Hidden Hearts by Ann Roberts Read Free Book Online Page A

universal way women responded to men, but I couldn’t imagine ever silencing myself because a man wanted me to.
    I’d barely blinked and he was in the tree. He moved like Spiderman, standing on a limb about four feet from the ground. He was probably a little older than Mama with soft brown eyes and a bald head. He had a square jaw and his shirt clung to the muscles in his arm. Everything about him looked strong, and I was a little scared until he smiled. His bright white teeth consumed his dark face and I felt the corners of my mouth turn up.
    “You didn’t think I’d come up here, did ya?”
    I ignored him and gripped my limb tighter in case he wanted to grab me. Mama paced below smoking a cigarette. She always looked so glamorous when she smoked, just like those ladies in the magazines.
    “How old are you, Miss Vivi?” he asked.
    I blinked in surprise. Adults rarely asked me a question outside of school, and then it was usually in a tone that only half expected me to know the answer.
    “I’m twelve.”
    “That’s awfully old to be sittin’ in trees, don’t you think?”
    “No.”
    To show my complete disinterest I pulled my Wonder Woman comic from my pocket and pretended to read Earth’s Last Hour .
    “Hm. She’s one of my favorites,” he said, trying to read over my shoulder.
    I ignored him and the pointy limb poking my thigh through my dress. If I wiggled around too much I might tumble to the ground.
    “How would you like to see the first Wonder Woman comic book?”
    I couldn’t stop myself from looking up. I loved comic books, and I loved to draw. His expression seemed sincere but I was doubtful. Adults lied. 
    “Now that got your attention,” he said. “You get outta this tree and I’ll show it to you sometime.”
    He was lying. Adults always said things like that when they wanted kids to do something right away. They’d make a promise for the future and then never keep it. Pops did it all the time. I’d lost count of all the ice creams he’d said he’d buy me, the movies we were supposed to see together or the pony ride that never happened.
    “I think I’ll stay here,” I said, turning the page.
    “Can’t let you do that.”
    I was in his arms before I could protest, and in just two steps we were out of the tree, but not before I heard a loud rip behind me. He stepped away and Mama spun me around.
    “Now look at this,” she barked, grabbing the back of my dress and holding it up so I could see it. “This is what your shenanigans have caused, young lady. Now, you get upstairs and change. We’ll see what your father says when he comes home.”
    She swatted my bottom as I raced past her. I didn’t want to be near the bulldozer when the trees started shrieking again.
    I ran to my room and peered through the window. She was still talking to Mac so I lifted it slowly to eavesdrop.
    “I’m sorry you had to do that, Mac.”
    “Not a problem, Mrs. Battle. The girl loves her trees. I’m gonna call it a day. Sun’s startin’ to bend, and there’s no point in upsettin’ her more.”
    She laughed. “You’re far too nice to her. What she needs is a good whupping.”
    “I’ll leave that up to your husband, ma’am,” he said, tipping his hat and heading to our neighbor’s property where the workers lived.
    We watched him go, walking away like an easy breeze.
    ****
    Coming up the driveway the next day after school I was greeted by the same horrible growling and the pathetic high-pitched cry as a tree fought back in vain. I ran faster determined to stop Mac but I slipped on something and fell, landing on my side in a deep groove from the bulldozer’s tire.
    I was wet, covered in pulpy juice mixed with dirt and surrounded by thousands of crushed oranges. I sat up and assessed his progress. While I’d struggled with fractions during math and played dodgeball at recess, he’d destroyed a few hundred trees and piled them into a disgusting pyramid.
    I started to cry. The perfectly