Alma's Will by Anel Viz Read Free Book Online Page B

mastered bouncing his ball against the wall to his satisfaction. Either that, or he got bored doing it, because now he was throwing it as high as he could and trying to catch it. She smiled. He missed every time. He needed his father; Eric would have played catch with him, taught him, if he were here. He'd have said something to that man too, told him to put on a pair of shorts. Perhaps she ought to say something herself. No, better not to acknowledge him; he might think she was ogling him.
    The sweat glistened on his body. He'd taken off his tank top and was standing in the middle of his yard, swigging down his pretentious bottled water with his head thrown back and his shock of straight blond hair hanging loose—and wearing next to nothing, no doubt to show off that indecent bulge of his. Did he have to make a display of being thirsty? People like that had become shameless, making a spectacle of themselves, flaunting their gayness as if it were something to be proud of!
    As she was turning away from the window, she saw the ball go over the fence. She was about to tell Li'l Eric not to touch the allamanda—she'd warned the children several times already, but kids forget these things when there's a ball involved. The man noticed it too. He walked over, picked it up, and tossed it back to Li'l Eric, who fumbled it and had to run after it. The man smiled and said something. Liv flew to the door.
    "What did you just say to my son?"
    "Not much. I just said, 'You're welcome.'" He must have thought her a mother hen.
    "He remembered to thank you, then. That's good."
    "Not exactly. I said it as a reminder. He wasn't rude, really. I think your children are afraid of me, you know."
    "It's safer when kids are a little distrustful of people they don't know. We've told them to keep their distance. That's all."
    The man frowned. "Don't you think it would be better not to involve your children in this unpleasantness about the house?" As if it were any of his business how she brought up her children!
    He must have caught on as soon as he said it, because a look of anger flashed across his face and his body stiffened. Liv was prepared to stare him down, but he simply turned his back on her and walked away. "And I'll thank you not to walk around like that when my children are here," she called out after him. "I don't want them staring at you."
    He ignored her. His rudeness rankled. She almost wished he had answered her back so she could give him a piece of her mind. On the other hand, if they got into an argument there was no telling what he might say, and in front of the children, too! She'd said too much already. The girls had paid them no attention, absorbed in their game; Li'l Eric, of course, had taken it all in. It made her nervous. Like a sponge, he was—such an observant child, always wide-eyed, always watching.
    "Come inside, sweetie," she said. "We can play a card game. Mommy needs a break."
    He followed her into the house.
    "My, but I'm parched! I think I'll have a glass of cold lemonade. How about you, sweetie? Would you like one too?"
    He nodded.
    "It's all right to thank people if they do something for you," she said while she filled their glasses. "That isn't what we meant by not talking to them. We just don't want you having a conversation with them. Do you understand?"
    "Yes, Mommy." He hesitated. "Mommy?"
    "What is it, sweetie?"
    "The man, the one who threw me the ball… I think his name is Jay."
    "How do you know that?"
    Li'l Eric looked alarmed. "I heard the other man call him that," he explained.
    She must have spoken curtly, with an edge to her voice. "It's not nice listening in on other people's conversations," she said gently.
    "I wasn't trying to listen. They were talking loud."
    "Just keep away from them, okay? Pretend they're not there. Let's forget about it now. It isn't important. What game do you want to play? Rummy? Go Fish?"
    Liv handed him the lemonade while he tried to make up his mind. "That's a very full