Read Online The Four Temperaments by Yona Zeldis McDonough - Free Book Online Page A

clear blue eyes and saw nothing that looked like alarm or confusion. Still, Penelope was her mother, and Ruth knew better than to interfere. So instead of cradling her granddaughter in her arms, she turned to greet Penelope's mother, Caroline, a tall, elegant woman with cheekbones that could have carved the turkey.
    It was only when they had all moved inside and were somewhat settled that William said loudly, “So where's Ben?”
    â€œHe'll be here,” Ruth said, as she moved briskly around the room, making sure there was a small bowl next to the olives for the pits, arranging the hard candy into a pleasing little mound in its glass dish. “He said he was coming home for Thanksgiving.”
    â€œYeah, but did he say this Thanksgiving or next year?” William said. Everyone laughed, William and Gabriel loudest of all. Ruth didn't know why Ben had such a bad reputation with his brothers, but then, as if on cue, the bell rang again, and this time, it was Ben. Ruth rushed to the door to hug him. Could it be that he was taller? Look how tanned he was; there were even streaks of blond in his brown hair. She was so busy gazing up at him that it took her a moment to realize he was not alone. There was a woman with him.
    â€œAnd this is . . .” Oscar, ever the gentleman, said kindly as he came to embrace his boy.
    â€œThe newest Mrs. Kornblatt,” Ben announced proudly. “Mom, Dad, I'd like you to meet my wife, Laura.”
    Oscar and Ruth looked at each other in astonishment. But there was Ben, holding the hand of this small woman with reddish, curly hair and a constellation of freckles across her face. William started to clap first. Then everyone else in the room joined in.
    The story
unfolded over the course of the meal. It seemed that they had met in Delhi, though in fact Laura was from London. She had been visiting the family of an Indian schoolmate during a break when she met Ben. . . . Yes, it was all very sudden; yes, they had surprised the family totally, bowled them over would have been more like it; no, they hadn't told anyone they were getting married. They had just gone and done it, in London, one Monday morning just two weeks ago. But as she watched her youngest boy hold the hand of this girl, now his wife, Ruth felt a sense of maternal completion and fulfillment. She knew how her own mother must have felt when she and Molly were both married: the job was done and now there was someone—husband, wife, the children you hoped would follow—to take your place. Amen.
    Between Ben's wonderful news and the delirious pleasure of finally getting to hold Isobel in her arms, Ruth was fairly distracted most of the day. She didn't pay much attention to Oscar or Ginny or any of the other guests either. Instead, she settled on the sofa while Betsy and Penelope cleared the table; her three sons had not been in one room together for at least two years and they had plenty to say. Only at some point it seemed that Gabriel had disappeared and Ben, in the midst of some complicated story he was telling about a night he spent in Calcutta, noticed his absence. “Where did he go?” he asked, looking around. “I want him to hear this.”
    â€œYou sit,” Ruth instructed. “I'll find him.” She stood up. Isobel still seemed content to be in her arms and Ruth could hear the voices of Penelope and Betsy in the kitchen. “Come,” she said to Isobel, “let's go see where Daddy is.”
    Gabriel wasn't in the dining room or the bedroom. Had he been in the kitchen, Ruth would have heard him. He must have gone to the bathroom. Then she noticed that the door to the guest room was closed and she knew how stuffy that room could get, especially on such a mild day. Without thinking, she reached for the knob and opened the door.
    There, wrapped in each other's arms, Gabriel and Ginny stood kissing. And what a kiss: their eyes were closed, their bodies welded together. Because