of the door shook the walls.
Jess stood up, looking at the people watching her. "If you think for one moment--"
"Get out." Jake took a step forward. "You have no say. Melissa made plans for her son, and everyone is going to honor her wishes. Period. You are an evil, nasty old woman, and I won't permit you
to--"
"Jake." Tor's hand landed on his shoulder. "Go see to Jacob. I'll deal with this."
Jake didn't even look back as he left the room. He had no intention of seeing any of those people
ever again. He was about one word from just taking Jacob and heading to Arkansas, the law and
school and everything else be damned.
At
the lawn. Jake had expected it, even welcomed it. It meant he could sort of float, say a few words to
people, and move on. He didn't have to maintain an entire conversation with anyone.
He'd gone right to the bathroom when he and Tor had arrived, spending a few moments with a cold
washcloth so he didn't look quite so trashed. He studied himself in the mirror, told himself he
needed sleep, and realized with a shock that he felt a little calmer, a little more like he'd survive the day. Possibly.
Cath was in the kitchen talking to a group of women whom Jake assumed were 'Lissa's friends. He
caught her eye long enough to make sure that she was okay, and moved onto the living room, look-
ing for Tor. Jacob was in there, sitting on the couch and talking to a few adults who looked uncom-
fortable, as if they were just as clueless about what to say to the boy as Jake was. Maybe more.
Tor wasn't there, though, so Jake paused only long enough to accept condolences from people who
offered them and to nod to David, who was keeping a careful eye on his mother. Jess was talking
quietly to a man Jake vaguely remembered from the distant past, and otherwise ignoring Jake and
Tor. She'd spoken to Cath at the graveyard, but she'd passed him right by.
Thank God for small mercies, he thought.
Outside, Tor was sitting on the front step, talking on the phone and wearing the half smile he
seemed to save up for his niece. "Gotta go," he said, looking up Jake. "I'll call you in a couple of days." He paused and nodded. "I'll tell him. Hug your momma for us. Bye."
Jake sat down next to him and leaned in a little. "How're they?" he asked.
"Good. Said to give you their love and tell you they'd be in touch real soon. If there's anything they can do…"
Jake nodded. "Thanks."
Tor slipped his arm around Jake's waist. "How are you doing?"
"Better." Jake inclined his head. "Thanks," he said again. "Sorry I--"
"Nothing to be sorry about."
43
Natural Disaster
There wasn't, and Jake knew it. "Okay."
They sat there for a few minutes, listening to the hum of voices from the yard and through the open
windows next to them. There was a round of laughter and Jake found himself smiling a tiny bit; it
had been days since he'd heard anything like that. A car pulled in and a few more people arrived,
nodding to him and Tor before being joined by a man from the lawn.
Jake closed his eyes and rested his head on Tor's shoulder; was just opening his mouth to say he
was feeling tired and like he could sleep for a year, when there was a shout from inside the house.
"You nasty old bitch!"
Jake sat bolt upright and Tor was already on his way in, throwing open the screen door just as Ja-
cob said it again.
"You bitch! How dare you say anything about them? How dare you say anything at all? My mom
chose them, you old cow, and you have no right!"
Jake pushed past Tor and looked around the room. Stunned faces looked at Jacob, who was stand-
ing in the middle of the room, his good hand clenched into a fist. Jess was on the couch, her mouth
open as she stared at Jacob.
"David, take her out of here," Jake said quietly. "You're not welcome here, Jess. Go poison someone else."
Jacob turned and fled, stomping off to his room. The slam of the door shook the walls.
Jess stood up, looking at the people watching her. "If you think for one moment--"
"Get out." Jake took a step forward. "You have no say. Melissa made plans for her son, and everyone is going to honor her wishes. Period. You are an evil, nasty old woman, and I won't permit you
to--"
"Jake." Tor's hand landed on his shoulder. "Go see to Jacob. I'll deal with this."
Jake didn't even look back as he left the room. He had no intention of seeing any of those people
ever again. He was about one word from just taking Jacob and heading to Arkansas, the law and
school and everything else be damned.
At
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