Someone Like Summer by M. E. Kerr

Author:M. E. Kerr
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2007-01-28T16:00:00+00:00

Tuesday morning word of what had happened at Ridge Road had reached Dad’s cell phone. Some of his crew would be missing, but for once he was more worried about his date with Larkin than his business. As I was getting ready to leave the house, Dad was trying on shirts—horrible plaid polyester short-sleeved shirts. He was taking Larkin to lunch for her birthday. I couldn’t remember him ever having lunch in a restaurant. Mom always made him lunch at home. Now he always ordered takeout.

“Which one looks good, Annabel?” He was beginning to go bald, so he wore this old cap inside and out. But anyone could still see Kenyon in his face and body. He was tall and tan like Kenyon and I were, and he kept himself in good shape, kayaking on Accabonac Bay, bowling and fly-fishing down at the ocean.

“They all look awful, Dad. Wear a long-sleeved white cotton shirt with the sleeves rolled. Wear your good belt.”

I was wondering if E.E. was okay, hurrying to get to the library, where I could make calls. All I knew then was that the police had raided the house on Ridge Road.

I wasn’t used to seeing my dad so vulnerable. I wondered if he’d ever been nervous about what to wear on dates with my mother. I doubted it. They’d known each other since grade school, and started going steady when they both went to the same community college. Mom was never that much into clothes, either. Mostly she wore jeans and T-shirts, except Sundays at church, when she wore a skirt and heels. Not the dagger-point kind Larkin wore.

“Are my khakis all right?” Dad asked.

“They’re fine. How come you’re taking her to lunch?”

“She’s making dinner for me and Kenyon. She says it’s her chance to get to know him. I wish this was on another day. I’m probably short half a work crew thanks to Charlie Annan!”

“Just relax, Dad. Your face is bright red.”

“Are people wearing socks anymore?”

“No one wears socks with sandals, Dad. No socks. Just your loafers. No cap. I have to go. I’ll be late for work.”

“You were invited to dinner too, you know.”

“Larkin knows me already. I promised Mitzi I’d come over.”

I felt guilty lying, and bringing Mitzi into it again. I still hadn’t called her. Everything was so complicated trying to arrange times to see Esteban, and I didn’t want to take on her problems with Virgil. I was curious to hear what she had to say, but at the same time I didn’t want to hear her put down Latinos, particularly the poor guys from Ridge Road. I wasn’t crazy about Ramón, but I had an idea a good Catholic girl like Mitzi just couldn’t stand Ramón talking Virgil into leaving Holy Family.

Dad was too involved with Larkin to keep close track of me. He had never been the disciplinarian in the family, anyway. That was Mom. The funny thing is, I never would have lied to Mom about seeing Esteban.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.