The Summer the World Ended by Matthew S. Cox Read Free Book Online Page B

her feet back and forth on the rug to warm them. “You’re full of shit.”
    “I didn’t want you to get hurt. My job…” He spun in place. On the second rotation, he waved his arm at the bureau. “Whenever you feel up to it, go through the room here and pack up Mom’s jewelry and whatever of her clothes you want to keep.”
    Riley folded her arms and scowled as he rushed out. He was taking her away from everything she knew, and he couldn’t even tell her the truth about why he left.
What’s he hiding? Doesn’t he trust me?
    Soft thuds from downstairs filtered through the quiet as Dad fussed around. It sounded like he paced back and forth across the entire house. Riley didn’t feel like moving. She didn’t want to pack, didn’t want to play Xbox, didn’t want to go outside, watch TV, eat, or do much of anything except be with Mom.
    Silence was nice.
    The phone rang, startling a shriek out of her. She stared at the cordless handset on the nightstand, unable to remember the last time anyone bothered calling the landline. On ring three, she got to her feet and crept over. Dad evidently wasn’t planning to answer it.
Why would he? He doesn’t live here anymore.
    Riley plucked the little Motorola out of the charging cradle and stared at the screen.
Unavailable
showed in the caller ID box. A robotic arm raised the device to her ear by ring six, and she flicked the talk button.
    “Hello?” she rasped.
    “Lily?” barked a male voice at the edge of shouting.
    “I-it’s Riley.”
    “Oh.” The condescending hostility faded―a little. “Put your mother on the phone, please. I haven’t heard from her in days. Her report on the auto loan section is late.”
    Pritchett. Mom’s boss. Now she recognized the voice.
    “She’s dead, you fat, bald cocksucker!” Tears poured out of her eyes, though her face burned red with rage. “You worked her to death. Are you happy now? Screw your stupid loan reports and screw your stupid bank!”
    “Young lady, that’s not funny.”
    “Tighten your tie a little more. Maybe your head will explode too!”
    Dad ran in as she reared her arm back to hurl the phone at the window. He caught her hand, pulling her into a hug as he pried the phone out of her white-knuckled grip. She wasn’t done being angry with him for lying to her, but found herself bawling onto his shoulder anyway.
    “Hello? Whoever you are, you better have one damn good reason for making my daughter upset,” said Dad.
    A murmur emanated from the phone.
    “Yes, that’s right. Christopher McCullough. No, we never officially divorced. I’m afraid Riley is correct. Lily passed away a few days ago.”
    More angry rumbling came from the phone.
    “I don’t give a sewer rat’s swollen scrotum about your report. No, I don’t have her password. Ask one of her assistants.”
    Dad let off a heavy sigh and set the phone in the cradle. “Asshole. Uh… you didn’t hear me say that.”
    “He killed her.” Riley sniveled. “This… it really happened.”
    He wrapped both arms around her. “I’m sorry, sweetie. It did, but I won’t leave you again. It was a mistake I can never take back.”
    “Tell me why.” She lifted her face from his shirt and stared into his eyes.
    “I was a coward.”
    She glared at him. “Why don’t you trust me?”
    “I do.” He pulled her closer with a hand on the back of her head. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

    Four days later, stacks of boxes gathered in the living room. The gradual disassembly of Riley’s life took place before her eyes, and she could do nothing to stop it. One day spent refusing to leave Mom’s bed had made Dad do all the work. He didn’t complain, but he didn’t stop. One day spent crying, pleading, and promising this, that, and the other thing also hadn’t changed his mind. Today, she’d begrudgingly accepted that the place in which she’d grown up would be home no longer.
    Packing happened in fits and starts. As soon as she’d get into a groove,