Read Online The Melting Season by Jami Attenberg - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jami Attenberg
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a TV. And I think it’s made of gold.”
“I am so happy for you,” said Jenny, but of course she was not. She did not have time for bragging, or any games at all.
“Are you okay?” I said. “Can you handle this?”
“I can’t tell,” she said. “I can’t tell if it was just an accident because we were arguing and she grabbed me the wrong way or if it was for real, and Mom’s going crazy and is going to like, stab me in my sleep.”
I thought about it for a second. “No, she would not do it while you were sleeping. She would definitely want you to be awake for it.”
“That’s comforting,” she said.
“Well, how else would you get the point?”
We both started laughing, but it was a little moan of a laugh that drained out of our throats quick.
“Call someone,” I said. “Go somewhere. Go stay in my old apartment. Timber would let you in.”
“I feel like I can handle it,” said Jenny. “And anyway we’re all snowed in. Dad’s completely checked out at this point, and won’t dig us out of the driveway.”
“Will you just call Timber?”
“If I need to, I will. I’m not that worried though. I’m pretty sure I can take her. She’s so lit all the time I probably could knock her over quick.”
She laughed, and I strained my ear to see if she was faking it. Oh, I guess I wanted to believe her. I wanted to carry on with what I was doing at that moment. Sitting close to Valka in bed and giggling like real girlfriends. Breaking free from the cold Nebraska winter. On my way to the new me. So I wished her well and made her promise to call me the minute anything happened. But secretly I hoped that phone did not ring. Because I still wanted to have some fun.
Back in bed, Valka gave me her best impression of a worried look, considering her forehead did not move a lick.
“You want to talk about it, Cathy?”
“Nope,” I said. “I do not want to talk about anything ever.”
Valka took in a deep breath. “All rightie, then,” she said.
“Sorry,” I said. I instantly regretted it. But I was not ready to spill my soul to the world. I loved Valka but it was so tight inside me. It still hurt to breathe.
Then she said, “Oh well, new day, new year.” She paused. “That’s right, it is a new year! Tonight, oh tonight. I am taking you to see the best show on earth, Hot Stars in the City. Two lady friends out on the town again. And then at midnight, champagne cocktails!”
“I don’t know if my head can handle it.”
“You’ll be fine. Just take some more aspirin. Or I’ve got some Valium.”
“Valium!” I said.
“I have lots of drugs. I’m a regular old medicine cabinet. I AM A CANCER SURVIVOR.” She said it so seriously I could not argue with her.
Valka got up and went to the bathroom and said, “This is magnificent.” Then she started puking.
“Are you okay in there?” I said.
“Fine,” she said. “Just getting it all out.”
“Do you want me to hold your hair?” I said. Isn’t that what girlfriends did for each other? That was how it was in high school anyway. Then I remembered she did not have any hair. She did not bother to reply.
I sat back and thought for a moment as Valka retched in the bathroom. She had been through so much. She lost her breasts. She lost her insides. She lost her man. There she was throwing everything up from last night. But still she had a positive attitude. She should have had a heart of stone but she was so much warmer than I would ever be. And I had not even bothered to tell her my secrets. She had not asked, but still, I could have offered something up in the name of friendship. I was the one who was wrong.
Valka turned on the shower and came back into the bedroom. She was naked. Her breasts really were in a perfect location on her chest. There were tiny pinkish scars on the undersides of them and around the nipples. She opened the closet door and pulled out a robe. “Ooh, these are nice,” she said. “They’re softer than
“I am so happy for you,” said Jenny, but of course she was not. She did not have time for bragging, or any games at all.
“Are you okay?” I said. “Can you handle this?”
“I can’t tell,” she said. “I can’t tell if it was just an accident because we were arguing and she grabbed me the wrong way or if it was for real, and Mom’s going crazy and is going to like, stab me in my sleep.”
I thought about it for a second. “No, she would not do it while you were sleeping. She would definitely want you to be awake for it.”
“That’s comforting,” she said.
“Well, how else would you get the point?”
We both started laughing, but it was a little moan of a laugh that drained out of our throats quick.
“Call someone,” I said. “Go somewhere. Go stay in my old apartment. Timber would let you in.”
“I feel like I can handle it,” said Jenny. “And anyway we’re all snowed in. Dad’s completely checked out at this point, and won’t dig us out of the driveway.”
“Will you just call Timber?”
“If I need to, I will. I’m not that worried though. I’m pretty sure I can take her. She’s so lit all the time I probably could knock her over quick.”
She laughed, and I strained my ear to see if she was faking it. Oh, I guess I wanted to believe her. I wanted to carry on with what I was doing at that moment. Sitting close to Valka in bed and giggling like real girlfriends. Breaking free from the cold Nebraska winter. On my way to the new me. So I wished her well and made her promise to call me the minute anything happened. But secretly I hoped that phone did not ring. Because I still wanted to have some fun.
Back in bed, Valka gave me her best impression of a worried look, considering her forehead did not move a lick.
“You want to talk about it, Cathy?”
“Nope,” I said. “I do not want to talk about anything ever.”
Valka took in a deep breath. “All rightie, then,” she said.
“Sorry,” I said. I instantly regretted it. But I was not ready to spill my soul to the world. I loved Valka but it was so tight inside me. It still hurt to breathe.
Then she said, “Oh well, new day, new year.” She paused. “That’s right, it is a new year! Tonight, oh tonight. I am taking you to see the best show on earth, Hot Stars in the City. Two lady friends out on the town again. And then at midnight, champagne cocktails!”
“I don’t know if my head can handle it.”
“You’ll be fine. Just take some more aspirin. Or I’ve got some Valium.”
“Valium!” I said.
“I have lots of drugs. I’m a regular old medicine cabinet. I AM A CANCER SURVIVOR.” She said it so seriously I could not argue with her.
Valka got up and went to the bathroom and said, “This is magnificent.” Then she started puking.
“Are you okay in there?” I said.
“Fine,” she said. “Just getting it all out.”
“Do you want me to hold your hair?” I said. Isn’t that what girlfriends did for each other? That was how it was in high school anyway. Then I remembered she did not have any hair. She did not bother to reply.
I sat back and thought for a moment as Valka retched in the bathroom. She had been through so much. She lost her breasts. She lost her insides. She lost her man. There she was throwing everything up from last night. But still she had a positive attitude. She should have had a heart of stone but she was so much warmer than I would ever be. And I had not even bothered to tell her my secrets. She had not asked, but still, I could have offered something up in the name of friendship. I was the one who was wrong.
Valka turned on the shower and came back into the bedroom. She was naked. Her breasts really were in a perfect location on her chest. There were tiny pinkish scars on the undersides of them and around the nipples. She opened the closet door and pulled out a robe. “Ooh, these are nice,” she said. “They’re softer than
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