Wednesday Nights With Jamie by Daisy Dexter Dobbs

Author:Daisy Dexter Dobbs [Dobbs, Daisy Dexter]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Published: 2011-03-08T00:22:48.351000+00:00

Daisy Dexter Dobbs

She noted Francine working to mask the distasteful expression that had briefly crossed her features. “An ironworker. He—”

“Where did your family vacation?” Catherine threw at her.

“Oh…uh…” Lyla’s thoughts whirred, trying to remember going anywhere other than for a visit to her grandparents downstate. And then she remembered. How could she have forgotten? It was one of the best times in her life as a kid.

“The one vacation I remember as a child, Mrs. Donlon, is when Dad took my sister Dawn and me camping out in the woods. He taught us how to grill hot dogs on sticks.

Dawn made sliced potato foil packets the way she’d learned in scouts and Dad tucked them at the base of the fire to roast. And I showed him how I learned to make s’mores, in Brownies.” She noted Catherine’s blank look. “You know,” Lyla explained, “the treats where you put pieces of chocolate on a graham cracker and then top it with a hot toasted marshmallow, more chocolate and another graham cracker. It gets all gooey and—”

“I’m not familiar with that,” Catherine said.

“They’re sheer heaven. I’d be happy to show you how to make them some time.

Anyway, the three of us laughed and told scary stories around the campfire at night before going to sleep under a makeshift blanket tent. Mom stayed home because she hated the outdoors. It was one of the best times I ever had.” Catherine arched an eyebrow. “Oh…not because my mother stayed at home,” Lyla explained, “I meant—”

“It all sounds very…rustic,” Catherine said, sipping from her glass of white wine.

“So tell me, Lydia, what university did you attend? Did you graduate with honors?

James did, you know.”

“It’s Lyla, Mrs. Donlon. I went—”

“And so did Marcia,” Francine chirped before Lyla could finish. “Were you involved in any sororities or other organizations?”

“Well, I was—”

“What type of degree do you have?” Catherine added.

“Whoa, slow down there,” Jamie said, his fork dropping to his plate with a clang.

“Since when do we ask guests in our home such personal questions? That’s just plain rude. Ease up on Lyla, okay?”

Catherine stiffened in her chair. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, James.

“Your sister and I are simply making an effort to get to know your… friend.” She looked down her nose at Lyla.

Oookay…clearly there were underlying subtexts here Lyla didn’t understand. Her gaze dropped to her hands, wringing the linen napkin in her lap, then drifted to the slab of untouched grilled salmon on her plate. There was definitely more being grilled than just fish tonight.

“We don’t mean any disrespect to your guest,” Francine said unconvincingly, “but we’re your family and we have to keep your welfare at heart.”

60

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.