Weekend by Christopher Pike Read Free Book Online Page A

adventurous. What is your last name?"
    "Powers."
    "I have family in England," Ms. Porter went on. Shani had thought that she was in a hurry. "Maybe you lived near them. Are you from London, by chance?"
    "No."
    "Plymouth," Shani said. Flynn cast her a quick look.
    "Plymouth," Ms. Porter whispered. The word seemed to go deep inside her, like a piercing needle. Yet again, the unusual reaction lasted only a second. Then she smiled. "Does your family live there?"
    "Yes."
    "Your mother?"
    Flynn paused, and it was his turn to scrutinize Ms. Porter. "Both my parents live there," he said.
    Shani was confused. Why hadn't he said the same to her? She also wondered why the nurse was so interested in Flynn. Ms. Porter continued, "I used to travel a lot. I've been to England several times. I love that country, the green you see everywhere. And their passports always make Americans ones look so dull. When you crossed into Tijuana, did they ask for yours?"
    "No."
    "They'll ask for it on the way back. You did bring it, didn't you?"
    "No."
    "How are you going to get back into California?"
    "I can fake the accent."
    Ms. Porter forced a laugh. "American or Mexican?"
    "Whatever it takes."
    It was a subtle hint to quit prying, and Ms. Porter must have caught it. She rechecked her watch. "Well, I've chatted long enough. But it's been worth it to hear such a marvellous voice. We must talk again in the future."
    Flynn smiled. "If you'd like."
    Toting the bag, Park accompanied her to the car. She waved as she drove away. In the distance, coming the opposite way, Sol's van could be seen, doing at best ten miles an hour; the tyre must be giving out.
    "That was weird," Lena said. "Nursey was really digging into you."
    "She seemed a nice lady." He scratched his side thoughtfully, near a bulge in his belt. Then he asked a peculiar question. "When we drove up, Lena, I noticed a couple of big tanks at the side of the house.
    They looked like they had just been installed. Are they part of Robin's dialysis machine?"
    "No, you would never put any of the kidney machine outside. Those are water filtration tanks. For cosmetic reasons, we're going to have them enclosed. If you don't filter the water you drink down here, you know what hits the fan. One of the tanks is new. Before, we used to only filter the water that led into the kitchen tap. Now you can take a shower without getting amoebas and protozoas all over you."
    "How gross," Angie said.
    "I was just wondering," Flynn said. Shani was surprised Flynn would ask such a silly question. Who heard of putting parts of a refined medical instrument outdoors?
    Flynn offered to unpack the Datsun. Park suggested that Angie give him a hand. Judging from her expression, Angie did not appreciate the suggestion. However, she must have understood that he wanted to see Robin without a new girlfriend by his side, for she accompanied Flynn back to the carport without complaint. Park was nervous. Shani patted his hand. "She'll be glad to see you," she said. Park nodded.
    "I know." Lena held her tongue. The entrance hallway was brief, spilling into a sunken living room with a towering open-beam ceiling and giant windows that practically invited the ocean in. The blend of furniture, drapes, wallpaper and paintings was refreshingly old-fashioned, conveying warmth and taste.
    White carnations and red roses bloomed in china vases atop four separate corner tables. It seemed a sin to tramp on the divinely soft vanilla-coloured carpet beneath their dusty feet.
    Robin was sitting on a burgundy sofa reading a book. As they entered, she smiled and rose to greet them. "My friends," she beamed, spreading her arms.
    Robin was jaundiced - even the centres of her once emerald eyes were stained a sad yellow. The sheen and curls had fallen from her brown hair. Perhaps in concession to the spreading grey, she had it cut very short. There wasn't a spare ounce on her emaciated frame. Her pretty blue blouse and smart white skirt hung on her like old