Read Online The Wilder Sisters by Jo-Ann Mapson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jo-Ann Mapson
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order to exorcise her own sorrows.
Rose picked up the paperback and threw it into the wastebasket. She took her teacup and stood at the open back door. Outside the sky was black, and the rain moved across the yard in characteristic September monsoonlike sheets. As was typical of mares, Winky brayed at the sight of one of her humans, but Max remained quiet. One of her neighbor’s horses called back, and the equine chorus began. In bad weather they could go on for hours. And people complain about the coyotes making noise , Rose thought.
“Mom,” Amanda said with that same superior tone in her voice. “I just meant you should widen your reading scope. There’s way more meaningful stuff to expose your mind to. The I Ching , for ex- ample. And Camille Paglia. Caleb’s turned me onto all kinds of great books.”
As relieved as she was to see her daughter alive, not visibly pregnant, and not wearing handcuffs, Rose tuned her out. She con- centrated instead on the drumbeat of the rain on the barn roof. Here was a girl who could never get above a D in her English courses because the teachers were “out of it,” and the books they assigned were “boring,” lecturing her mother about literature via a reggae drummer. Reggae wasn’t even that popular anymore. What Rose would give to do her life over, graduate collage instead of getting married at eighteen, earn credits for something as pleasurable as reading books. She sipped her tea silently as Amanda prattled on. Then Rose noticed the shadow of a figure coming up the side of the yard. She knew who it was before she heard his voice call out.
“I want my keys back this minute! I’m not kidding.”
Austin had walked here all the way from the veterinary office. He knew she’d change the combination to the safe because she’d done it before. He could have called, saved himself the walk, but Austin was smart enough to know that if he pleaded his case in person, Rose might soften. In the past he’d broken her down as if she were a shotgun. He knew just where to press to find her trigger.
“Rose! I know you’re in there. Let’s not drag this out.”
She didn’t move. It occurred to her that humble people knocked, hat in hand, and asked forgiveness. It also occurred to her that she was not dealing with a man who understood the power of humility.
Amanda got up and stood beside her mother. “Who’s that screaming out there? Should you call the police?”
She touched her daughter’s arm. “No, honey, it’s only Doctor Donavan.”
“What’s his problem?”
“Me. I locked his keys in the safe at work.” “Why?”
“He was drunk when I did it.”
“Mom, he looks really steamed. Maybe you should give them back.”
Steamed wasn’t the quite right word for it. Austin looked drowned, furious, and he was standing there letting the rain pelt him like any minute he knew Rose would rush out there with a towel. Not this time. No matter how much she ached to.
“Dammit, Rose, my boots are full of water. I could catch pneumo- nia.”
“Come inside. I’ll give you a towel.”
“I don’t want a fucking towel, I want the keys to my truck!”
He wasn’t completely sober or he wouldn’t have used the F word. “Not tonight, Austin. Tomorrow I’ll be glad to give them to you.”
“Then you’re fired!”
She kept her voice deadpan. “Okay, I’m fired. Goodnight. Have a pleasant walk home.” She shut the door.
“Mama,” Amanda cautioned. “He sounded like he meant it. Maybe you better apologize. You need your job.”
Rose’s heart sank. Her instincts were right: This was going to be about money. She wondered if the absent Caleb had put Amanda up to this. She sat back down on the couch and waited to hear what it was her daughter wanted.
Amanda opened the door. “He’s taking Max! Mother, are you just going to sit there and let him steal my horse?”
Rose craned her neck to look out the window. Sure enough, Austin had thrown a halter around the
Rose picked up the paperback and threw it into the wastebasket. She took her teacup and stood at the open back door. Outside the sky was black, and the rain moved across the yard in characteristic September monsoonlike sheets. As was typical of mares, Winky brayed at the sight of one of her humans, but Max remained quiet. One of her neighbor’s horses called back, and the equine chorus began. In bad weather they could go on for hours. And people complain about the coyotes making noise , Rose thought.
“Mom,” Amanda said with that same superior tone in her voice. “I just meant you should widen your reading scope. There’s way more meaningful stuff to expose your mind to. The I Ching , for ex- ample. And Camille Paglia. Caleb’s turned me onto all kinds of great books.”
As relieved as she was to see her daughter alive, not visibly pregnant, and not wearing handcuffs, Rose tuned her out. She con- centrated instead on the drumbeat of the rain on the barn roof. Here was a girl who could never get above a D in her English courses because the teachers were “out of it,” and the books they assigned were “boring,” lecturing her mother about literature via a reggae drummer. Reggae wasn’t even that popular anymore. What Rose would give to do her life over, graduate collage instead of getting married at eighteen, earn credits for something as pleasurable as reading books. She sipped her tea silently as Amanda prattled on. Then Rose noticed the shadow of a figure coming up the side of the yard. She knew who it was before she heard his voice call out.
“I want my keys back this minute! I’m not kidding.”
Austin had walked here all the way from the veterinary office. He knew she’d change the combination to the safe because she’d done it before. He could have called, saved himself the walk, but Austin was smart enough to know that if he pleaded his case in person, Rose might soften. In the past he’d broken her down as if she were a shotgun. He knew just where to press to find her trigger.
“Rose! I know you’re in there. Let’s not drag this out.”
She didn’t move. It occurred to her that humble people knocked, hat in hand, and asked forgiveness. It also occurred to her that she was not dealing with a man who understood the power of humility.
Amanda got up and stood beside her mother. “Who’s that screaming out there? Should you call the police?”
She touched her daughter’s arm. “No, honey, it’s only Doctor Donavan.”
“What’s his problem?”
“Me. I locked his keys in the safe at work.” “Why?”
“He was drunk when I did it.”
“Mom, he looks really steamed. Maybe you should give them back.”
Steamed wasn’t the quite right word for it. Austin looked drowned, furious, and he was standing there letting the rain pelt him like any minute he knew Rose would rush out there with a towel. Not this time. No matter how much she ached to.
“Dammit, Rose, my boots are full of water. I could catch pneumo- nia.”
“Come inside. I’ll give you a towel.”
“I don’t want a fucking towel, I want the keys to my truck!”
He wasn’t completely sober or he wouldn’t have used the F word. “Not tonight, Austin. Tomorrow I’ll be glad to give them to you.”
“Then you’re fired!”
She kept her voice deadpan. “Okay, I’m fired. Goodnight. Have a pleasant walk home.” She shut the door.
“Mama,” Amanda cautioned. “He sounded like he meant it. Maybe you better apologize. You need your job.”
Rose’s heart sank. Her instincts were right: This was going to be about money. She wondered if the absent Caleb had put Amanda up to this. She sat back down on the couch and waited to hear what it was her daughter wanted.
Amanda opened the door. “He’s taking Max! Mother, are you just going to sit there and let him steal my horse?”
Rose craned her neck to look out the window. Sure enough, Austin had thrown a halter around the
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