Read Online The Wrong Door by Bunty Avieson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Bunty Avieson
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half-hoisted her, forcing her roughly forward.
The young man seemed shocked by Clare’s treatment of his new friend. ‘Hey, lighten up. You never got pissed?’
Clare ignored him. The whole scene annoyed her. What was Marla doing with these doped-out people? They might think it was a huge joke to wake up in someone else’s bed, no longer capable of getting yourself home, but Clare didn’t. And she particularly didn’t like finding her older sister in such a state.
She propelled Marla down the stairs, half-carrying her, along the front hallway and past the motley group of students who had come out of the kitchen to watch the entertainment. They laughed and sniggered. Clare knew they thought she was stitched-up and a party-pooper, and she didn’t care. She was ready to belt the first person who came near them. Her disgust showed on her face and they stood aside. No-one tried to help as the two women staggered down the hallway, but they didn’t try to stop them either.
Marla spent the ride home slumped against the door, shivering. She was unable to meet Clare’sgaze. Clare was surprised by her own anger. She wanted to scream at Marla, ‘What the hell do you think you are doing?’ But she kept herself in check. She knew from experience that after an emotional outburst she was usually sorry and often embarrassed. Mr Sanjay said that anything that was important enough to upset you should not be responded to without the benefit of a good night’s sleep. A closed mouth gathers no feet, he used to say.
Peg had a different view. Never let the sun go down on an argument was the way she dealt with conflict. No point in keeping it in, she would say. Clare kept her eyes on the road and drove her sister home in silence. Clare helped her up the stairs, staying out of sight of Peg and her clients.
In her own bedroom Clare paced and fumed. She really wanted to tell Marla what she thought of her, that she was a disgrace. But a nagging little voice told her it probably would be best to leave it till she was calmer. Hell no, she wanted to give her a blast right now. Mr Sanjay would say that anger would cloud her judgement. All the better reason to let it out, Peg would argue. It wasn’t healthy to keep strong emotions locked inside.
Clare knew it was her choice how she reacted. She could try to forget about her sister and concentrate on something else. Or she could give in to her emotions. Clare felt completely self-righteous. She didn’t want to let it go. And anyway, why the hell should she? As Peg would say, she had let the sun go down too many times.
She stormed into Marla’s room withoutknocking. Marla was sitting on the floor. She didn’t look like Clare’s glamorous older sister right then. She looked like a frightened little girl. People had often said how physically alike the two sisters were and for the first time Clare could see it. The forlorn figure at her feet, looking vulnerable and broken, could have been her.
‘So now you know,’ said Marla. ‘I wish you didn’t. I’m sorry, Clare. So very sorry.’
Clare wasn’t sure she understood. She sat down on the carpet, facing her sister. ‘Know what?’
Marla didn’t seem to hear her. ‘Now you know,’ she whispered.
Clare pulled at a tuft of wool. She had been ready to unleash a tirade but now she was stuck for words.
‘I never wanted you to see me like that,’ said Marla. ‘I’d give anything that you hadn’t come there.’
Suddenly some of the pieces slipped into place for Clare. This wasn’t the first time that Marla had woken up somewhere and had to be collected. But usually it was Peg who took the call and went dashing off to the rescue, giving Clare some story or other to explain it. But today it was Clare who answered the telephone. So many things about her sister looked unexpectedly different. Marla’s fragile health. Those sudden, devastating migraines that she had to sleep off, spending days in a darkened room. Her fraught
The young man seemed shocked by Clare’s treatment of his new friend. ‘Hey, lighten up. You never got pissed?’
Clare ignored him. The whole scene annoyed her. What was Marla doing with these doped-out people? They might think it was a huge joke to wake up in someone else’s bed, no longer capable of getting yourself home, but Clare didn’t. And she particularly didn’t like finding her older sister in such a state.
She propelled Marla down the stairs, half-carrying her, along the front hallway and past the motley group of students who had come out of the kitchen to watch the entertainment. They laughed and sniggered. Clare knew they thought she was stitched-up and a party-pooper, and she didn’t care. She was ready to belt the first person who came near them. Her disgust showed on her face and they stood aside. No-one tried to help as the two women staggered down the hallway, but they didn’t try to stop them either.
Marla spent the ride home slumped against the door, shivering. She was unable to meet Clare’sgaze. Clare was surprised by her own anger. She wanted to scream at Marla, ‘What the hell do you think you are doing?’ But she kept herself in check. She knew from experience that after an emotional outburst she was usually sorry and often embarrassed. Mr Sanjay said that anything that was important enough to upset you should not be responded to without the benefit of a good night’s sleep. A closed mouth gathers no feet, he used to say.
Peg had a different view. Never let the sun go down on an argument was the way she dealt with conflict. No point in keeping it in, she would say. Clare kept her eyes on the road and drove her sister home in silence. Clare helped her up the stairs, staying out of sight of Peg and her clients.
In her own bedroom Clare paced and fumed. She really wanted to tell Marla what she thought of her, that she was a disgrace. But a nagging little voice told her it probably would be best to leave it till she was calmer. Hell no, she wanted to give her a blast right now. Mr Sanjay would say that anger would cloud her judgement. All the better reason to let it out, Peg would argue. It wasn’t healthy to keep strong emotions locked inside.
Clare knew it was her choice how she reacted. She could try to forget about her sister and concentrate on something else. Or she could give in to her emotions. Clare felt completely self-righteous. She didn’t want to let it go. And anyway, why the hell should she? As Peg would say, she had let the sun go down too many times.
She stormed into Marla’s room withoutknocking. Marla was sitting on the floor. She didn’t look like Clare’s glamorous older sister right then. She looked like a frightened little girl. People had often said how physically alike the two sisters were and for the first time Clare could see it. The forlorn figure at her feet, looking vulnerable and broken, could have been her.
‘So now you know,’ said Marla. ‘I wish you didn’t. I’m sorry, Clare. So very sorry.’
Clare wasn’t sure she understood. She sat down on the carpet, facing her sister. ‘Know what?’
Marla didn’t seem to hear her. ‘Now you know,’ she whispered.
Clare pulled at a tuft of wool. She had been ready to unleash a tirade but now she was stuck for words.
‘I never wanted you to see me like that,’ said Marla. ‘I’d give anything that you hadn’t come there.’
Suddenly some of the pieces slipped into place for Clare. This wasn’t the first time that Marla had woken up somewhere and had to be collected. But usually it was Peg who took the call and went dashing off to the rescue, giving Clare some story or other to explain it. But today it was Clare who answered the telephone. So many things about her sister looked unexpectedly different. Marla’s fragile health. Those sudden, devastating migraines that she had to sleep off, spending days in a darkened room. Her fraught
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