Read Online Our Daily Bread by Lauren B. Davis - Free Book Online Page A

back for him the next day, after they get help, and when they come back he’s crazy from being afraid and his hair is all white, completely all white. Which is what happens from being that scared, right?”
    â€œWell, I suppose that could happen, but you’d have to be really, really, afraid, Ivy. Are you that afraid?”
    â€œI only checked my hair once.”
    He hesitated asking the question that must be asked. “Why don’t you call Mom?”
    Ivy kept playing with the ends of her hair.
    â€œHang on a minute. I’ll be right back.”
    He had something hidden in his hand when he returned. “I’m going to check on you every night before I go to work, okay? And Mom’ll check too, and if you ever feel in any way even a little frightened, you blow on this, okay?” He took her hand and dropped a long silver whistle on a braided cord in her palm. “That used to be your grandfather’s whistle, from when he was a Scout leader. It blows louder than anything. You give a blast on that and one or the other of us will come running. Okay?”
    â€œOkay.”
    â€œThink you can sleep?”
    â€œUh-huh.”
    â€œI’ll leave the hall light on, okay?” He kissed her on the top of her head, which smelled of her special coconut shampoo. Ivy’s hair tangled so.
    â€œI love you, Daddy.”
    â€œI love you, Ivy.”
    He went back downstairs to the living room.
    â€œWhy didn’t you tell me Ivy’s so scared of the dark?” he said.
    â€œShe is? I didn’t know that.” Patty frowned and raised an eyebrow. “This must be something new. She tell you that?”
    â€œI don’t think it’s new.”
    â€œIt must be. I would have noticed.”
    â€œWell, she’s sure as hell scared now. Checking her hair to see if it’s turned white, for God’s sake.”
    â€œNo! Really? I used to be like that when I was a kid. Scared of everything.”
    â€œYou’re going to have to keep an eye on her when I’m not here. Check on her a couple of times a night. I promised her you would. And I said I’d fix up a new light switch, so she doesn’t have to go down the hall in the dark.”
    â€œDon’t fuss over her too much, Tom. She’s got to grow out of it.”
    â€œI won’t have her being afraid. I gave her Dad’s old Scout whistle to blow in case she gets scared. Just so you know. I don’t think she’ll use it. More like a talisman to keep the bogeymen away.”
    â€œWhat did you do that for? She blows on that thing and I’ll have a heart attack.” She turned back to the ghostly morgue on the television screen.
    He checked on Ivy before he left for work. She slept with the whistle in her hand and the cord around her neck. He told himself it was all right, that she wouldn’t strangle as she slept.
But she might. I should take it off. But what if she loses it in the bed and wakes up frightened? I said it would be there. Better to leave it.
He made a move toward the bed, and then stopped, started again. He shook his head to clear away the cobwebbed indecision.
Christ, get a grip.
Tomorrow he’d get her a night light, fix the switches. He’d build a moat around her bed if necessary.

    Two days later, Tom was getting gas at Ed’s Garage, talking with Ed about the possibility of a poker game one of these nights. Both men leaned with their backs against the truck as the pump clicked away. Ed was a wiry little guy with abnormally hairy ears. Ivy called him an elf and had been afraid of him until recently.
    â€œYou wanna get out of the house more often,” said Ed. “Guys are starting to think you’re whipped.”
    â€œIt’s not Patty. It’s just the hours. I’m dead by nine o’clock. I’d fall asleep in my beer.”
    â€œMaybe you’d finally lose once in a while then.”
    Another car pulled up and Ed called for