Read Online Pale Phoenix by Kathryn Reiss - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kathryn Reiss
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that
piano!
I'm
trying
to live with her, but all I can think of is that soon she'll have to go. I'm practically crossing the days off on my calendar."
Philip's face creased with a frown. "Hey, I didn't know you felt like this. I thought things were working out."
"I guess I did, too," added Helen.
"You both must be blind, then. And deaf." Miranda scrubbed her hands through her hair. "We can't be in a room for two seconds without fighting. She's always giving me nasty looks and saying obnoxious thingsâlike how immature I am. Me?
She's
the one who had better grow up, if you ask me. Her piano playing is driving me nuts. I know you want me to be a good hostess, and I've been trying not to let her bug me, but I just
can't
anymore. She doesn't seem like a guest at allâit's like she's digging her heels in."
And she can make herself vanish.
That was the worst thing of all.
Helen reached over and smoothed back Miranda's dark curls. "What do you mean, Mandy?"
"I just don't trust her. Don't you feel it, too? She's holding something backâI don't know what. I just feel ... oh, I don't know. Kind of weird whenever she's around." She wanted to say something about the footprints and crying, but didn't. She couldn't bear hearing them say again that she was just jealous.
Philip said it anyway. "Seems to me you feel threatened by her. But why? Her being here doesn't take anything from you, honey." He lay back and tossed a pillow into the air, catching it lightly, "I mean, think about that. She's in a terrible position."
"I know you just think I'm jealous, but it isn't that." Miranda bit her bottom lip. "She makes me uneasy. She makes me
cold.
" She thought for a second. "Threatenedâbut not in the way you mean, Dad. I'm
not
jealous of Abby. She makes me ... she makes me feel queasy."
Philip smiled. "Queasy?"
"OK, so it sounds dumb. But she gives me the creeps." Miranda bit back the real reason:
She can disappear!
"Wow." Helen sighed. "I like Abby a lot." Miranda steeled herself as Helen continued. "Dad and I hoped we might let her stay a bit longer. Until her relatives are found. You know, we feel you've been an only child for too long."
"Then have a baby, Mither!"
"I don't think you know how hard we've tried to," said Philip quietly.
"Funny, isn't it," murmured Helen. "I help infertile couples all the time but haven't managed to do anything for us. Now we don't want a baby anymore, Mandy. But if we can help out by having Abby stay a while...."
"I can't believe this! Now you're talking as if you're planning to adopt Abby tomorrow." Miranda felt panic rising in her. They just didn't understand.
"No one is talking about adoption." Helen stood up, wandered over to the window, and looked out into the snowy night. Then she turned back. "I know it's a big change having her here, Mandy. Butâ"
"But what you're saying certainly alters things," Philip interjected. "If you're miserable, of course she'll have to go. Still, I'd like you to try especially hard to settle things with her. Maybe there's some problem you girls can work out together. Maybe talking will help. Do you think?"
Miranda shrugged. "I really don't think you understand anything I've been trying to tell you. It's not just a personality conflict. There's something about her. Something..."
"Weird," finished Helen. "So you keep saying."
"Look, will you at least tell her to cut out all the piano playing? I can't practice my flute anymore, or even do my homework, with all her noise."
"All right, Mandy," said Philip. "I'll talk to her about cutting down. But it is a shame to restrict the one thing that seems to make her really happy." Philip gave her a hug. "Now get back to bed. It's nothing to lose sleep over. Agreed?"
"Not really."
He sighed. "Good night, sweetheart."
One Monday after school, Helen picked up Miranda, Abby, and Susannah and drove to the Revere Mall, a huge complex of department stores, specialty shops, and restaurants on the
piano!
I'm
trying
to live with her, but all I can think of is that soon she'll have to go. I'm practically crossing the days off on my calendar."
Philip's face creased with a frown. "Hey, I didn't know you felt like this. I thought things were working out."
"I guess I did, too," added Helen.
"You both must be blind, then. And deaf." Miranda scrubbed her hands through her hair. "We can't be in a room for two seconds without fighting. She's always giving me nasty looks and saying obnoxious thingsâlike how immature I am. Me?
She's
the one who had better grow up, if you ask me. Her piano playing is driving me nuts. I know you want me to be a good hostess, and I've been trying not to let her bug me, but I just
can't
anymore. She doesn't seem like a guest at allâit's like she's digging her heels in."
And she can make herself vanish.
That was the worst thing of all.
Helen reached over and smoothed back Miranda's dark curls. "What do you mean, Mandy?"
"I just don't trust her. Don't you feel it, too? She's holding something backâI don't know what. I just feel ... oh, I don't know. Kind of weird whenever she's around." She wanted to say something about the footprints and crying, but didn't. She couldn't bear hearing them say again that she was just jealous.
Philip said it anyway. "Seems to me you feel threatened by her. But why? Her being here doesn't take anything from you, honey." He lay back and tossed a pillow into the air, catching it lightly, "I mean, think about that. She's in a terrible position."
"I know you just think I'm jealous, but it isn't that." Miranda bit her bottom lip. "She makes me uneasy. She makes me
cold.
" She thought for a second. "Threatenedâbut not in the way you mean, Dad. I'm
not
jealous of Abby. She makes me ... she makes me feel queasy."
Philip smiled. "Queasy?"
"OK, so it sounds dumb. But she gives me the creeps." Miranda bit back the real reason:
She can disappear!
"Wow." Helen sighed. "I like Abby a lot." Miranda steeled herself as Helen continued. "Dad and I hoped we might let her stay a bit longer. Until her relatives are found. You know, we feel you've been an only child for too long."
"Then have a baby, Mither!"
"I don't think you know how hard we've tried to," said Philip quietly.
"Funny, isn't it," murmured Helen. "I help infertile couples all the time but haven't managed to do anything for us. Now we don't want a baby anymore, Mandy. But if we can help out by having Abby stay a while...."
"I can't believe this! Now you're talking as if you're planning to adopt Abby tomorrow." Miranda felt panic rising in her. They just didn't understand.
"No one is talking about adoption." Helen stood up, wandered over to the window, and looked out into the snowy night. Then she turned back. "I know it's a big change having her here, Mandy. Butâ"
"But what you're saying certainly alters things," Philip interjected. "If you're miserable, of course she'll have to go. Still, I'd like you to try especially hard to settle things with her. Maybe there's some problem you girls can work out together. Maybe talking will help. Do you think?"
Miranda shrugged. "I really don't think you understand anything I've been trying to tell you. It's not just a personality conflict. There's something about her. Something..."
"Weird," finished Helen. "So you keep saying."
"Look, will you at least tell her to cut out all the piano playing? I can't practice my flute anymore, or even do my homework, with all her noise."
"All right, Mandy," said Philip. "I'll talk to her about cutting down. But it is a shame to restrict the one thing that seems to make her really happy." Philip gave her a hug. "Now get back to bed. It's nothing to lose sleep over. Agreed?"
"Not really."
He sighed. "Good night, sweetheart."
One Monday after school, Helen picked up Miranda, Abby, and Susannah and drove to the Revere Mall, a huge complex of department stores, specialty shops, and restaurants on the
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