Little Secrets Read Online Free PDF Page B

right for rolling down, and the creek that edged their property took a sharp bend away from that other house. Ginny’s backyard had knee-high grass that would need to be mowed sooner rather than later and a big collection of leaves perfect for jumping in, if anyone bothered to rake them. The appeal of her backyard wasn’t so strange after all. But they hadn’t been in the back, they’d been in the front, and even so, she didn’t want strange children carousing on her property, especially if they were prone to screaming and throwing stones at her house.
    In the hall bath, she took some time to give Noodles more food and fresh water, though she didn’t scoop the box. Sean had read an article about how cat poop could be toxic to fetuses, and while Ginny was more than happy to give up the chore to him, he had to be reminded to do it on a daily basis. It was already starting to stink, worse than usual since she was keeping the bathroom door closed.
    The cat had calmed, at least a little, though she nipped at Ginny’s fingertips when Ginny tried to scratch behind her ears. Not that Ginny blamed her, at least not too much. She’d be cranky too if she’d been locked up for two days. Then again, if Ginny peed all over everything, she wouldn’t blame anyone who locked her in the bathroom.
    â€œYou stay,” she told the cat who tried to sneak out after her. “Just another day or so, boo-boo, so I can get everything set up for you. So you don’t pee on stuff.”
    The cat gave her a bland look that somehow also managed to convey how supremely insulting she found the insinuation that she ever voided her bladder inappropriately. Then she shook herself so the bell on her collar jingled. She turned and blatantly gave Ginny her back.
    â€œWell,” Ginny said as she got up, joints creaking, “don’t look at me like that. You know you do.”
    In the kitchen, she found a surprise—a counter and floor sticky with juice dried into a gluey puddle. Her jaw clenched, and the giveaway throb in her temple told her that her blood pressure had spiked.
    Ginny took a few calming breaths that did nothing to calm her. Muttering a few choice curse words made her feel better as she stood with her hands on her hips, staring down at the spill any reasonable adult would’ve cleaned up…but she knew what Sean would say if she confronted him about it. He was busy. Late for work. Didn’t mean to do it.
    â€œWhatever,” she said aloud.
    Getting onto her hands and knees to scrub the spill was far easier than getting up. In fact, for a few strained minutes Ginny was sure she wasn’t going to get up at all—she tried to stand too fast and the world began to spin. She had to crawl to the table and push herself up on one of the chairs, where she let her head drop onto her hands. She breathed slowly in, slowly out. The dizziness abated, but then her stomach lurched and she barely made it to the sink in time to heave out a mouthful of bitter bile. Ginny clung to the sink for a minute, with the water running to wash away the sick. When she felt a little better, she bent to take a long, slow drink, letting the water fill and overflow her mouth to rinse it before she swallowed.
    She lifted her head at the sound of childish laughter, but could see nothing through the window over the sink. By the time she managed to get herself to the back door to look out into the yard, they were gone. Maybe they’d run around to the front of the house again to collect what they’d left behind. Maybe she should go out and give them a scare, be the mean old lady from next door who shouted “get off my lawn!” and shook a broom. The one who gave out pennies and apples for trick or treat, instead of candy.
    She laughed aloud at that thought and settled for opening the back door to lean out a little farther. Unlike the front of the house with its gorgeous porch, the back had only a