Cabin Fever Read Online Free PDF Page B

worrying about your silly hair and come inside to meet my best friend of all time.”
    “Of all time? Oh boy.”
    They stop at the entrance to the kitchen. “Ralph, meet Sarah. Sarah, this is Ralph. My brother.”
    Holding out my hand, I grin. “I can see the resemblance. Nice to meet you.”
    He takes my hand in a limp grip. “Nice to meet you too, Sarah.” He lets me go and frowns with curiosity. “Where do you live? Around here?”
    “No.” How do I describe where I live? Technically, I think I live in my car at this point, since this place isn’t my home and I don’t have an apartment anymore. As if I weren’t depressed enough already. “I’m from Boston, but I’m in between moves right now.”
    He nods. “Nice. Planning to stay in Manhattan?”
    Leah grabs him by the arm and steers him into the living room. “That’s what we’re going to figure out tonight.”
    The door opens again and a woman walks through. I recognize her as the girl in the picture with James. She looks up and grins at me.
    “Hey! You must be Leah’s friend.”
    I move forward to greet her and help her with her bag. It looks like she’s got about fifty diapers in it the way some are bulging out at the sides. “I am. I’m Sarah. And you’re … Jana, is that right?”
    “Yep, that’s me!”
    The foyer fills up with everyone hugging and exchanging greetings. We then move en masse into the living room where Leah makes sure everyone has a drink before we sit down at the table.
    “So, what do you have planned for the weekend?” Leah asks Jana as she scoops some fried rice out of a box and puts it on her plate. “Skiing maybe?”
    “No, I thought I’d stick around this weekend for a change. Maybe go to a museum or something.”
    “That sounds like fun,” I say, picturing myself doing the same. It’s been a while since I’ve laid eyes on the masters, live and in person. Mere photographs of paintings don’t do them justice.
    “You could go with me if you want,” she says, smiling. “I’ve been to just about all of them, but I like to go to the big ones again every couple years or so. They have a special French impressionist exhibition at The Met.”
    “That sounds great.” I almost feel like I have the start of a plan now. I’ll recharge my batteries by soaking up the glory in those brushstrokes.
    “Perfect,” Leah says. “Not that I’m trying to get rid of you or anything, but I had planned to take Cassie to that group play-date thing over at the gym on Saturday, so … yeah.” She grins at Jana. “Thanks for entertaining my buddy while she’s here.”
    “No prob. Maybe she’d like to go out for drinks after?”
    I shrug, feeling bad about leaving Leah behind for the fun stuff. “Maybe.”
    “I’ll join you.” Leah looks at James. “You don’t mind, do you?”
    “Nope. I’ll be home by six.”
    “Perfect.” Leah passes me a box of Chinese food. “So then what?”
    I take the food from her and wait for more explanation.
    “What are you going to do after your visit with us?” she asks.
    My face starts to burn red. I can’t tell if she’s putting me on the spot on purpose or just being an airhead. “Uhhh, I’m not sure.”
    Leah looks at James. “Sarah is an amazing painter. She’s been teaching for years, but now she wants to just paint for herself.”
    I open my mouth to complain, but Ralph starts talking first, cutting me off.
    “That’s so cool. I wish I could paint. I can’t even draw stick figures.”
    “Me neither,” says Jana. “Cassie draws better than I do.” Jana leans over and puts several cut-up noodles on the baby’s tray.
    “Do you have a studio?” James asks, pausing as he’s cutting up a spring roll.
    “No, not yet.” I try to think of something else to talk about to direct the conversation away from me, but the questions come at me too quickly.
    “If you want to paint in a decent studio, you really need to get out of town. The rents around here are