Read Online The Heart of Revenge by Richie Drenz - Free Book Online

window,
bellowed,
    “Vaaance! Vaaance!”
    “Yes Mom! Coming.” came sounding from the
distance next door.
    “ Come get ready now.”
    “Coming Mom.”
    “Stop the coming and come.”
    Vance jogged through the door within the next
blink, no shirt, broad flat chest, sweat running over his dark
nipples onto his light brown skin. His hands so big, they looked
like two claws detached from plough tractors and attached to his
shoulders. Both his hands caked with mud up to his wrist, looking
like the ugliest pair of gloves, something only Mr. Death would
wear when taking your life too early. Death was on his hands.
    Pinky burst out laughing,
    “Is farm work you doing now Pops?”
    “No, mi just helping Ms. Merl with her
flowers.”
    ‘Again? That can’t wait?” Mommy interrupted,
“You forget today is your sister wedding?”
    “Yeah mi remember but mi just helping her
with the new garden fence, since mi done did promise her
already.”
    Mommy’s phone rang and the vibration made a
humming ‘bbbbrrr’ sound on the wooden table top as it danced.
    (((Rrring. Rrring.)))
    (((Rrring. Rrring.)))
    She quickly snatched up her phone to catch
the call, in too much haste, shifting and crumpling the burgundy
tablecloth. She looked at the caller ID, thought twice. With her
eyes fixed on the phone screen, her thumb crept slowly to rejecting
the call. She carefully placed the phone back on the table, looked
up, switching looks at me, Daddy and then Pinky without moving her
head, only shifted her eyes side to side then looked away from
everyone, avoiding eye contact, lowered back her head down to the
table, kept it there, her face looked lost, her thoughts way out of
this time-zone. Worried perhaps.
    Loriel zoomed from around the corner,
giggling, one of her dolly-like hand holding the tail of her dress.
She heard Vance’s voice and made an instant U-turn in the middle of
the livingroom, she is slightly tilted forward while running
towards Vance, looking as if she’s about to stumble forward on her
face. She was chuckling, Lassy chasing close behind her, Jason
behind Lassy. In her baby talk she said ‘Uncle Vance’ but it came
out as,
    “Hunko Vance, Hunko Vance.” She charged
towards Vance with his mud covered hands, in her pretty white
dress.
    Her baby smile brought smile to everyone’s
face , her tiny arms wide open to hug around Vance’s long legs, her
chubby cheeks squashing against his knees, eyes closed,
giggling
    “Hunko, hunko” squeezing his legs tight and
wouldn’t let go.
    Vance bent to lift her up. Mom phone rang
again, she grabbed up the phone and yelled at Vance,
    “No! No Vance, your hands.” He froze half-way
bending to pick up Loriel then straightened back up. Mom put her
phone under the table, looked at the caller Id. Rejected the
call.
    “Hey Lorie baby,” Vance said looking down on
her flowy hair which would be dancing at her shoulders if it
weren’t bunched up in a bun today and tied with a pink ribbon. The
ribbon matched the high waistband around her white dress. Lassy was
in a playful mood and wouldn’t leave from behind her, he snuffed
and nudged at her back, panting impatiently, kind of signalling,
‘ Hey let’s go, let go of his leg and let’s go play, come on,
come on, run’ . She paid Lassy no mind, giggling and
baby-talking to Vance,
    “Wif mi up Hunko, wif mi up, tehehe.”
    “Can’t lift you up now baby, mi hands dirty.”
Lassy urged her to run and play with a single bark, that caused Mom
to jerk. She looked suspiciously around. Lassy nudged Loriel with
his wet nose. She slapped Lassy on top of his head and shoots off,
giggling in a high pitched voice. Lassy sprang off in a happy chase
behind her. Jason followed Lassy grabbing at his shiny black tail.
Mom’s phone rang again.
    (((Rrring. Rrring.)))
    (((Rrring. Rrring.)))
    Mommy stared at Pinky. Pinky wasn’t looking
at her, she was looking at Vance. Mommy looked back at her phone,
rejected the call. Planted the phone in