The Denver Cereal by Claudia Hall Christian Read Free Book Online Page A

since Celia died.”
    In that moment, Jill
realized she knew Celia. Like a scene from a movie, Jill remembered
meeting Jacob at Pete’s Kitchen all those years ago. Every detail,
from how frail his mother was to the illegal jolt of attraction she
felt for Jacob, flashed across her brain. Shaking her head to clear
the memory, Jill wandered to the table.
    Katy was already eating
her French fries when Jill sat down at the table. She watched Jacob
and Katy discuss the advantages of ketchup. Jacob had set up lunch,
including the fruit juice and water from Jill’s backpack. He had
bought a couple hamburgers, some chicken strips, and lots of fries.
For dessert? Denver Zoo crunch cereal, of course.
    And they ate
everything.
    One last bite, and Katy
was off!
    Jill wiped Katy’s hands
while they walked. They found more penguins at Bird World. Katy
bounced along the metal guard rail past the hoofed animals. When a
buffalo caught Katy’s eye, she stopped stock-still. While Katy and
the buffalo shared a silent communication, Jill and Jacob stood
behind her.
    “ I realize I knew your
mother,” Jill said.
    Jacob nodded.
    “ She was very kind to me
in a difficult transition in my life,” Jill said. “Sometimes, when
I get down, I talk to her . . . in my head, you
know? I always feel better when I talk to your mom. I think of her
as my guardian angel. I called her Celly . . . Celly
Marlowe . . . not Celia. I guess I thought your mom
was a Lipson.”
    The buffalo looked away
and Katy ran into the cul-de-sac where the white wolf pack lived.
The animals greeted Katy with a wild howl, which she imitated. Jill
and Jacob returned to their places behind Katy.
    Jacob smiled.
    “ Most people know her as
Celia Marlowe. My dad was always just ‘the husband’ to her
magnificence. I felt lucky to have known her.”
    “ Me too,” Jill said. “She
had this friend . . . Crazy red hair?”
    “ Delphie?”
    “ Delphinium, like the
flower. She gave me a reading before I married Trevor. She told me
Trevor would betray me three times before I was finally done with
him. I thought the whole thing was hilarious.” Jill sighed. “I told
Trevor and . . . Well, he wouldn’t let me go back.
After Celly died, then again when I was pregnant with Katy, Delphie
offered a free reading, but I . . .”
    “ Delphie can be a bit
much,” Jacob said. “She lives with me . . . I mean
in my house . . . I
mean . . .”
    “ I know what you mean,”
Jill said.
    Jacob smiled.
    “ I hate to think of it.
You know? Trevor’s only betrayed me twice,” Jill said. “I hate to
think of what the third time will be.”
    “ Then don’t,” Jacob said.
“Just be here with me.”
    On impulse, he slipped his
arm around her. When Jill leaned into him, their eyes caught with a
jolt of electricity. She lifted her chin and his mouth made an easy
journey toward her luscious lips. Their lips were almost touching
when they heard:
    “ Stupid bee. You won’t
hurt me again. I’ll squish you and . . .”
    “ KATY! NO!” Jacob and Jill
screamed at the same moment.

CHAPTER SIX
    Disaster in the form of a honeybee
     
    They were too late. As
Katy’s fingers closed to squash the honey bee, the bee stung her.
Clamping her hand closed, Katy screamed in terror and
pain.
    “ Oh my God.” Jill dropped
to hold her daughter. “She’s hyper-allergic to bees.”
    “ Show me your hand. Katy,
show me your hand. Katy, show me your hand,” Jacob
screamed.
    He knelt next to the
shrieking girl and pried her tight fist open. Using his zoo pass,
he flicked the stinger from her hand.
    “ We have to get to the
hospital,” Jacob said. “JILL!”
    Jill looked up at him. Her
worst nightmare unfolding, Jill went completely blank. Horror
overwhelmed her. Katy was going to die!
    Jacob wrestled Katy from
her arms.
    “ Hold my hand,” he
commanded Jill.
    He grabbed Jill’s hand.
While Katy howled in his arms, Jacob hauled Jill through the zoo.
The balloon, tied to