What Brings Me to You by Loralee Abercrombie Read Free Book Online Page B

house.     
                  "Just drop me off at the University campus. We're only about a mile from my place. I just...I'm not ready." The intent concern in his eyes wavered as he looked thoroughly conflicted, but slowed the car and let me out on the brick paved road of the University of Tampa. "Please be careful." He said.
                  "Got it, boss." The physical distance between us seemed to bring back that apprehension, but I couldn’t let him see it after he’d reluctantly agreed to drop me off.
                  "When will I see you again?" he asked through the open window of the passenger door, the concern in his voice audible.
                  "Tomorrow of course." I smiled trying to bring some levity to the conversation. It didn’t work, but he drove away anyway.
                  When I arrived at the house, almost twenty minutes later, Paul's car was pulling out of the drive. I hid behind the  azalea  bush of our neighbor's yard before he could see me. He seemed agitated, but then again Paul always seemed agitated. It was strange that he was home in the middle of the day, but sometimes he came home to eat lunch with mother. When I opened the door, mother was sitting at the counter in the kitchen with a cup of tea. She was dressed like she and Paul had come from the country club, she was in an ivory color accented with navy blue from head to toe, like a sailor’s rich sugar mama. For all the things I should hate my mother for, her looks are at the top of the list. My mother was a beautiful woman, even as she got older. She was always so stylish, even with three children, and her skin was flawless due to her stringent and unswerving night routine. I'm only four or so inches taller than her, but I've got broad shoulders and long limbs. If I wasn't so hippy, or if my mother would’ve allowed it I'd have been a great addition to a swimming team.
                  Mother didn't look stereotypically Jewish, like Paul, especially since she kept her hair blond. She hadn't quite been waiting for me, I doubt she even knew I was gone, but she didn't look surprised when I came in the door. Mother, typically, was more laid back with me when it was just us, but she stayed on guard. This time she wasn't quite as relaxed. She didn't even look up at me before she gave me her standard greeting: "Charlotte, did you go to the beach like that?" That's mother. You're leaving the house like that? You're going to bed like that?       Here we go, I thought .
                  "Yes, mother."
                  "Darling, you really need to think about your appearance."
                  "What's there to think about, mother?"  The fact that I’m a disappointment, obviously.
                  "You need to cover yourself up, Charlotte. Showing all of that skin…it’s distasteful. You won’t attract any boy worth attracting looking like that"      Please make this stop. Please.  Thankfully, she didn't launch into her usual tirade but instead kept her eyes on her tea mug  as she pulled a white envelope from her purse.     
                  "Something came for you."
                  "What is it?"
                  "It's from Yale," and she slid the envelope over the counter without making eye contact. My heart fluttered in my chest. Of all the ones, this was the one I wanted to hear from the most and it came last. I just stared at the insignia in disbelief. In awe. I didn't want to touch it but I knew it'd traveled a great distance for me to open it. In that moment I longed for Teddy. I wanted someone to share the moment with, someone who really could be happy for me. It was a painful realization that no matter what was in that envelope, I'd never be satisfied. No one would clap for me. There'd be no parties for me. Paul wouldn't embrace me and call me his daughter and be proud