Bridge Daughter by Nelson Jim

Author:Nelson, Jim [Nelson, Jim]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Kindle Press
Published: 2016-06-07T04:00:00+00:00

*

After replenishing the women’s coffee cups and clearing the plates, Erica led Hanna through the lunch-making process. From the refrigerator Erica produced packages of supermarket cold cuts and cheese slices wrapped in butcher paper. She instructed Hanna to toast the bread, tiny loaves, one white and the other wheat, a size of bread Hanna had never seen before. Meanwhile, Erica took an egg salad from the refrigerator and placed cutting boards on the countertop. With the fillings before them, the duo deftly prepared a stack of finger sandwiches cut into triangle halves. At Erica’s behest, Hanna snapped open a bag of ridged potato chips and poured them into a large bowl.

“No, no, no,” Erica said, “you have to pick out the best ones. No crumbs in there.”

“You’re kidding.”

“For guests,” Erica told her. “We don’t eat like this when people aren’t around.”

Hanna poured the chips back into the bag and dumped the remaining crumbs into the sink. “How do you normally eat?” She began hand-selecting the largest chips from the bag for the bowl.

“You know, normal food,” Erica said, still assembling sandwiches. “We’ll probably have pasta tonight. I’ll use the leftover vegetables from last night to make a primavera.” She nodded at the chopped lettuce, onions, and tomatoes before them. “A dinner salad from this.”

Hanna didn’t know what primavera meant, but she was more taken aback at the idea of planning meals, from leftovers or otherwise. Erica really was in charge of the kitchen.

“Do you tell your mother what to buy at the supermarket?”

“No,” Erica said. “When we go, I just take what we need and put it in the cart.”

“Does she help?”

Eric shrugged. “She pays.”

Erica poured iced tea in tall glasses with lemon trees painted on their sides. She searched the pantry for straws but they were out. Together they assembled the tray and presented the luncheon together, Erica carrying the tray and Hanna bringing the drinks.

“Lovely,” Mrs. Grimond said. “I hope you like egg salad,” she said to Hanna’s mother, who nodded her approval. “We’ll be finished in thirty minutes,” Mrs. Grimond announced, taking a sandwich from the stack. “You can clear up then.”

The girls retreated to Erica’s room once more. They sat cross-legged on the bristle carpeting facing each other.

“What was San Francisco like?” Erica asked.

“It was great,” Hanna breathed. “I saw my uncle and aunt.”

“Your uncle and aunt?” Erica extended her arms in exasperation. “No wonder you were caught!”

“I didn’t really run away,” Hanna said. “I just wanted to be alone for a little bit. They’re always hovering over me. My parents, I mean.”

Erica nodded. She fully understood that feeling.

“It’s private back here,” Hanna said. “That’s nice.”

“But I always have to listen for that bell, or the front door,” Erica said. “Or one of my little brothers hollering he’s hungry.”

Hanna knew the twins Jason and Jed would be at kindergarten right now. Kindergarten, the bruckegarten for normal children. “Do you play with them?” Hanna asked.

“It’s more like I have to watch them,” Erica said, digging a finger into the bristle carpet.

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