Homing by John Saul Read Free Book Online Page B
Authors: John Saul
and the crops still have to be pollinated. All I'm trying to do is make things better for you! We're working on your fields, and we're supplying you with bees, and if you want to know the truth, I'm doing you a favor looking after the hives. If it was up to you-"
But Otto didn't let him finish. Shaking his finger in the younger man's face, his querulous voice rose once again.
"We let you and the bastards you work for keep on taking care of us, and we'll all be poisoned in five years!
UniGrow, my ass-UniDead is what they should call your outfit!"
"I don't believe it." Karen realized she'd been holding her breath, half expecting Otto to take a swing at Carl Henderson. "Otto?" she called as she hurried off the porch and started toward the two men. "What's going on?
What's wrong?"
Otto's concentration on Carl Henderson broken, he turned to glare at Karen for a moment, then swiveled on his heel and strode back to his son's house, slamming the front door behind him.
"I'm afraid it's my fault," Carl Henderson said, taking a tentative step in Karen's direction. "I'm" He stopped abruptly, then a look of recognition came into his eyes and a smile spread across his face. "My God-Karen Gilman!
Even after all these years, I'd recognize you anywhere.
And just as pretty as when you were a kid." His smile faltered slightly. "You probably don't even remember me, do you?" he asked. "I'd already gone to college by the time you got to high school. I'm-"
"Carl Henderson," Karen finished for him, moving to ward him and extending her hand. "I do remember you!
You used to help me and the other kids catch butterflies!
But I haven't used 'Gilman' since I married my first husband."
"Sorry to cause such a stir," Henderson said as he waved a greeting to Russell, who had just emerged from the house up the hill, the tails of a half-buttoned dress shirt hanging over his pants. "I just figured I'd show up a little early, so Otto could get done with his yelling before every one else got here." As Russell came across the yard, Henderson leaned conspiratorially toward Karen, though when he spoke, he made sure his voice was loud enough for Russell to hear. "I'm going to tell you a secret, Karen.
Your prospective father-in-law is crazy. Just plain out of his mind!"
As Russell clapped Carl Henderson on the back and suggested they have a quick drink-"just to get me through this hog-tying"-Karen retreated back into Otto's house, wearily wondering what fight Otto might try to pick next, and if she was ever going to get married at all, let alone that very afternoon.
"I guess that will have to do it," Karen pronounced half an hour later, checking her makeup in the mirror one last time. "You both look gorgeous, so let's go get me married to Russell."
She held still while Julie carefully set the minuscule hat and veil on her head. Molly looked up at her mother, her head cocked as her brows knit into a deep frown.
"How come your veil doesn't cover your face?" she asked.
"Because I hate the feeling of them," Karen replied. Or was it because for her second wedding she felt foolish getting all dressed up, let alone putting on a long veil? "Now let me see you." Molly struck a pose, then pirouetted to show off her best dress, a soft pink that set off the little girl's rosy complexion. Smiling, Karen turned her attention to Julie, who was wearing the one new dress Karen had purchased for the occasion, when neither her own wardrobe nor Julie's had yielded anything that could be comfortably altered. She also suspected she might have bought the dress as a form of bribery. Now she found herself searching her daughter's eyes for a last-minute change of heart about the wedding. "All set to walk down the aisle with your old mother?" she asked.
Julie hesitated for just a split second, and Karen could see her wrestling with the desire to make one last attempt to talk her out of going through with it. But to Karen's relief, Julie managed instead to produce a smile that
But Otto didn't let him finish. Shaking his finger in the younger man's face, his querulous voice rose once again.
"We let you and the bastards you work for keep on taking care of us, and we'll all be poisoned in five years!
UniGrow, my ass-UniDead is what they should call your outfit!"
"I don't believe it." Karen realized she'd been holding her breath, half expecting Otto to take a swing at Carl Henderson. "Otto?" she called as she hurried off the porch and started toward the two men. "What's going on?
What's wrong?"
Otto's concentration on Carl Henderson broken, he turned to glare at Karen for a moment, then swiveled on his heel and strode back to his son's house, slamming the front door behind him.
"I'm afraid it's my fault," Carl Henderson said, taking a tentative step in Karen's direction. "I'm" He stopped abruptly, then a look of recognition came into his eyes and a smile spread across his face. "My God-Karen Gilman!
Even after all these years, I'd recognize you anywhere.
And just as pretty as when you were a kid." His smile faltered slightly. "You probably don't even remember me, do you?" he asked. "I'd already gone to college by the time you got to high school. I'm-"
"Carl Henderson," Karen finished for him, moving to ward him and extending her hand. "I do remember you!
You used to help me and the other kids catch butterflies!
But I haven't used 'Gilman' since I married my first husband."
"Sorry to cause such a stir," Henderson said as he waved a greeting to Russell, who had just emerged from the house up the hill, the tails of a half-buttoned dress shirt hanging over his pants. "I just figured I'd show up a little early, so Otto could get done with his yelling before every one else got here." As Russell came across the yard, Henderson leaned conspiratorially toward Karen, though when he spoke, he made sure his voice was loud enough for Russell to hear. "I'm going to tell you a secret, Karen.
Your prospective father-in-law is crazy. Just plain out of his mind!"
As Russell clapped Carl Henderson on the back and suggested they have a quick drink-"just to get me through this hog-tying"-Karen retreated back into Otto's house, wearily wondering what fight Otto might try to pick next, and if she was ever going to get married at all, let alone that very afternoon.
"I guess that will have to do it," Karen pronounced half an hour later, checking her makeup in the mirror one last time. "You both look gorgeous, so let's go get me married to Russell."
She held still while Julie carefully set the minuscule hat and veil on her head. Molly looked up at her mother, her head cocked as her brows knit into a deep frown.
"How come your veil doesn't cover your face?" she asked.
"Because I hate the feeling of them," Karen replied. Or was it because for her second wedding she felt foolish getting all dressed up, let alone putting on a long veil? "Now let me see you." Molly struck a pose, then pirouetted to show off her best dress, a soft pink that set off the little girl's rosy complexion. Smiling, Karen turned her attention to Julie, who was wearing the one new dress Karen had purchased for the occasion, when neither her own wardrobe nor Julie's had yielded anything that could be comfortably altered. She also suspected she might have bought the dress as a form of bribery. Now she found herself searching her daughter's eyes for a last-minute change of heart about the wedding. "All set to walk down the aisle with your old mother?" she asked.
Julie hesitated for just a split second, and Karen could see her wrestling with the desire to make one last attempt to talk her out of going through with it. But to Karen's relief, Julie managed instead to produce a smile that