Freaky Green Eyes by Joyce Carol Oates Read Free Book Online Page B

nervous habit of turning a ring on her finger, a chunky silver ring in the shape of a dove she’d brought back from Santa Barbara, made by the same Navajo silversmith who’d made my ponytail clasp.
    I said, “If you provoke Dad, he’ll react. That’s his personality.”
    â€œBut—don’t you think that I have a ‘personality,’ too?”
    â€œNo. I mean, not like Dad. He can’t help it, and you can.”
    â€œYour father and I love each other, honey. Very much. And we love you. But our values are different now. I—I feel differently about things. I want to live, before it’s too late.”
    â€œâ€˜Live’? Why can’t you live here, like you always did? Why are things different now? Samantha is scared you and Daddy are going to get a divorce. Half the kids in her class have parents who are getting divorced.”
    â€œSamantha thinks—that? Has she said so?”
    â€œNo. She hasn’t said so. Not in so many words.”
    â€œHave you been talking about this with her? You haven’t been frightening her, have you, Francesca?” Mom’s voice was shaking.
    â€œNo. You’re the one who’s frightening her. You’re frightening me. You seem so—” My face was burning. I had to bite my lip to keep from screaming. “— unconscious . Like you’re sleepwalking or something. You don’t know the effect you’re having on Daddy.”
    Mom chose her words carefully. I would wonder later if they’d been rehearsed.
    â€œFrancesca, honey—I mean, Franky—you know nothing about this, really. I’m so sorry that you’ve been anxious, and that Samantha has been anxious, but”—she was trying to smile, but the staples had all come out, and the smile was like a fish’s grimace, and her eyes were bloodshot and scared as if Dad was standing just outside the room about to rush in—“your father and I have discussed it at length. He understands that I’d like a little more time alone—awayfrom Seattle, mainly. Not away from my family, but—away from Seattle. Away from this house. He has said I can fix up the cabin in Skagit Harbor, and I can spend time there. Of course, not permanently. I’d always be coming back, every few days. Your father has said so.”
    This was a surprise. I hadn’t expected this.
    â€œHe has? Dad has?”
    â€œAnd there’s no talk of divorce, dear. If Samantha ever speaks of such a thing, Franky, please tell her: there is no talk of your father and me getting a divorce, now or ever.”
    It was strange, how Mom uttered these words. Now or ever . Like they weren’t hers but someone else’s.
    Mom turned, wiping at her eyes, and left my room. I wanted to call her back. I wanted to hug her, and feel her arms around me. At the same time, I wanted her gone; I couldn’t bear looking at that smile any longer, or the fading plum-colored bruise just visible beneath her jaw.
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  Hi Todd.
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  Sorry to bother you (again).
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  Did you know, Mom is fixing up the cabin in Skagit Harbor, & she’ll be going up there sometimes? She just told me.
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  But NO DIVORCE she says. NOW OR EVER.
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  I guess this is good news. (Isn’t it?)
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  I mean, the way they’ve been. Since last winter. Let me know what you think, or what you know.
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  (Are you in contact with Dad?)
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  Hope things are OK there at Pullman.
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  Franky
    Todd never replied. Actually, I’d thought this time he would.

FIVE
“separated”: june
    Except they weren’t.
    It was never like people thought.
    The Pierson family was not breaking up .
    Dad explained to Samantha and me. Taking our hands in his hands, and