Your Constant Star by Brenda Hasiuk

Author:Brenda Hasiuk
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: JUV039110, JUV039060, JUV039060
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Published: 2014-03-31T16:00:00+00:00

The next day, Faye comes along again and we meet Charlie and Sid, who I also thought were gay when I first saw their file. But “Charlie” is actually short for Charlene, who turns out to be one very hot grade-five teacher. She looks like she is probably half black, with the kind of smooth latte skin and firm ass that little boys have their first wet dreams about. Sid isn’t half bad either. He teaches phys ed and probably whitens his teeth. They have a brand-new house just outside the city that doesn’t even have a lawn yet. Sid apologizes for the mucky slush on our way in, and I can tell he will do it again on our way out.

There are store-bought cookies and little wrapped candies on the coffee table. We go through the usual routine of questions.

“I guess my only concern,” I say, “is that there’s no reason you two might not have a baby of your own. Is that right?”

Charlie looks at Sid like she’s begging him to field this one.

“Well, that’s true,” Sid says. “So far, no one has told us there’s a significant medical reason why we’re not getting pregnant. But we have a lot of love to give.”

After she’s had some time to think, Charlie jumps in. “We work with kids who aren’t our own every day. We know how easy it is to find yourself loving a child if your heart is open. I’m sure we would love our adopted child just as easily and just as much as any possible natural offspring.”

She says this in a way that makes you want to believe it.

Back in the van, Denise mutters that her new suede boots are caked with muck. Faye does up her seat belt and closes her eyes.

“I liked them,” I say, “but they don’t feel exactly right.”

“Listen, honey,” Denise says, trying so hard to be motherly I can tell she’s ready to lose it. “Maybe we need to go through your options again. You need to feel sure.”

“I’m sure,” I say, “just not about them.”

Faye’s eyes remain closed. “Why?”

I remember a game she and I played as kids. We would answer a question with another question until we couldn’t stand it anymore.

“Do you ever wish you weren’t an only child?” I ask her.

Faye opens her eyes and appears to think, as if she’s never considered this before. “Why?”

“Can you just answer the question, please?”

“No,” she says, “not really,” and I have my answer.

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.