Crimson Footprints lll: The Finale by Shewanda Pugh Read Free Book Online

like granite. “I’m an adult. Go find a child to look after.”
    He journeyed to the sink to freshen up, knowing she’d be there when he opened the door.

Chapter Twelve
    Tak headed upstairs just as people began to drift from the ballroom. He sought out his oldest son, sent the au pair on her way, and waited for the hurl fest to cease.
    When Tony opened the door, he froze at the sight of his father.
    “I—I’ve got a bug, I think. Probably ate something wrong at the airport,” Tony said.
    Tak sniffed.
    “Drank something wrong is more like it,” he murmured.
    Tony shook his head in protest, only to wince at what had to be scissoring pain.
    “Grab a V-8, take another shower, and come spend time with your family. I really don’t care what your head feels like. Next time you show up smelling like a wine cellar, I’ll put the au pair on night shift.”
    Tak gave his son’s shoulder a squeeze, looked him over discreetly, and then headed downstairs.
    He could have handled that differently. He could have screamed and raged and reminded Tony of what they expected from him. But Anthony Tanaka was no longer the terrified eleven-year-old Anthony Hammond. Soon, he’d be leaving for college, where alcohol and worse abounded. So, Tak practiced trusting his son and reminded himself to have faith in the job he’d done—even if there hadn’t been time enough to do it.
    Tak made it downstairs and immediately wished he hadn’t.
    “Sexuality can hardly be defined by the neat categories presupposed for us,” Lauren said. “It’s mass brainwashing and socialization that forces the choice between boy and girl, man and woman. Heterosexuality and homosexuality are prisons of the same design.”
    Jesus Christ.
    Lauren sat across from Deena’s aunt Rhonda, her wife Mary Ann, and a blank-faced male cousin of Deena’s. Everyone stared back at her, wide-eyed.
    “So…you’re…bisexual?” the guy ventured.
    “My God. You’re imprisoned by labels! Enslaved by propaganda. Society is polluted by the insistence on categorizing only so they can marginalize. You have to reject these norms outright.” Lauren nibbled on some toast.
    “What’s happening?” Deena said, appearing at Tak’s side with coffee in hand.
    “Lauren’s happening. Lauren Tanaka.”
    “If you insist on a label,” his cousin continued, as if such a thing were a sign of limited intelligence, “then pangender works fine.”
    Rhonda and Maria exchanged a look. Deena’s cousin leaned forward.
    “Does that mean that you’re…with both parts?”
    “It means that I refuse your labels. Although, I do have a vagina, since you’re doing inspections.”
    Deena choked on her coffee. Tak mulled over the best way to shut Lauren up. He considered tackling her, but dismissed it.
    “Mia’s room,” Deena gasped. “She’s in it.”
    “Not anymore,” Tak said.
    Mike showed up with a broad smile, on special reserve for Tak’s wife.
    “Regular little freak show isn’t she?” he said and took a massive slurp of OJ.
    “Yesterday,” Mike said, “she went on about how sex was an inherent good that should be practiced as frequently and with as many partners as possible.” He shrugged. “Can’t say I argue much with that. Though your grandmother looked pretty sickened by the discussion.”
    Deena buried her face in her hands.

Chapter Thirteen
    Deena’s thoughts were on her mile-high skyscraper again. While family drifted from the ballroom to the terrace and beyond, she stood stoic, hoping to make her presence known long enough that she wouldn’t seem rude once disappearing. When all but a few stragglers remained, she went for her grandmother, parked in one corner, and offered to wheel her outdoors with the others.
    “No,” the old woman said, as if she’d be content to watch the help clean.
    “Well, are you ready for a nap then?” Deena said.
    Grandma Emma shook her head, yet kept silent.
    Deena wasn’t very good at this. In fact, she sucked at being a