Whistling Women by Romo Kelly

Author:Romo, Kelly [Romo, Kelly]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
ISBN: 9781503950887
Published: 2015-11-17T05:00:00+00:00

By the time they returned home, Mother had changed clothes and looked like a normal human being again. She, Ruth, and Mrs. Parker sat at the dinette, with Mother and Ruth both clutching hands of playing cards and teaching Mrs. Parker how to play pinochle.

“Fix Benny some lunch, girls. There’s soup in the cabinet,” Mother said without even looking up from her hand. “The goal of the game is to win tricks. I dealt, so Ruth leads to begin with. After that, whoever wins the trick will lead.”

Rumor bit her tongue. Wasn’t it Mrs. Parker’s responsibility to take care of her own son? Mary took Benny into their bedroom while Rumor opened the only can of Campbell’s soup they had left—the mock-turtle soup, untouched for over a year. And rightly so. It would be good to get rid of it. As Rumor stood over the pot, stirring and waiting for it to boil, someone knocked on the door. Mrs. Parker looked up in relief.

“Maybe it’s Ben,” Mother said, pushing back her chair to answer.

Mr. Parker stood on the stoop in his sloppy suit and tie, with his hat cocked sideways on his head and a glassy gaze in his eyes.

“Yes, your family is here,” her mother said.

“We’re locked out,” Mr. Parker slurred.

“Your family has been here all afternoon while you were out.” Mother paused. “Out getting soused.”

He stumbled over to his wife and knelt at her feet. He put his head in her lap and cried, “I’m so sorry. I’ve tried every day. So sorry. Tell me you love me.”

Rumor didn’t know why she felt embarrassed—it was Mr. Parker making a fool of himself—but she did. She stirred the soup and pretended she couldn’t see or hear anything. There really was truth in the saying “A watched pot never boils.”

Mrs. Parker put her hand on her husband’s head and smoothed his hair back, petting him like a dog as he muttered, “What’ll we do?”

Mother did not condone such weakness in men. Rumor waited for her eruption.

“First of all, you’re going to get sober, and then you’re going to talk to Kaiser about getting your belongings,” Mother said in that tone that made Rumor cringe. “After that, maybe your head will be clear enough to figure out what you’re going to do next.”

Rumor stood at the stove with her head down, pretending she wasn’t listening, until Mother snapped at her, “Rumor, put some coffee on while you’re in there. I’ll be right back.”

Mother stepped outside, banging the door shut behind her. Ruth helped Mr. Parker to the couch, where he sat limp and disheveled. Mrs. Parker scooted next to him and patted his hand. Just as Rumor got the coffee going, Mother returned.

“Mrs. Keegan said your family can stay in her guest room for a week or so until you can find a place to go, but you’re not going over there in your condition.”

Mother came into the kitchen and yanked the spoon from Rumor’s hand. “Go over to Mrs. Keegan’s and help her get her guest room straightened up.

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