Strings Attached Read Online Free Page A

Strings Attached
Book: Strings Attached Read Online Free
Author: Judy Blundell
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me where my brother was and I said I didn’t know. Muddie looked over at me, scared, and I only shrugged. I hadn’t confided in my sister since I was four years old. I’d learned the hard way that whatever I’d done or felt would be too big for Muddie to hold, like an overstuffed grocery sack that kept spilling oranges. Only it would be my secrets dropping to the floor.
    My face in the mirror looked wrecked. I had cried so hard that my eyes were swollen. I had gotten sick last night in the parking lot. One of the waiters had brought me a napkin dunked in ice water to clean my face.
    I didn’t know how I would get dressed and go through this day.
    Last night, Jeff Toland had come to, foggy and still drunk and lying flat out on the rainy pavement. Sammy and the waiters helped him into the kitchen. He kept asking for a doctor, or for the cops, and they kept saying they’d called them, but they hadn’t yet. They were putting ice on his nose while he threatened to sue the entire city of Providence.
    Nate arrived as Jeff was sipping Scotch for the pain. He came with two big men I didn’t recognize, who took Jeff’s agent off to sit at the bar. Nate and Jeff sat talking in the kitchen, and I knew everything would be all right when Nate put his arm around Jeff’s shoulder.
    “What happened with your brother last night?” Da asked me when I finally had to come out and face him. My father was a mild man, but when he was in a temper, you didn’t want to be near him.
    Muddie hovered in the background, already dressed for church in her blue skirt and white sweater, her strawberry blond hair brushed and shining. Out of all of us, she was the only one who still thought missing Mass was a mortal sin.
    I didn’t say anything, but Da closed his eyes and sighed. “I told you that no good would come of it. You’ve cried so many tears for that boy, it’s a wonder we don’t have a fourth ocean.”
    “Sixth,” Muddie said.
    “Oh, please, just leave me alone, the both of you,” I said.
    “Listen, Kitty girl, I’ve left you alone, and look what’s happened. You get your heart broken, just like —”
    The pounding on the door startled us all. Da swiveled. “Is that him?”
    “How should I know?”
    “Open the door, Muddie,” Da said.
    Muddie crossed slowly in her stocking feet and opened the door. Nate Benedict strode in, hatless, his face red.
    “It’s on your head, Jimmy!” he shouted. “It’s on your head, I’m telling you. It’s your fault they did it.”
    “Did what?” Da turned his guileless blue gaze on Nate. “What are you talking about? I don’t know anything exceptmy daughter’s crying her eyes out for your boy, and it’s not the first time, either.”
    “They enlisted. Billy and Jamie. Last night.”
    This was not what any of us were expecting to hear.
    “Jamie’s underage —” Da started.
    “Well, apparently he was able to convince them he’s nineteen.” Nate shook his finger at Da. “This is his fault. It’s your pansy of a son, wanting to be around other boys, and dragging my Billy along …”
    For a moment, we all stood staring at Nate, as though if we tried hard enough we’d be able to read his words in the air and have them make sense. Confused, Muddie looked at me. I shook my head, not understanding, either. Jamie? He was saying that Jamie … I couldn’t get my mind around what he was saying. Jamie wasn’t one of those milquetoasts from school. He was strong and big and athletic.
    Da’s skin was mottled. “Get out of my house! You can’t be saying that about my boy!” Da started toward Nate, furious, and got his hands on his lapels. Smaller than Nate, not nearly as strong, he was still able to shove him back toward the door.
    “Open your eyes! Your boy has corrupted him! He doesn’t know what he’s doing!”
    “My boy has corrupted
yours
?”
    “I can’t get him out of this, do you understand? He’s lost.” Nate was in the doorway now, staring at us blindly.
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