Round Robin Read Online Free PDF Page B

she should consider marriage. But not now, and not to that gardener.
    â€œI understand why you find him attractive,” her mother had written. “But young people today don’t have to be married to have sex. You can do that, if you must, and get it out of your system without ruining your chances with someone better. Besides, if you marry him, the sexual attraction will fade once the novelty wears off, and then where will you be?”
    Carol’s signature followed, as if anyone else could have written such a hateful letter. There was a postscript, but Sarah’s hands trembled, rattlingthe paper so that the words blurred and she could barely make them out: “Please know that my feelings are specifically about you and your friend. They are not a reflection of my relationship with your father. We had a happy, loving marriage that ended too soon.”
    At once, Sarah snatched up the phone and dialed her mother’s number. When she answered, Sarah didn’t return her greeting. “Don’t you ever, ever spew such filth about Matt again,” she snapped. “Do you hear me? Do you understand?”
    She slammed down the phone without waiting for a reply.
    The letters halted, and despite her earlier threats, a few months later Carol came to the small wedding in Eisenhower Chapel on the Penn State campus. She spoke politely with Matt’s father, posed for pictures as the photographer instructed, and wept no more than was appropriate. Sarah could hardly look at her, could hardly bear to be in the presence of someone so spiteful to the man she loved. She knew Matt sensed the tension that sparkled and crackled between them, and hoped he attributed it to the inherent stress of the occasion.
    The memory of those letters stung as sharply as if she had received them only yesterday.
    â€œWhat do you think, Sarah?” Sylvia asked, startling her out of her reverie.
    â€œOh.” Sarah carried a bunch of carrots to the sink to wash them. “Whatever you want to do is fine with me.”
    â€œYou haven’t heard a word I’ve said, have you?”
    Sarah shook the water from the carrots. “No. I’m sorry.” She avoided meeting Sylvia’s eyes as she returned to the counter. “I’ve been thinking about our newest camper.” She picked up a knife, lined up a carrot on the cutting board, and chopped off its top with a sharp whack.
    Sylvia’s eyebrows rose as she watched the cutting board. “I see.” She wiped her hands on her apron. “Tell me. What brought about this estrangement? Did your mother abuse you? Neglect you?”
    Sarah dispatched another carrot with a few strong chops of the knife. “No.” As angry as she was at her mother, it wouldn’t be fair to accuse her of that.
    â€œWhat was it, then? It must have been something truly horrible, the way you two act around each other.”
    â€œIt’s hard to explain.” Sarah divided the carrot slices among four large salad bowls and began cutting up the rest of the bunch. “Sometimes I wish she had done something bad enough to justify cutting her out of my life altogether. As a mother, I’m afraid she was all too typical. Lots of mothers constantly criticize their daughters, right?”
    Sylvia shrugged.
    â€œThat’s what my mother did. Does. Nothing I do is ever good enough for her. For most of my life I’ve been knocking myself out trying to please her, but it’s useless. It’s like she thinks I’m not living up to my potential just to spite her.”
    â€œI’m sure your mother is proud of you, even if she doesn’t always show it.”
    â€œI wish I could be so sure.”
    Sylvia opened the oven door to check on the chickens. “You do love her, though, don’t you?”
    â€œOf course I love her.” Sarah hesitated, then forced herself to say the rest. “I just don’t like her very much. Believe me, the