Vi Agra Falls by Mary Daheim

Author:Mary Daheim
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Publisher: HarperCollins

The two men who stood on the porch looked vaguely familiar. “How may I help you?” Judith asked, wondering if they’d been B&B guests at some time and had heard about the vacancy.

“We came to see Sis,” the shorter of the two replied. “Is she here?”

“Sis?” Judith’s jaw dropped. “You’re the waiters!”

Both men laughed. “Sometimes,” the short one said. “Mom told us Caitlin came to see her dad.”

Caitlin had, in fact, come into the entry hall. “Doug! Barry!” she exclaimed, though her enthusiasm struck Judith as forced even as she allowed each of the men to give her a hug. “Have you met my half-brothers?” Caitlin asked Judith.

“No.” She held out her hand to the shorter of the pair.

“Doug Campbell,” he said, practically squeezing Judith’s fingers to the point of pain. “This is Barry, Barry Henckel, my kid brother. Half-brother, half-wit. Ha-ha.”

Barry’s handshake wasn’t as strong. Judith tried to find a resemblance between the two, but only their brown hair and brown eyes indicated a family relationship. Doug was not only short and stocky, but apparently hadn’t shaved for a couple of days. Barry was much thinner, a few inches taller, and his scraggly hair was going gray. In their well-worn jeans and T-shirts, the half-brothers struck Judith as scruffy.

Barry and Doug were edging their way into the living room. “Hey,” Doug cried, espying the drinking glasses, “it looks like you’ve already started to party! Awwwright!” He punched his fist into the palm of his other hand. “Let’s get it on!”

“Actually,” Caitlin said quietly, “I was about to leave to collect my luggage from Mom’s house. Maybe you two could get it for me.”

Barry, who Judith decided was the silent partner in the sibling relationship, spoke in a deep, rumbling voice. “No rush.”

“Awesome!” Doug cried, slapping Barry’s back. “Who’s buying?”

Before Caitlin—or Judith—could protest, voices could be heard coming from the front porch, where the door had been left open. A moment later, Marva Lou and Frankie Buss appeared in the archway between the living room and the entry hall.

“What are you two doing here?” Frankie demanded.

“Seeing our sis,” Doug retorted, fists clenching and unclenching at his side. “You got a problem with that?”

“Your sis?” Marva Lou said with a sour expression on her puddinglike face. “I thought you were waiters. Which one is your so-called sis?”

“Her,” Barry replied, pointing to Caitlin, who looked to Judith as if she’d rather be just about anywhere but Hillside Manor.

“How many pups did your mother whelp?” Marva Lou said harshly. “Or is this one hers?” she added, gesturing at Judith.

“Hey!” Judith cried. “That’s enough!” She put a hand on Caitlin’s arm. “We’re going to see…Clarence. Let’s go before he…um…hops off.”

Judith hustled Caitlin out through the French doors at the far end of the living room.

“Should we leave them in there?” Caitlin asked, looking over her shoulder. “It sounds as if big trouble is brewing.”

“I’m insured,” Judith said grimly.

“I’m so sorry Barry and Doug showed up,” Caitlin said as they went down the back steps.

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