Read Online Since You've Been Gone by Carlene Thompson - Free Book Online Page A

Bandages covered the cuts on her forehead. A long scratch ran along her jaw and a bruise discolored her right cheekbone. Her eyes felt too irritated to accept contact lenses, so she dug her metal-framed glasses out of her purse, put on slacks and a T-shirt, and went downstairs.
    On her way to the kitchen, Rebecca passed through the living room. Decorated in tones of cream, hunter green, and antique gold, it remained just the same as when she’d left home. At one end of the room sat a Steinway piano; at the other was a Hammond organ. Both she and Jonnie had taken music lessons. Rebecca had practiced diligently but at best managed only to plunk out the standard beginner’s fare. She’d been bitterly disappointed with her failure, as had her mother. Jonnie was a different story. Although he’d complained loudly about the forced tutelage, he’d shown remarkable talent.
    Rebecca flipped on the organ and sat on the bench, picturing her brother with his golden hair and a rapt look in his eyes as he’d played. Their father’s favorite song hadbeen a haunting remnant of the sixties, “A Whiter Shade of Pale” by Procol Harum. He’d listened to it so often, Suzanne told him he’d wear out the tape. And years after Patrick’s death, Suzanne cried quietly in the audience when Jonnie had played the song with tremendous skill and feeling in a talent contest, dedicating it to his father. He’d won the contest and been ecstatic. Three months later he had been murdered, all his joy, all his promise brutally cut short.
    Rebecca managed the first few chords before her fingers froze. Even if she’d possessed Jonnie’s talent, she couldn’t have played the song. It had belonged first to Patrick, then to Jonnie. She would never hear it again without thinking of the two males she’d loved most and lost.
    Abandoning the organ, she walked into the kitchen. “What are you doin’ up?” Betty demanded as she worked on tuna salad for lunch. “You need sleep.”
    â€œI slept long enough and I’m restless.”
    Betty inspected her face in the light, then shuddered. “The thought of you in another wreck frightens the life out of me. Child, I do wonder about your luck sometimes.”
    â€œSo do I,” Rebecca said dryly, “although a lot of people would say I was lucky to survive two wrecks.”
    â€œThat’s right, I guess. By the way, I like your glasses. You wore them until you were twelve. You were cute as a button then.”
    â€œGreat. I look like a cute-as-a-button twelve-year-old. My day is truly made.”
    â€œYou’re cranky. You need to go back to bed.”
    â€œThen I would be crankier.” She looked at a man looking up from a plate of bacon and eggs at the kitchen table. “And this must be Walt.” His long, thin arms and legs splayed at all angles and his high-cheekboned face was seamed and brown as leather. He gave her a shy look and stood up, bumping into the table and setting everything rocking, and bowed slightly as if to royalty. “How do ya do, ma’am?”
    â€œHello, Walt.” Rebecca went forward, hand extended.Walt rubbed his on his pant leg before shaking. “And I’m Rebecca.
Ma’am
makes me feel at least a hundred.”
    â€œYes ma’am, ummm, Rebecca.”
    â€œWalt wanted to lay those new flagstones in the garden before the day got hot,” Betty explained. “That’s why he’s eatin’ breakfast so late. Want some bacon and eggs, honey?”
    â€œNo thanks.” She glanced at Sean, who lay beside where Walt’s big feet would have been. “You two getting along?”
    â€œHe’s a fine dog, ma’am,” Walt said earnestly. “Takes a gentle hand, but he’s smart as a whip. Loyal, too.”
    â€œYou can tell he’s loyal?”
    â€œOh yeah. I can sense it in a minute.”
    â€œWalt’s got a real