Grim Read Online Free Page B

Meg to the park? Shawn and I have to talk.”
    â€œAll right.” He turned on the tap. “Let me do the dishes first.”
    â€œI can do those.”
    â€œI need to do something for you three.”
    â€œYou have,” Rebecca said. “Leave them. Please?”
    â€œOkay.” Matt turned off the faucet.
    A few minutes later, Megan came in with her shoes. When Matt visited on Sunday mornings, this was their ritual — breakfast, park, grocery shopping. Nothing in her would break that pattern. Not even Wednesday.
    Â 
    Rebecca put the last dish in the drainer and pulled the stopper from the sink. She hadn’t spoken since starting the chore, but Shawn wasn’t about to interrupt her. This was her own ritual.
    The last gulp of soapy water swirled away, leaving a mushroom of white froth in the drainer. Rebecca watched it for a while, listening to the soft tick of popping bubbles. She rinsed her hands.
    â€œWe should ask Matt to let her friends know,” she said. “And call her office.”
    â€œYeah,” said Shawn. “And I’ll tell Peter.”
    â€œWho’ll tell Beth, who’ll tell everyone else.” A drop of acid sizzled in the comment. Rebecca didn’t like Shawn’s friends. “So that takes care of the high school.” She paused. “But I’ll tell Ashley and them myself.”
    Shawn said nothing. He didn’t like her friends, either.
    Rebecca looked at him. “Who else?”
    He sighed. “Well, you already called Grandma, so that about wraps up family.”
    She nodded, torn between the sting of the statement and the reality of it. They settled into thoughtful silence for a few more seconds. Finally, Rebecca cleared her throat. “I think that we should call Dad.”
    Shawn blinked at her from across the kitchen counter.
    â€œExcuse me?”
    â€œDad,” she said. “I think that we should call him.”
    He folded the newspaper on the counter in front of him, taking care to match the creases. “You know Dad’s number?”
    â€œMom gave it to me.”
    â€œYou’ve talked to him?”
    Rebecca stared at the white grout between the counter tiles. “Not recently, no. Not really at all. She just wanted me to have it.”
    â€œOh.” Shawn stacked the newspaper sections, separating them: advertisements in one pile, everything else in the other. Their mother had always done this before breakfast, throwing out the coupons before the deflated paper even touched the coffee table. She’d hated coupons. “Why?”
    Rebecca must have drifted too. She glanced up at him. “Hmm?”
    â€œWhy are you even asking me about this?”
    â€œBecause I’m not sure it’s such a good idea,” Rebecca said. “I don’t want to upset Megan. Or Matt.”
    â€œThen don’t call him.”
    â€œHe deserves to come.”
    â€œNo, he doesn’t.”
    â€œYes, he does, Shawn,” she said. “He deserves to know, at least.”
    â€œHe’ll see the paper.”
    â€œHe left town last month. He’s in Hammonton now.”
    Shawn leaned away from his sister and took a deep breath. “Good for him,” he said. “I’m glad that someone told me.”
    â€œDon’t be stupid about this.”
    â€œYou’ve made up your mind. I’m going for a drive.”
    Rebecca reached for his hand. “We need to talk about the service.”
    Shawn pulled away. “Why don’t you ask Dad about it? I bet he’d love that. I can’t believe you, Becca. He walked out on us. He walked out on Mom. You really want him there when we bury her ?”
    Rebecca glared at him. “I don’t know , Shawn,” she said. “That’s why I’m asking you!”
    â€œThen, no,” Shawn spat. “No, I don’t want him there. No, I don’t think that it’s a good idea. No, I don’t think that he