Shannon's Daughter Read Online Free PDF

the
opportunity to visit much these days.   How are you feeling?”
    Perching
on the edge of the bed, he stared at the floor, knowing there would be no
avoiding this “chat.”   Much as he liked
to believe he’d cut the apron strings, Eloise had yet to acknowledge his
independence.   “I’m fine, Mum.”
    “You
seem pale.   You’ve never fully recovered
from your surgery, have you?   Are you
sure the doctors in Oxford knew what they were doing?”
    “I’m
sure they could remove an appendix without complication.   You worry too much.”
    “I
still don’t understand why you didn’t call me when you were hospitalized.   That hurt me, Kendall.   I’m your mother, after all.”
    “You
were on vacation with Patrick, if you’ll remember.   Grandfather and I agreed there was no need to
disrupt your plans.   Mum, we’ve been over
this already.   I’m fine.   Now why don’t you try to rest for a bit?”
    When he
made a move to rise, she caught his arm.   “How are your grandparents?”
    “They’re
well.   Grandfather’s enjoying his
retirement.   Gran is as busy as ever with
her friends and her church work.   They
always ask about you.”
    “I hope
they understand. . .”   He was almost
taken in by the catch in her voice.
    “Mother,
please.   What do you want me to say?   I think Grandfather understands that you have
a new life with Patrick, but you know Gran is hurt that you’re obviously
avoiding them.   She’s told you so
herself.   I’d rather not be in the
middle, if you don’t mind.”  
    “I just
don’t want them to turn you against me.”
    “Mum!   Don’t be ridiculous.   They would never try to do that.”   He took her hand, patting it gently.   “For Father’s sake, we have to go on being a
family as best we can.   Isn’t that what
you’ve all told me?”
    She
nodded silently, her lips set in a trembling line that predicted eminent tears.
    “I owe
them a lot.   And I love them.   Just as I love you.”
    “But
you turn to them more often than to me.   I know you do.”
    “Just
to spare you, Mum.   You’ve already been through so much.”
    “I
don’t want you to feel I’ve abandoned you, darling.   I’ll always be your mother.”
    The
conversation having run its predictable course, Kendall bent over and brushed a
kiss to her cheek.   “And I’ll always be your
little boy.   I know, Mum.”   He got to his feet, giving her hand another
pat before laying it on the bed and turning to leave.
    As he
expected, she chimed in with the inevitable last word.   “I’m proud of you, Kenny, for finding your
place here with the Shannons.   Your
future can only benefit from their interest in you.   Michael especially, I understand, is an
extremely generous patron of the arts and musicians in particular.   Well done, darling.   Mother knew you’d make a good
impression.”        
    He
scowled at the door, grinding his teeth, before murmuring over his shoulder, “Right,
Mum.   Try to rest now.   I’m sure Patrick will be up shortly.”   As he softly closed the door, making sure the
latch clicked, he found himself feeling extremely grateful for Patrick Shannon;
and more than a little sympathetic toward the man who would have the honor of
living with Eloise into old age.  

 
    Chapter Four

 
    “Your
mother’s very pretty.   You look a lot
like her, you know?”   The disembodied
voice startled him from his woolgathering, but there was no need to turn
around.   That voice could belong to only one
Shannon.   He continued to stare into the
thick night surrounding the farmhouse, shaking off the melancholy of an hour’s
ramble in the not so distant past.  
    “Do you
make it a habit, sneaking up on people?”
    She
joined him on the step, her pert profile outlined against the lights from the
house.   “I wasn’t sneaking.   You seemed to be somewhere far, far away,
though.”
    “Not so
far.”   He searched for an appropriate
path