Home Song by Lavyrle Spencer Read Free Book Online Page B

Jeff plays running back !”
    Tom helped himself to a hamburger. “Then Jeff will just have to play better than Arens, right?”
    â€œAw, come on, Dad! Jeff’s been here since he was in first grade!”
    â€œGiving him the automatic right to play running back, even if somebody else might play it better?”
    Robby rolled his eyes. “Jeez, I don’t believe this.”
    â€œAnd I don’t know what’s gotten into you, Robby. You’ve always been a team man before. If the new guy is good, he makes you all look better, you know that.”
    Robby quit chewing and stared at his father. The corners of his mouth were orange with barbecue sauce. Two spots of red appeared on his clean, shiny cheeks, which had just been showered at school. Chelsea’s eyes swerved from her brother to her dad. She picked up her glass of milk, took a swallow, and asked, “Who is this new kid anyway?”
    Tom laid down his sandwich and said, “His name is Kent Arens. He just transferred in from Austin, Texas.”
    â€œIs he cute?” she asked.
    Adrenaline rushed through Tom, lighting his face while he grappled for an honest answer. Claire, meanwhile, was sitting back and letting the whole conversation roll on without her, but observing carefully.
    â€œYeah, pretty cute,” Tom said, as if it had taken some forethought to reply.
    In rampant disgust, Robby muttered, “Jeez,” and hid behind his glass of milk. Slamming his glass down, he said, “I hope you don’t expect me to drag him around every place I go with my friends, Dad.”
    â€œNot at all. I just expect you to be polite to him, treat him the way you’d want to be treated if you were the new kid in school.”
    Robby wiped his mouth on a napkin, pushed his chair back, and got up with his dirty dishes. The set of his shoulders told the whole family he was disgusted with the table conversation tonight. “You know, sometimes I really hatebeing the principal’s son.” He rinsed his plate and glass and put them in the dishwasher, then left the room.
    When he was gone, Claire said, “Tom, what’s going on here?”
    â€œNothing. I took the new boy down to the football field to introduce him to Bob Gorman, and I asked Robby to introduce him around, that’s all. But apparently a bit of jealousy has reared its ugly head.”
    She said, “That’s not like Robby at all.”
    â€œI know. But Jeff Morehouse has always been top man in the backfield, and you know who’s always handed off to him. This new kid, I think, will present a threat to Jeff. It’s natural that Robby would resent him if he comes in and bumps his best friend.”
    â€œMight be good for Robby. Teach him a thing or two.”
    â€œI think so, too. Listen, about the weekend . . . I’ll take care of calling Dad, and you see if you can find a nice place you want to go, okay?”
    They both got up and headed for the sink. “I thought I’d talk to Ruth,” Claire said. “She and Dean used to go to inns all the time.”
    â€œGood idea.”
    They each rinsed their plates and Claire put them in the dishwasher. Standing above her, studying her curved back, Tom was struck by a tidal wave of panic. Nothing had ever threatened his marriage before, but suddenly the worry was there, hanging over his head, and it terrified him.
    â€œClaire?” he said as she straightened.
    â€œHm?” She was busy doing three things at once: reaching for the dishcloth, turning on the tap, sloshing hot water around the sink. He curled a hand around her neck and made her stop moving. She turned and looked up at him, her wet hands still trailing over the edge of the sink. Hewanted to say, I love you , but his reason for doing so seemed suddenly prompted by panic and less than honorable. He wanted to kiss her passionately, make up for the times he maybe should have done so in the past,