Read Online Summer Shorts-Four Short Stories by Jan Miller - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jan Miller
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surrounding Phoenix was concerned; one was
either "in" or one was "out". The "ins" (the true believers)
prospered and endured; the "outs" (non-believers) died well before
their time.
Finally, a Wikipedia biography of Phoenix
showed a photo from a 1968 news article taken of him at his first
wife Lilian's funeral. Terri looked closely at the caption under
the photo and was dumbfounded by what she read: "Next to Phoenix
Gressil is his ten year old daughter, Edon ". Terri exclaimed
"Jesus… that would make her 56 years old! No plastic surgeon is
that good."
Terri followed a link on the news article to
read about the death of Lilian Gressil. From the funeral photo, she
noted that the attendants at the grave side were dressed in winter
clothing. Indeed, the death had occurred while the family was
vacationing in the German country side. Apparently young Edon had
ventured out onto the ice of a pond behind their chalet. Lilian had
run out onto the ice, fearful that it might give way since there
had been a warm spell which thinned the ice. It was Lilian who fell
through the ice and drowned. Edon had witnessed the entire
incident.
Terri skimmed a few paragraphs and stopped
with her hands frozen to the keys by what she then read "…two
witnesses who observed the accident from their window across the
pond added that the young girl had been chasing her escaped pet…a
large black dog".
******
Arriving home in the battered Toyota, Terri had to
park in the street because the Gressil limousine was sitting in her
driveway. Entering the house through the front door, she saw Craig
standing with his guitar case by the door and Botis, Phoenix's
bodyguard standing in the middle of the room. Before anyone could
speak, Libby ran into the room shouting "Mommy, Mommy…look who's
going to stay with us while Daddy is away!" Out of Libby's room
trotted Sykes, the imposing black Rottweiler. Terri fainted and
fell to the floor.
Terri came to lying on the sofa with her feet
elevated by two pillows. Craig and Botis were kneeling over her.
Botis asked "Ma'am, are you by any chance pregnant?" She moaned "Oh
for God's sakes no". Craig laughed. Terri looked around and
excitedly asked "Where's Libby? Is that beast still here?" Craig
put his hand on her arm "They're playing in the backyard. It's like
they have been together for years."
Terri sat up quickly and put her hands on his
face "Listen to me. Listen: I do not want that dog here, do you
hear me? I want him gone…now!" Botis stood up and tried to reassure
her "Ma'am, I have never seen that dog take to anyone like he has
to Libby. I know that dog. Trust me: no one will touch that little
girl when Sykes is with her. He'll die before he'd let anyone hurt
her."
Terri stood up and said in a loud shaking
voice "It's the damned dog I'm worried about. Not someone else!
Can't you understand?" Botis shook his head and said to Craig "That
dog would let that child rip his ear off and he wouldn't as much as
growl. He loves that little girl." Craig turned to Terri, pleading
"Did you hear that? The dog is good for Libby and Libby is good for
the dog. The only thing I'm worried about is you. What's gotten
into you? Are you taking diet pills again?" Terri started
crying.
Craig put his arm around her. "Sykes is just
a dog….a big goddamned dog, yes…but a dog, just the same. If I had
the slightest inkling that he would in any way hurt Libby, I would
be the first say something about it. With him here, no one is
getting in here to hurt either of you. I promise you that."
"Sir, we should be leaving soon if we are
going to make it to the airport on time" Botis quietly said. Craig
replied "I have this under control. I'll call her friend Bess to
come stay with her. The dog will be fine here."
They left to pick-up Phoenix and Edon and
then headed to the airport. Edon turned to Craig and calmly asked
"Any problems…with the dog?" Unemotionally, Craig replied "No
problems. Everything is under control…just as
either "in" or one was "out". The "ins" (the true believers)
prospered and endured; the "outs" (non-believers) died well before
their time.
Finally, a Wikipedia biography of Phoenix
showed a photo from a 1968 news article taken of him at his first
wife Lilian's funeral. Terri looked closely at the caption under
the photo and was dumbfounded by what she read: "Next to Phoenix
Gressil is his ten year old daughter, Edon ". Terri exclaimed
"Jesus… that would make her 56 years old! No plastic surgeon is
that good."
Terri followed a link on the news article to
read about the death of Lilian Gressil. From the funeral photo, she
noted that the attendants at the grave side were dressed in winter
clothing. Indeed, the death had occurred while the family was
vacationing in the German country side. Apparently young Edon had
ventured out onto the ice of a pond behind their chalet. Lilian had
run out onto the ice, fearful that it might give way since there
had been a warm spell which thinned the ice. It was Lilian who fell
through the ice and drowned. Edon had witnessed the entire
incident.
Terri skimmed a few paragraphs and stopped
with her hands frozen to the keys by what she then read "…two
witnesses who observed the accident from their window across the
pond added that the young girl had been chasing her escaped pet…a
large black dog".
******
Arriving home in the battered Toyota, Terri had to
park in the street because the Gressil limousine was sitting in her
driveway. Entering the house through the front door, she saw Craig
standing with his guitar case by the door and Botis, Phoenix's
bodyguard standing in the middle of the room. Before anyone could
speak, Libby ran into the room shouting "Mommy, Mommy…look who's
going to stay with us while Daddy is away!" Out of Libby's room
trotted Sykes, the imposing black Rottweiler. Terri fainted and
fell to the floor.
Terri came to lying on the sofa with her feet
elevated by two pillows. Craig and Botis were kneeling over her.
Botis asked "Ma'am, are you by any chance pregnant?" She moaned "Oh
for God's sakes no". Craig laughed. Terri looked around and
excitedly asked "Where's Libby? Is that beast still here?" Craig
put his hand on her arm "They're playing in the backyard. It's like
they have been together for years."
Terri sat up quickly and put her hands on his
face "Listen to me. Listen: I do not want that dog here, do you
hear me? I want him gone…now!" Botis stood up and tried to reassure
her "Ma'am, I have never seen that dog take to anyone like he has
to Libby. I know that dog. Trust me: no one will touch that little
girl when Sykes is with her. He'll die before he'd let anyone hurt
her."
Terri stood up and said in a loud shaking
voice "It's the damned dog I'm worried about. Not someone else!
Can't you understand?" Botis shook his head and said to Craig "That
dog would let that child rip his ear off and he wouldn't as much as
growl. He loves that little girl." Craig turned to Terri, pleading
"Did you hear that? The dog is good for Libby and Libby is good for
the dog. The only thing I'm worried about is you. What's gotten
into you? Are you taking diet pills again?" Terri started
crying.
Craig put his arm around her. "Sykes is just
a dog….a big goddamned dog, yes…but a dog, just the same. If I had
the slightest inkling that he would in any way hurt Libby, I would
be the first say something about it. With him here, no one is
getting in here to hurt either of you. I promise you that."
"Sir, we should be leaving soon if we are
going to make it to the airport on time" Botis quietly said. Craig
replied "I have this under control. I'll call her friend Bess to
come stay with her. The dog will be fine here."
They left to pick-up Phoenix and Edon and
then headed to the airport. Edon turned to Craig and calmly asked
"Any problems…with the dog?" Unemotionally, Craig replied "No
problems. Everything is under control…just as
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