Read Online Trouble Vision by Allison Kingsley - Free Book Online
Authors: Allison Kingsley
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something wrong?”
Clara rolled her eyes. Stephanie wasn’t happy unless she was worrying about something. “Everything’s fine here. I just called to let you know that Molly and I are going to the Laurel Street Tavern tonight and wondered if you’d like to tag along.”
Stephanie’s disgust came through loud and clear. “Why on earth would you want to go there?”
“Molly thinks Eddie Hatchett will be there with Jason.”
“Oh.” Her tone lightened. “I’d love to come, but I don’t know if I can get away. Not without a good excuse.”
“Okay, I just thought I’d ask. I know how you hate to be left out of things.”
“Oh, I
do
.” Her voice had become a wail. “Let me see what I can do. What time are you going?”
“Right after I leave here. Around eight fifteen.”
“Right. Save me a seat just in case. That place is probably packed on a Friday night.”
Thinking of the clientele they’d run into the last time they were there, Clara shuddered. “You’re right. We may be standing at the bar.”
“It only gets better.” From somewhere in the distance, a high-pitched yell echoed down the line. “Oh, crap. That’s Michael. He’s probably fighting with Olivia again.” Her voice sounded farther away as she yelled, “Olivia! Michael! Quit that.
Right now!
Gotta go,” she added into the phone. “Hope I see you tonight.”
The line clicked, and Clara closed her cell with a rueful grin. Her conversations with her cousin were constantly being interrupted by Stephanie’s youngest two kids. Ethan, the eldest, couldn’t be more different that Michael and Olivia. He rarely spoke, preferring to communicate via the computer or texting on the smartphone his parents had reluctantly given him last Christmas. Clara adored all three of them, even though her visits to her cousin’s house tended to be unpredictable and sometimes exhausting.
She opened up a book carton, wondering how she would cope if she had three kids. Sometimes it was all she could do to keep up with Tatters, what with walks, feeding and watering, and keeping him quiet so as not to disturb her mother when all he wanted to do was romp around and bark for attention.
Smiling, she tried to imagine herself in a park, watching three toddlers while Tatters bounced back and forth barking at everything that moved. When Rick Sanders walked into the picture, however, she quickly shut off the image. She definitely wasn’t ready for that. Not now, maybe not ever.
5
Stephanie’s idea of a quiet evening was anywhere without her kids. Even the tavern, where rock bands blasted music so loud everyone had to shout to be heard, would be more bearable than the screaming match between her two youngest offspring.
Michael, it seemed, had taken Olivia’s video game and hidden it somewhere. Olivia kept yelling at him to give it back, and Michael kept insisting he’d forgotten where he’d hidden it.
Stephanie took the two of them into the kitchen so that George could watch the news in peace. After prying Olivia’s pigtail from Michael’s fingers, Stephanie bent down until her face was level with his. “Now, Michael, you will tell me where you hid Olivia’s game.”
Michael’s eyes filled with tears. “Don’t remember.”
“I’ll make you remember,” Olivia said, her voice low and fierce.
She lunged at the boy, and Stephanie grabbed her daughter, hauling her backward. “I will handle this, Olivia. Stay put and don’t move.” She turned back to her son. “If you can’t find the game, you will have to buy another one for your sister out of your allowance.”
Tears rolled down his cheeks, and Stephanie had to steel herself against the urge to hug him. “I spent my allowance.”
“Then you’ll have to save every week until you have enough to buy another game.”
“That’ll take
weeks
,” Olivia protested. “I can’t wait weeks for my game. I want it
now
!”
“Then you’ll have to help him find it.” Stephanie gave the
Clara rolled her eyes. Stephanie wasn’t happy unless she was worrying about something. “Everything’s fine here. I just called to let you know that Molly and I are going to the Laurel Street Tavern tonight and wondered if you’d like to tag along.”
Stephanie’s disgust came through loud and clear. “Why on earth would you want to go there?”
“Molly thinks Eddie Hatchett will be there with Jason.”
“Oh.” Her tone lightened. “I’d love to come, but I don’t know if I can get away. Not without a good excuse.”
“Okay, I just thought I’d ask. I know how you hate to be left out of things.”
“Oh, I
do
.” Her voice had become a wail. “Let me see what I can do. What time are you going?”
“Right after I leave here. Around eight fifteen.”
“Right. Save me a seat just in case. That place is probably packed on a Friday night.”
Thinking of the clientele they’d run into the last time they were there, Clara shuddered. “You’re right. We may be standing at the bar.”
“It only gets better.” From somewhere in the distance, a high-pitched yell echoed down the line. “Oh, crap. That’s Michael. He’s probably fighting with Olivia again.” Her voice sounded farther away as she yelled, “Olivia! Michael! Quit that.
Right now!
Gotta go,” she added into the phone. “Hope I see you tonight.”
The line clicked, and Clara closed her cell with a rueful grin. Her conversations with her cousin were constantly being interrupted by Stephanie’s youngest two kids. Ethan, the eldest, couldn’t be more different that Michael and Olivia. He rarely spoke, preferring to communicate via the computer or texting on the smartphone his parents had reluctantly given him last Christmas. Clara adored all three of them, even though her visits to her cousin’s house tended to be unpredictable and sometimes exhausting.
She opened up a book carton, wondering how she would cope if she had three kids. Sometimes it was all she could do to keep up with Tatters, what with walks, feeding and watering, and keeping him quiet so as not to disturb her mother when all he wanted to do was romp around and bark for attention.
Smiling, she tried to imagine herself in a park, watching three toddlers while Tatters bounced back and forth barking at everything that moved. When Rick Sanders walked into the picture, however, she quickly shut off the image. She definitely wasn’t ready for that. Not now, maybe not ever.
5
Stephanie’s idea of a quiet evening was anywhere without her kids. Even the tavern, where rock bands blasted music so loud everyone had to shout to be heard, would be more bearable than the screaming match between her two youngest offspring.
Michael, it seemed, had taken Olivia’s video game and hidden it somewhere. Olivia kept yelling at him to give it back, and Michael kept insisting he’d forgotten where he’d hidden it.
Stephanie took the two of them into the kitchen so that George could watch the news in peace. After prying Olivia’s pigtail from Michael’s fingers, Stephanie bent down until her face was level with his. “Now, Michael, you will tell me where you hid Olivia’s game.”
Michael’s eyes filled with tears. “Don’t remember.”
“I’ll make you remember,” Olivia said, her voice low and fierce.
She lunged at the boy, and Stephanie grabbed her daughter, hauling her backward. “I will handle this, Olivia. Stay put and don’t move.” She turned back to her son. “If you can’t find the game, you will have to buy another one for your sister out of your allowance.”
Tears rolled down his cheeks, and Stephanie had to steel herself against the urge to hug him. “I spent my allowance.”
“Then you’ll have to save every week until you have enough to buy another game.”
“That’ll take
weeks
,” Olivia protested. “I can’t wait weeks for my game. I want it
now
!”
“Then you’ll have to help him find it.” Stephanie gave the
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