Read Online Things Could Be Worse by Lily Brett - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Lily Brett
Ads: Link
pain or suffering to each other. I was stupid.â
It worried Genia that Renia was so suspicious. If Pola and Joseph were having an affair, then it had probably been going on for a long time and not hurting anybody. Who knows whether they are or they are not? thought Genia. She didnât care.
What had gone wrong with Renia Bensky? Genia wondered. When Genia had first met Renia in 1950, Renia had been so kind. Renia was still hopeful then. Later she had hardened. They had probably all hardened, thought Genia.
What had been taken away from them in the war, Genia thought, what they had lost, was their trust. Renia had never regained her trust. She was suspicious of everything. In 1950, thought Genia, Renia had still thought that she would be able to regain her trust.
âAnyway, I am not going to think about Joseph Zelman and dear Pola Ganz any more. I have got better things to worry about,â said Renia. âPoor Lina, she has got this week such an allergy. It wasnât enough that she did become allergic to food, now she is allergic to her dog. And she loves her Pandy so much. Such a stupid dog, and she loves him.â
Renia had talked for months about Linaâs allergy to food. âPoor Lina,â she had said to anyone who would listen, and many who didnât want to hear. âShe eats nothing at all. As soon as she puts anything into her mouth, she puts on half a stone. So, she eats nothing. The doctors said it was an allergy to food. My poor Lina is allergic to food.â
Geniaâs husband, Izak, was sceptical. âShe doesnât eat anything and she puts on weight? It doesnât sound like an allergy to me. Maybe Lina could market this allergy. If the doctors could find out how a person can eat nothing and not die, we can save the whole Third World.â
After talking for fifteen minutes about Linaâs blotches caused by her allergy to her dog, Renia was sounding a bit flat. âHow is Esther?â she said.
Esther Pekelman, Geniaâs younger daughter, stammered. She couldnât finish her sentences. Estherâs thoughts always trailed off in a nervous stutter. All the fears that Genia managed to contain, Esther displayed. In many ways Esther was a barometer for the whole Pekelman family. If things were difficult for the family, Esther wore the symptoms of that distress. When times were calmer, Esther looked better.
Genia felt closer to Esther than she did to Rachel, her first-born daughter. Genia felt that Esther understood her. Esther had been in the audience at the luncheon last week. As soon as the performance was over, Esther had rushed up to her. âYou were fabulous, Mum,â she had said. She had hugged Genia tightly. It had been a hug that had shut out all Geniaâs fears and nerves. Esther didnât have the beauty of her sister, Rachel, but Esther had the heart.
Genia thought that Rachel was one of the most beautiful young women she had ever seen. Many other people thought the same thing about Rachel. Rachel had large, green, almond-shaped eyes, flawless olive skin and an elegant aquiline nose. Her face was framed by a head of thick auburn ringlets. At the moment Rachel was between husbands. She had divorced number three, and had just met Boris Zayer, who fulfilled all the prerequisites for husband number four.
Each of Rachelâs husbands had been richer than the husband before him. Rachel had started by marrying a struggling young lawyer. She had left that marriage with a small house in South Yarra. Rachelâs last divorce had netted her a settlement of two and a half million dollars.
âShe doesnât have an economics degree or a Diploma of Business Administration, but she could be president of the World Bank, the way that she has escalated her assets so rapidly,â Izak used to say about his elder daughter.
Rachel was now beautiful and rich. She believed that every man in Melbourne was in love with her. She had told Genia
It worried Genia that Renia was so suspicious. If Pola and Joseph were having an affair, then it had probably been going on for a long time and not hurting anybody. Who knows whether they are or they are not? thought Genia. She didnât care.
What had gone wrong with Renia Bensky? Genia wondered. When Genia had first met Renia in 1950, Renia had been so kind. Renia was still hopeful then. Later she had hardened. They had probably all hardened, thought Genia.
What had been taken away from them in the war, Genia thought, what they had lost, was their trust. Renia had never regained her trust. She was suspicious of everything. In 1950, thought Genia, Renia had still thought that she would be able to regain her trust.
âAnyway, I am not going to think about Joseph Zelman and dear Pola Ganz any more. I have got better things to worry about,â said Renia. âPoor Lina, she has got this week such an allergy. It wasnât enough that she did become allergic to food, now she is allergic to her dog. And she loves her Pandy so much. Such a stupid dog, and she loves him.â
Renia had talked for months about Linaâs allergy to food. âPoor Lina,â she had said to anyone who would listen, and many who didnât want to hear. âShe eats nothing at all. As soon as she puts anything into her mouth, she puts on half a stone. So, she eats nothing. The doctors said it was an allergy to food. My poor Lina is allergic to food.â
Geniaâs husband, Izak, was sceptical. âShe doesnât eat anything and she puts on weight? It doesnât sound like an allergy to me. Maybe Lina could market this allergy. If the doctors could find out how a person can eat nothing and not die, we can save the whole Third World.â
After talking for fifteen minutes about Linaâs blotches caused by her allergy to her dog, Renia was sounding a bit flat. âHow is Esther?â she said.
Esther Pekelman, Geniaâs younger daughter, stammered. She couldnât finish her sentences. Estherâs thoughts always trailed off in a nervous stutter. All the fears that Genia managed to contain, Esther displayed. In many ways Esther was a barometer for the whole Pekelman family. If things were difficult for the family, Esther wore the symptoms of that distress. When times were calmer, Esther looked better.
Genia felt closer to Esther than she did to Rachel, her first-born daughter. Genia felt that Esther understood her. Esther had been in the audience at the luncheon last week. As soon as the performance was over, Esther had rushed up to her. âYou were fabulous, Mum,â she had said. She had hugged Genia tightly. It had been a hug that had shut out all Geniaâs fears and nerves. Esther didnât have the beauty of her sister, Rachel, but Esther had the heart.
Genia thought that Rachel was one of the most beautiful young women she had ever seen. Many other people thought the same thing about Rachel. Rachel had large, green, almond-shaped eyes, flawless olive skin and an elegant aquiline nose. Her face was framed by a head of thick auburn ringlets. At the moment Rachel was between husbands. She had divorced number three, and had just met Boris Zayer, who fulfilled all the prerequisites for husband number four.
Each of Rachelâs husbands had been richer than the husband before him. Rachel had started by marrying a struggling young lawyer. She had left that marriage with a small house in South Yarra. Rachelâs last divorce had netted her a settlement of two and a half million dollars.
âShe doesnât have an economics degree or a Diploma of Business Administration, but she could be president of the World Bank, the way that she has escalated her assets so rapidly,â Izak used to say about his elder daughter.
Rachel was now beautiful and rich. She believed that every man in Melbourne was in love with her. She had told Genia
Similar Books
