Read Online The Devil's Demeanor by Jerry Hart - Free Book Online Page A

out through the blinds at the road, the trees,
the tunnels. The air conditioner blew cold air all the way to the back of the
van, and music played softly from the speakers above him, making him drowsy.
“For the Longest Time” played twice during the trip.
    They passed
through New York and Dad promised they would officially visit the city during
the summer. This was the first time Don had visited northern U.S.A. that he
could actually remember.
    After what had
been the longest road trip of his life, his dad finally approached a large
apartment complex located on a hill. Dad drove to the building on the opposite
side of the entrance and parked right in front of a small rock wall.
    He helped get
the suitcases out of the back of the van, then escorted his children to the
building. The apartment had a certain smell Don would never forget, and
whenever he would smell it again in the future, would automatically think of
this place. It was an old, electrical smell, not completely unpleasant. Just
sterile.
    A laundry room
was on the right, elevators on the left. Don didn’t know how many floors the
place had, but he had seen the building from the outside well enough to know it
had many. Once they got to the end of the hall, they turned left and went down
another hall. At the very end, on the left, was Dad’s apartment. It was only one
bedroom, and Dad had told Don and Ethan they would have to sleep on the couch,
which unfolded into a bed.
    When Dad opened
the door, the TV and lights were already on. The TV was a big, wood-paneled
thing that sat on the floor by the patio. He walked past the small kitchen
directly to the left, still carrying the suitcases in his arms. “Honey, I’m
home,” he called.
    “About time,” a
voice snapped back.
    Don slowly made
his way to the living room—the kitchen wall had been blocking his view—and saw
a woman sitting on the couch across from the TV. She was wearing a long, plain
nightgown and glasses. Her hair was done in black-and-copper curls. When she
smiled, her lips, covered in dark red lipstick, parted to reveal startling
white teeth.
    She stood up
and approached the kids. “I’m Yvonne. It’s nice to meet you.”
    Don
automatically didn’t like her.
    He didn’t know her.
    He stared at
Dad, waiting for an explanation.
    “She’s my
girlfriend,” Dad finally said.
    Don stood
there, next to Ethan, wondering why his dad hadn’t brought Agatha with him to
Connecticut. Don then did the dumbest thing: He asked.
    Dad, who had
been smiling proudly, frowned. He looked at Yvonne, then back to his kids.
“Well, son, Agatha died last year.”
    Don asked no
more questions.
    *   *   *
    As summer wore
on, Connecticut lost its exotic appeal. During the week, his dad worked—where
he worked, Don didn’t know—and Yvonne took summer classes at a community
college. Don guessed she was in her mid twenties, whereas Dad was in his
forties. She also worked in a department store, where she took the kids a few
times to get a jumpstart on school supplies, including clothes.
    Don didn’t like
the store; it was so depressingly empty, and he couldn’t imagine why anyone
would want to work there.
    Luckily, the
family headed back down to Florida in late June to spend time with Dad’s
sister, Aunt Lydia. She and her family lived out in a rural area in Cocoa, and
they promised lots of fireworks for Independence Day.
    Everyone stood
out on the back porch, watching the sun go down. The huge field that was Aunt
Lydia’s backyard went from orange to gray as more relatives arrived. Grandma
came with uncles Nate and Billy.
    It was another
family reunion, though there was no beach house. The adults grilled hamburgers
and hot dogs while the children played. Jabari and Quinton joined Don, Ethan,
Nina and Candice in Candice’s bedroom (Candice and Nina had separate rooms) as
they played with her toys. A little pink cash register seemed very popular.
    Don wanted to
play with it but Candice snapped at him,