Annie's Room Read Online Free PDF Page B

out here,” Father tells him, taking the letter. “I'll see to it that Rebecca receives this, and if there's any need to reply to whoever sent it, I'm sure she'll do so. I don't know why people bother writing letters, though. It's just another way of butting into everyone's business.” He pauses. “Is there anything else you came out here for, Mr. Clement, or is your visit done with now?”
    “Well...” Mr. Clement glances toward the house again, and I fear that he spots me briefly even though I step back out of sight. “We don't see much of any of your folk in town these days,” he continues. “You must be doing very well with the land out here, not to need to come and fetch supplies.”
    “I know how to work my property,” Father replies. “I don't need outside help.”
    “I'm sure you don't, it's just -”
    “And part of that means getting on with work,” Father adds, “and not wasting time on needless things. I'll make sure that my wife gets this letter, and I thank you for taking the trouble to come all the way out here. Other than that, Mr. Clement, I'm quite certain our business is concluded for today. I hope you'll enjoy the walk back to town.”
    I lean past the door-frame again, and I can't help smiling as I see the discomfort on Mr. Clement's face. Father is always so good at dealing with such people, and Mr. Clement is one of the worst of the people from town, all needly and officious.
    “Well...” Mr. Clement pauses, but it's clear that he understands he's not welcome. “Of course, Mr. Garrett. It was good to see you again. Perhaps we shall have the pleasure of your custom in town some time soon?”
    “Stranger things have happened,” Father replies, taking up his shovel again and turning his back on Mr. Clement, so as to get back to work.
    A moment later, Mr. Clement looks toward the house again, and this time we make eye contact briefly. I can't help giggling, and I can tell that my reaction has disquieted him. I pull back out of sight, and after a few seconds I realize I can hear him walking away. I stay hidden until I'm sure he's gone, and then I step out onto the porch and watch as Father continues to dig.
    If I ever get married, I don't want a weakling like Mr. Clement. I want a real man, like Father.

Five
     
    Today
     
    “No, she won't mind at all,” Mom says, as I hear multiple sets of footsteps coming up the stairs. “I think she'll be glad to meet new people.”
    Looking up from the old fashion magazine I've been reading, I realize that the visitors, whoever they are, are about to be brought up to meet me. I heard them knocking on the front door a few minutes ago, but I never imagined that Mom would actually let them see me when I'm in such a mess. Tossing the magazine aside, I quickly arrange the duvet before reaching over and sliding the window up, just to let some fresh air through.
    I turn back to the door and begin to sit up, just as Mom appears with a smile and ushers a blonde woman and her equally blonde daughter into view. The visitors are both wearing such bright, garish clothes, I actually feel like I need sunglasses just to look at them.
    “Annie,” she says, “I want you to meet Harriet Roland and her daughter Tabitha. They live in that beautiful white house we passed on the way here, and they drove all the way over to welcome us to the neighborhood.”
    “Hi,” I reply, forcing a smile. “Nice to meet you.”
    While Tabitha holds back a little shyly, her mother Harriet hurries into the room and reaches out to shake my hand. Suddenly there's an overpowering smell of over-applied cologne.
    “My word,” she says loudly, “what happened to you, you poor thing? You look like you've been in the wars!”
    “Annie fell off her bike,” Mom explains. “Well, more like she flew off and got launched over a railing. She ended up with two broken legs.”
    “How awful ,” Harriet continues, lifting the bottom of the duvet so she can see my plaster casts. She doesn't