Say No More by Gemini Sasson Read Free Book Online Page A

with her? Was he sick? Hurt, maybe?
    Something was wrong. Very wrong.
    As Estelle swung the gate open, I backed up, resisting the urge to jump up on her. Unlike Cam or Lise, Estelle and Ray never let their dogs in the house. They never so much as patted me on the head, either. Even though Cam took me to their place many times, I was never allowed inside. If I wasn’t with him while he worked in the barns or the fields, Cam would lock me inside Slick’s pen so I wouldn’t ‘get into trouble’, as he put it. I couldn’t see how my exploring meant I was getting into trouble, but he wasn’t always pleased with what I did to occupy my time, so that was where I went when he was busy. Slick was seldom inside the pen himself. Whenever he was not at work with Ray bossing the cows, he would lie on the front porch, his chin and paws draped over the top step as he surveyed his domain. I was not given such freedom. Yet. Cam had told me I’d have to earn it.
    Today, Estelle was dressed differently. Her stretchy jeans and loose sweatshirt had been replaced by a fitted black skirt and jacket, tan stockings covering her lower legs. Instead of her white sneakers, she was wearing a pair of black leather shoes, dull and stiff from years of infrequent use. Now that she was closer, I could see that her nose and cheeks were chapped from crying, her eyes rubbed red. She nearly tripped over me as she fumbled to put the key in the lock and open the door.
    I glanced back at the car, still expecting Ray to step out and follow her, only ... he wasn’t there anymore. Gone. Like he’d never been there at all. The window was free of fog, drops of water sliding down the pane like rivers of tears.
    “Did someone forget you?” Estelle said as she nudged the door open with her hip, her hands held above her rounded stomach so as not to contaminate them with dog germs should she accidentally brush against me.
    It wasn’t like her to willingly let me in the house, but I rushed through anyway, glad to be inside. After lapping up some water, I plunked down on top of the register to let the waft of heated air warm my tummy. Her eyes unfocused, Estelle peeled off her gloves and hung up her coat. She lifted the teapot from the stove and ran water into it from the sink faucet.
    “I don’t know why she lets you smelly creatures inside,” she mumbled, her back to me. “It’s hard enough to keep a house clean ... clean with just ...”
    Her words broke apart. She snuffled back tears. “No, none of that, Estelle Ruth Skidmore McHugh. You’re going to be strong today. It’s just that ... Damn you, Ray. You can’t just up and die on me like that. I can’t run that farm by myself. You left two hundred acres of wheat in the field. What am I supposed to do with it? And the corn! I don’t even know how to drive that stupid combine. And Ned Hanson can only take care of those cows and hogs for so long. Damn you for not thinking of me and —”
    A rustle sounded from behind. Lise hovered in the entryway to the kitchen, one hand resting against the doorjamb.
    “Estelle?” Lise said softly.
    The teapot nearly dropped from Estelle’s grasp. She clutched a hand against her mouth, as if ashamed of what she’d said.
    “It’s okay, Estelle.” Lise’s voice was husky, like she’d been out in the cold for hours, even though I knew she hadn’t. She took the teapot from Estelle and set it on the burner. She twisted a knob and a tiny blue flame leapt up beneath it. A tight black dress clung to her gentle curves. Glimmering pearls hung from her slender neck to brush the low neckline. I’d seen this dress before. It was the one she wore a couple months ago when Cam took her out for their anniversary. He told her she looked ‘hot’ in it. Which made me wonder why she didn’t take it off and put on something cooler. Humans are such slaves to fashion. They took Hunter to his grandparents then and went to dinner. Within minutes of them coming home, the dress was