Bad Blood by Mary Monroe

Author:Mary Monroe [Monroe, Mary]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2015-04-07T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 36

Seth

I STILL HAD MY KEY TO MY PARENTS’ HOUSE, BUT I ALWAYS KNOCKED now.

“What’s wrong with you, boy? Why don’t you just let yourself in, like you’re supposed to?” Mother asked, swinging open the door. “You know I gave Minnie the day off.” Minnie Finch was the woman who came to the house several times a week to “help” Mother with the housekeeping.

“Mother, this is no longer my home, and I don’t feel comfortable acting like it is at my age,” I said, trying to sound firm. “I keep telling you and Father and everybody else that I want to be more independent.”

“Uh-huh. Is that why you moved in with Rachel? How do you expect to become ‘more independent’ living with her?”

“I thought you liked Rachel.”

“I do. I think she’s the nicest, sweetest girl you’ve ever brought to the house. And it’s about time!” Mother brushed off the sleeve of my jacket and patted the top of my head. The same way she used to do when I was a little boy. It was no wonder I still felt like a baby when I was around her. “And judging from that muffin top around your waist, she’s cooking up a storm for you!” Mother patted my belly, which had expanded considerably since I’d moved in with Rachel.

I spent the next hour playing bridge with my mother and two of her nosy friends. I had to answer every question in the book regarding my health, my job status, and my love life.

“I am so happy for you, Seth. I loved Rachel the minute I met her,” Mrs. Wilson, a plump retired doctor’s wife, said in a raspy voice.

“All I want to know is, does she have any grown sisters? I’d love to see my boy Earl settle down with a nice girl with some of the same old-school virtues I hear Rachel has,” said Mrs. Carter, my mother’s thin, long-faced hairdresser.

“Uh, yeah. She’s got one sister around eighteen or nineteen, I think. Her name’s Janet, but she lives in Alabama,” I responded.

“Is she as nice and as pretty as Rachel?” Mother asked.

“I’ve seen pictures of Rachel’s sister, and she’s even prettier than Rachel.” I paused when every woman in the room gasped. “I’ve talked to her on the telephone only once, just to introduce myself. I didn’t talk to her long enough to determine anything about her personality. But I’m sure she’s just as nice and as sweet as Rachel.”

“Does she have any brothers? I’ve been praying for some nice fellow to come along and take my trifling daughter Francine off my hands,” said Willena Morris, Mother’s former sorority sister, shaking her head.

“She’s got a brother who is a couple of years younger than she is. I don’t know much about him, though . . . his education or what kind of work he does. When I asked Rachel to let me introduce myself over the phone, the way I had done with her sister, he wouldn’t come to the phone for some strange reason.

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