A Sample from The Return
I perched on the edge of the dining room chair and held my breath. If I moved even an inch, I would crack and break into a million pieces. So I didn’t move. I stayed fixed as if glued by cement.
“I can’t leave you,” Aunt Marge blubbered. “Jean would want me to stay.” Her tears carved rivers of mascara down her face.
The furnace kicked on, blowing hot air over the room. On the couch, Denny shivered and snuggled closer into Courtney’s side. His eyes were red and swollen, but dry.
“Mom would want you to go back,” Courtney said, her words slow and deliberate. “There’s no reason for you to stay. I’ll quit college and come home.”
“No, you can’t do that,” Aunt Marge said, wiping her cheeks and smearing the black further down her face. “You mustn’t.”
“I can, and I am. Case closed.” Courtney peeled Denny from her side and got up. “You’ll miss your flight.”
Aunt Marge pulled herself to a standing position and smoothed her wrinkled blouse over her huge chest. “The accountant will help you organize the money. I already paid him his fees.” Her features softened. “Now you call me anytime. Day or night. I’ll hop on a plane immediately.”
Aunt Marge cast her laser eyes on me. “Tiffany, you’re too quiet. You all right?”
She wheezed all the way to my chair and then bent down to squash me in a flabby embrace. I kept my head up and sucked air like a person drowning.
Could someone die from choking on perfume?
“I’m fine.” My tone was hard, bordering on mean.
Aunt Marge backed up and blinked. “Well then, okay.” For a moment, she looked confused, more wobbly than usual.
“Here’s your coat.” Courtney held out the heavy bundle of fake fur.
Aunt Marge clucked her tongue and hoisted on her coat. Reaching down, she patted Denny’s head. “Dennis, if you need your old Aunt Marge, you call me, you hear?”
Denny nodded.
“All right, then. I’m off.” She touched the doorknob, took one last look at the three of us, sniffed, and left.
At her departure, the condo itself breathed a sigh of relief. We sat in the silence, as if suddenly unsure what to do. We stared at each other.
Click Here to Buy the E-book
Click Here to Buy the Paperback
Return to Brenda's Books
I perched on the edge of the dining room chair and held my breath. If I moved even an inch, I would crack and break into a million pieces. So I didn’t move. I stayed fixed as if glued by cement.
“I can’t leave you,” Aunt Marge blubbered. “Jean would want me to stay.” Her tears carved rivers of mascara down her face.
The furnace kicked on, blowing hot air over the room. On the couch, Denny shivered and snuggled closer into Courtney’s side. His eyes were red and swollen, but dry.
“Mom would want you to go back,” Courtney said, her words slow and deliberate. “There’s no reason for you to stay. I’ll quit college and come home.”
“No, you can’t do that,” Aunt Marge said, wiping her cheeks and smearing the black further down her face. “You mustn’t.”
“I can, and I am. Case closed.” Courtney peeled Denny from her side and got up. “You’ll miss your flight.”
Aunt Marge pulled herself to a standing position and smoothed her wrinkled blouse over her huge chest. “The accountant will help you organize the money. I already paid him his fees.” Her features softened. “Now you call me anytime. Day or night. I’ll hop on a plane immediately.”
Aunt Marge cast her laser eyes on me. “Tiffany, you’re too quiet. You all right?”
She wheezed all the way to my chair and then bent down to squash me in a flabby embrace. I kept my head up and sucked air like a person drowning.
Could someone die from choking on perfume?
“I’m fine.” My tone was hard, bordering on mean.
Aunt Marge backed up and blinked. “Well then, okay.” For a moment, she looked confused, more wobbly than usual.
“Here’s your coat.” Courtney held out the heavy bundle of fake fur.
Aunt Marge clucked her tongue and hoisted on her coat. Reaching down, she patted Denny’s head. “Dennis, if you need your old Aunt Marge, you call me, you hear?”
Denny nodded.
“All right, then. I’m off.” She touched the doorknob, took one last look at the three of us, sniffed, and left.
At her departure, the condo itself breathed a sigh of relief. We sat in the silence, as if suddenly unsure what to do. We stared at each other.
Click Here to Buy the E-book
Click Here to Buy the Paperback
Return to Brenda's Books