Read Online Sullivan's Law by Nancy Taylor Rosenberg - Free Book Online Page B

morning.”
    â€œStop using bad language,” Carolyn corrected him. “Regardless of what Brad and I did, it’s none of your business. It’s over now anyway.”
    â€œProfessor Leighton isn’t old and ugly,” John told her, excited. “He might be a few years older than you. Smart guys don’t always look like movie stars. He’s better looking than Dad.”
    â€œSpeaking of your father,” Carolyn said. “Has he called or stopped by lately?”
    â€œNo,” the boy said, averting his eyes. “Even if he did, I wouldn’t want to see him. He doesn’t care about us. We don’t even have his phone number. The last time we talked, he said he was calling from a phone booth. I’m sure he was lying. I heard some chick laughing in the background. He lies about everything now.”
    Carolyn remembered the sensitive, romantic young man she had fallen in love with. They’d had picnics and made love on the beach. He wrote her love letters and brought her flowers. Curled up together in his bed, many nights they’d talked until the sun came up. Her son was wrong. Frank had been a handsome and appealing man. It was amazing what alcohol and drugs could do to a person’s looks. Not yet forty, her former husband looked like an old man. Their marriage had started coming apart ten years ago.
    Because of the baby, only one of them could continue their education. Carolyn had placed John in day care and worked as a secretary to pay Frank’s tuition. He’d taught English while he struggled to complete his first novel. When he wasn’t able to get the book published, he bolstered his ego by sleeping with other women. Then, even his sexual escapades had failed to appease him. He’d allowed drug dealers to come to the house around her children. During the divorce, Carolyn had tried to keep the truth from John and Rebecca. The psychologist they’d only recently stopped seeing insisted that she tell the children why she had divorced their father. When a person became involved with hardcore narcotics, there was no room for anything else. Frank no longer loved anyone. The only thing he loved was the drugs.
    â€œMy teacher says Professor Leighton’s a fun guy,” John told her, breaking the silence. “You might like him.”
    â€œOh, I see,” Carolyn said, smiling. “It’s all right if I shack up with a physics professor as long as you get a recommendation to MIT. Is that what this is all about?”
    John chuckled. “Sort of,” he answered. “At least I’d learn something. I can’t imagine learning anything worthwhile from Brad. I admit I thought he was cool with the race cars and all when I was younger. I bet the guy couldn’t even pass my calculus class. I know he doesn’t have the brains to ever do physics.”
    â€œI’m too busy to get involved with another man right now,” Carolyn told him, using a sponge to wipe down the counter. “Is Rebecca asleep?”
    â€œYeah,” he said. “I had to help her with her homework again. She’s lazy, Mom. She could have done it by herself. I have my own work to do.”
    Carolyn had heard this complaint before. She made a mental note to talk to Rebecca in the morning. “Did she pick up all the junk in there like I told her?”
    â€œYou know Rebecca never cleans her room. She gets her friends to do it for her. She’s a spoiled brat, Mom. You should see how she acts when you’re not here. She won’t even pour herself a glass of milk. She treats me like I’m her slave.”
    Carolyn braced herself in the doorway. “Who got the whole garage to himself? Besides, I thought you wanted me to hook up with this physics professor. Perks are perks, guy. Everything in life comes with a price.”
    Â 
    A tall brunette with dark eyes and a round, friendly face looked up from her desk when Carolyn swept