Read Online The Pirate Queen by Patricia Hickman - Free Book Online
Authors: Patricia Hickman
Ads: Link
the milk to flow from her nipple and then drawing back and laughing when it sprayed his face.
Bender got up in the middle of the night to check on her and the baby, or so she thought. Instead, he wanted her to come back to bed with him. She told him the baby wasn’t finished eating yet. He was mad, as if she were using Turner as an excuse.
“Bender, it’s not an excuse. If I put Turner in his crib without eating, he’ll not go back to sleep.”
It was things like that, Bender had said, that let him know she wasn’t interested in him.
Saphora was not sure how many women he had consorted withover the years. But it had been at least two years since he had touched her. The other wives in their circle of friends comforted Saphora, saying it was best she look the other way. But she had become obsessed with believing in something besides settling.
When Saphora pulled up the drive, Eddie was playing Frisbee in the front yard with the new boy he had met on the beach, Tobias. The boy had not waited long to drop by. A blue bike leaned against the house.
Saphora took one of Gwennie’s bags. Eddie was not accustomed to Aunt Gwennie, so he looked at her more as a curious stranger than a relative.
“Eddie, go and hug your aunt,” said Saphora.
“He doesn’t have to,” said Gwennie. She dug through a bag and pulled out a box. “I brought you a present,” she said.
Eddie bounded for her, hands extended. He opened the box as if he did not already have more stuff than he needed back in Charlotte in his room, each item representing a guilty pang from his mother or father for the separation Eddie lived between.
“It’s a bug holder,” said Gwennie. “Like, you catch a bug in the net, then drop it into the holder so you can watch it or feed it. One of the little bug house walls has a magnifying glass to watch it up close.” She shrugged, more for Saphora’s sake. “It looked educational.”
Saphora coaxed a “thank you” out of Eddie and then said, “Take it to the backyard and share it with Tobias.”
Eddie took off without an invitation to Tobias. So Saphora told the boy, “Go ahead and join him. I’ll bring you lunch so you can have it up in the tree house. Pizza or something.”
Tobias was much calmer than Eddie. He walked up to Saphora and put his arms around her.
Gwennie said she was surprised a young boy would pay so much attention to an adult. She introduced herself to him.
“I’m Tobias. My parents live about ten blocks away. I called first and Dr. Warren told me how to get here. I’ll go and play with Eddie. I’d love lunch in the tree house, Mrs. Warren,” he said. “Pleasure to meet you, Gwennie.” He tracked Eddie to the backyard.
“He’s awfully mature,” said Gwennie.
“We met him at the town beach when Bender made us stop so he could take a walk.”
Gwennie followed through the front door. Bender had set up an office in the downstairs room he called a library. He pored over a procedure manual.
Saphora volunteered to take Gwennie’s suitcase and bag to the guest room opposite the study to give Gwennie time with her daddy. But she left the door open and could conveniently hear them.
“There she is,” Bender said, an old wooden desk chair squeaking as he got out of it. He had always greeted Gwennie differently than the boys. She was his Gwen. There was an elevated intensity all over Bender as if he might break in two at the sight of her. She had not always brought out the best in Bender when she was a teen. But Bender admittedly had not ever been good at relating to young people. Once she had gotten her bachelor’s degree in tow and was well on her way to law school, Bender gained a sudden vocabulary for praise in her presence.
Saphora picked up the suitcase and then the bag and set them on the bed. She opened the drapes covering the french doors while Gwennie sobbed next door. With the extra light in the room, the fine silt was visible that had coated the table surfaces over
Bender got up in the middle of the night to check on her and the baby, or so she thought. Instead, he wanted her to come back to bed with him. She told him the baby wasn’t finished eating yet. He was mad, as if she were using Turner as an excuse.
“Bender, it’s not an excuse. If I put Turner in his crib without eating, he’ll not go back to sleep.”
It was things like that, Bender had said, that let him know she wasn’t interested in him.
Saphora was not sure how many women he had consorted withover the years. But it had been at least two years since he had touched her. The other wives in their circle of friends comforted Saphora, saying it was best she look the other way. But she had become obsessed with believing in something besides settling.
When Saphora pulled up the drive, Eddie was playing Frisbee in the front yard with the new boy he had met on the beach, Tobias. The boy had not waited long to drop by. A blue bike leaned against the house.
Saphora took one of Gwennie’s bags. Eddie was not accustomed to Aunt Gwennie, so he looked at her more as a curious stranger than a relative.
“Eddie, go and hug your aunt,” said Saphora.
“He doesn’t have to,” said Gwennie. She dug through a bag and pulled out a box. “I brought you a present,” she said.
Eddie bounded for her, hands extended. He opened the box as if he did not already have more stuff than he needed back in Charlotte in his room, each item representing a guilty pang from his mother or father for the separation Eddie lived between.
“It’s a bug holder,” said Gwennie. “Like, you catch a bug in the net, then drop it into the holder so you can watch it or feed it. One of the little bug house walls has a magnifying glass to watch it up close.” She shrugged, more for Saphora’s sake. “It looked educational.”
Saphora coaxed a “thank you” out of Eddie and then said, “Take it to the backyard and share it with Tobias.”
Eddie took off without an invitation to Tobias. So Saphora told the boy, “Go ahead and join him. I’ll bring you lunch so you can have it up in the tree house. Pizza or something.”
Tobias was much calmer than Eddie. He walked up to Saphora and put his arms around her.
Gwennie said she was surprised a young boy would pay so much attention to an adult. She introduced herself to him.
“I’m Tobias. My parents live about ten blocks away. I called first and Dr. Warren told me how to get here. I’ll go and play with Eddie. I’d love lunch in the tree house, Mrs. Warren,” he said. “Pleasure to meet you, Gwennie.” He tracked Eddie to the backyard.
“He’s awfully mature,” said Gwennie.
“We met him at the town beach when Bender made us stop so he could take a walk.”
Gwennie followed through the front door. Bender had set up an office in the downstairs room he called a library. He pored over a procedure manual.
Saphora volunteered to take Gwennie’s suitcase and bag to the guest room opposite the study to give Gwennie time with her daddy. But she left the door open and could conveniently hear them.
“There she is,” Bender said, an old wooden desk chair squeaking as he got out of it. He had always greeted Gwennie differently than the boys. She was his Gwen. There was an elevated intensity all over Bender as if he might break in two at the sight of her. She had not always brought out the best in Bender when she was a teen. But Bender admittedly had not ever been good at relating to young people. Once she had gotten her bachelor’s degree in tow and was well on her way to law school, Bender gained a sudden vocabulary for praise in her presence.
Saphora picked up the suitcase and then the bag and set them on the bed. She opened the drapes covering the french doors while Gwennie sobbed next door. With the extra light in the room, the fine silt was visible that had coated the table surfaces over
Similar Books
