Love Medicine Read Online Free PDF

anywhere with a drunk.”
    “He’s not a drunk!” Lynette wailed in sudden passion. “But I’d drink a few beers too if I had to be in this family.”
    Then she whirled and ran outside.
    King was slumped morosely in the front seat of the car, a beer clenched between his thighs. He drummed his knuckles to the Oak Ridge Boys.
    “I don’t even let her drive it,” he said when I asked. He nodded toward Lynette, who was strolling down the driveway ditch, adding to a straggly bunch of prairie roses. I saw her bend over, tearing at a tough branch.
    “She’s going to hurt her hands.”
    “On, she don’t know nothing,” said King. “She never been to school.
    I seen a little of the world when I was in the service. You get my picture?”
    He’d sent a photo of himself in the uniform. I’d been surprised when I saw the picture because I’d realized then that my rough w boy cousin had developed hard cheekbones and a movie-star gaze. Now, brooding under the bill of his blue hat, he turned that moody stare through the windshield and shook his head at his wife. “She don’t fit in, he said.
    “She’s fine,” I surprised myself by saying. “Just give her a chance.
    “Chance. ” King tipped his beer up. “Chance. She took her chance when she married me. She knew which one I took after.”
    Then as if on cue, the one whom King did not take after drove into the yard with a squealing flourish, laying hard on his horn.
    Uncle Gordie Kashpaw was considered good-looking, although not in the same way as his son King. Gordle had a dark, round, eager face, creased and puckered from being stitched up after an accident. There was always a compelling pleasantness about him. In some curious way all the stitches and folds had contributed to, rather than detracted from, his looks. His face was like something valuable that was broken and put carefully back together. And all the more lovable for the care taken.
    In the throes of drunken inspiration now, he drove twice around the yard before his old Chevy chugged to a halt. Uncle Eli got out.
    “Well it’s still standing up,” Eli said to the house. “And so am I.
    But you,” he addressed Gordie, “ain’t.”
    It was true, Gordie’s feet were giving him trouble. They caught on things as he groped on the hood and pulled himself out. The rubber foot mat, the fenders, then the little ruts and stones as he clambered toward the front steps.
    “Zelda’s in there,” King shouted a warning, “and Grandma too! ” Gordie sat down on the steps to collect his wits before tangling with them.
    Inside, Uncle Eli sat down next to his twin. They didn’t look much alike anymore, for Eli had Wizened and toughened while Grandpa was larger, softer, even paler than his brother. They happened to be dressed the same though, in work pants and jackets, except that Grandpa’s outfit was navy blue and Eli’s was olive green. Eli wore a stained, crumpled cap that seemed so much a part of his head not even Zelda thought of asking him to remove it. He nodded at Grandpa and grinned at the food; he had a huge toothless smile that took up his entire face.
    “Here’s my Uncle Eli,” Aurelia said, putting down the plate of JW food for him. “Here’s my favorite uncle. See, Daddy?
    Uncle Eli’s here. Your brother.”
    “Oh Eli,” said Grandpa, extending his hand. Grandpa grinned and nodded at his brother, but said nothing more until Eli started to eat.
    “I don’t eat very much anymore. I’m getting so old,” Eli was telling us.
    “You’re eating a lot,” Grandpa pointed out. “Is there going to be anything left?”
    “You ate already,” said Grandma. “Now sit still and visit with your brother.” She fussed a little over Eli. “Don’t mind him. Eat enough.
    You’re getting thin.”
    “It’s too late,” said Grandpa. “He’s eating everything.”
    He closely watched each bite his brother took. Eli wasn’t bothered in the least. Indeed, he openly enjoyed his food for