669小说网

第29部分（第5页）

“Mr。　and　Mrs。　Loski？　What　about？”

Mom　sighed。　“About　everything；　it　seems。”

“I　dont　understand。”

Very　quietly　my　mother　said；　“For　the　first　time　in　her　life；　Patsy　is　seeing　her　husband　for

what　he　is。　Its　twenty　years　and　two　children　late；　but

thats　what　shes　doing。”　She　gave　me　a　sad　smile。　“Patsy　seems　to　be　going　through　the

same　thing　you　are。”

The　phone　rang　and　Mom　said；　“Let　me　get　that；　okay？　Your　dad　said　hed　call　if　he　was

working　overtime；　and　thats　probably　him。”

While　she　was　gone；　I　remembered　what　Chet　had　said　about　someone　he　knew　who　had

never　learned　to　look　beneath　the　surface。　Had　he

been　talking　about　his　own　daughter？　And　how　could　this　happen　to　her　after　twenty　years　of

marriage？

When　my　mother　came　back；　I　absently　asked；　“Is　Dad　working　late？”

“That　wasnt　Dad；　sweetheart。　It　was　Bryce。”

I　sat　straight　up。　“Now　hes　calling？　I　have　lived　across　the　street　from　him　for　six　years　and

hes　never　once　called　me！　Is　he　doing　this　because

hes　jealous？”

“Jealous？　Of　whom？”

So　I　gave　her　the　blow…by…blow；　beginning　with　Mrs。　Stueby；　going　clear　through　Darla；　the

auction；　the　furball　fight；　and　ending　with　Bryce　trying

to　kiss　me　in　front　of　everybody。

She　clapped　her　hands　and　positively　giggled。

“Mom；　its　not　funny！”

She　tried　to　straighten　up。　“I　know；　sweetheart；　I　know。”

“I　dont　want　to　wind　up　like　Mrs。　Loski！”

“You　dont　have　to　marry　the　boy；　Julianna。　Why　dont　you　just　listen　to　what　he　has　to　say？

He　sounded　desperate　to　talk　to　you。”

“What　could　he　possibly　have　to　say？　Hes　already　tried　to　blame　Garrett　for　what　he　said

about　Uncle　David；　and　Im　sorry；　but　I　dont　buy　it。　Hes

lied　to　me；　he　hasnt　stood　up　for　me　…　hes　…　hes　nobody　that　I　want　to　like。　I　just　need

some　time　to　get　over　all　those　years　of　having　liked　him。”

Mom　sat　there　for　the　longest　time；　biting　her　cheek。　Then　she　said；　“Pe