Mammoth Secrets Read Online Free PDF

nothing.
    Eden marched to the corner mailbox and slid the door open until she could peer inside.
    “Tell me, Ray.” Lilah watched her sister try, fail, and try again to wiggle her arm into the dark blue bin. “How did this switch to Eden being the wronged one?”
    “That’s family guilt for you.” Raymond covered his chuckle with a cough. “You might hear Eden out, though. She might even be able to help.”
    Lilah blasted a laugh.
    Eden help with something other than her own minutia?
    “Highly unlikely.” Lilah walked outside.
    Afternoon sun cast long shadows, outlines of the buildings across Main Street. Birds sang. No cars. No sign of anyone milling about. Up on the hill, the school buzzer sounded, releasing classes for the day.
    Eden crouched by the lock, jiggled it with her manicured hands.
    “Edie...”
    “What?” Eden’s voice seethed through gritted teeth. She yanked on the door, again, unsuccessful.
    “You really put it in there, didn’t you?”
    “Yep.” She pulled the front lid down again and frowned. “Along with a couple of letters to Afghanistan. Seemed like a good idea to play lawyer for you. At least, it did at the time.”
    Lilah’s hands went limp at her sides. Fresh anger balled in her belly. “Why on earth would that have seemed like a good idea?”
    “Well, you said you weren’t signing away your rights to some two-timing, two-bit loser who still has a house in Santa Monica, a car, and a full bank account. I looked him up on the internet. He’s living off of your reputation and taking all the credit.”
    “But what in the–” Lilah counted to ten, eyes squeezed shut, waiting for the curse to leave her lips. She opened her eyes.
    Eden deposited herself on a wooden bench, nestled next to a weary looking planter by the pharmacy door.
    “What on earth makes you think you can play lawyer?”
    Eden took her twin sister by the hands. “I watched everyone in town hoof it to college or get married and pregnant, and not always in that order. Fine. You left town, married the wrong guy, and I let you do it. All the while, just me, Nana, and Papaw, running things. Watching him fill and refill the salt shakers. Hearing him tell the same stories over again...he’s so much worse now…” Eyes to heaven, she gathered wits and turned to face Lilah. “This time, it’s my turn to do something. I’m getting my law degree over the internet. And there ain’t no way I’m letting you get divorced by yourself.”
    “You’re in law school. Online?”
    “Can’t wait tables forever.” Eden squeezed her hands. “Got my bachelor’s from State that’a’way. Signed up for the bar.”
    “You graduated? From college?”
    “Not that Nana cares.” Eden jogged her brows in a little victory dance. “Just trust me, honey. That man put you through enough grief. It’s time for you to give him some in return.”
    For a minute, they were eight years old with matching skinned knees and falling down socks, waiting for the principal to give them a talking to. She jogged her sister’s elbow and hazarded a smile. “So. Afghanistan, huh? I thought you left your heart in Iraq.”
    Eden’s eyes filled.
    “I’m sorry.” Lilah wished she’d kept her big mouth shut.
    “No, you’re right. It’s like an addiction.” She lifted, dropped her shoulders. “I’ve got two soldiers writing me back this time. How’s a girl s’posed to pick just one?” Her sister—identical underneath the makeup and hair bleach—dished about the two soldiers, a world away. She’d written every day for six months, sending pictures, letters, and care packages to each.
    How anyone could juggle not one, but two budding long-distance relationships was more than Lilah could comprehend.
    “So, I hurried the mail together to get your package out before you could tell me not to—and I’m now pretty sure I put Tony’s letter in Eli’s envelope.” Eden sniffled a sorrowful laugh.
    “And one doesn’t know about the