Something Right Behind Her Read Online Free PDF Page B

three beers I found in our fridge
into some plastic cups. Doug waved me off, though, since he was driving. Eve
drank hers out of a straw.
    We were
finishing up, when my Mom called on my cell, like I knew she would. I told her
about Bob, about Eve going into the water. “Oh, my God, Andy, I can’t believe
he did that.” Mom seemed pretty spooked by the whole story.
    “Just don’t tell
Mrs. O’Meara,” I said, and Doug pressed his hands together as if in prayer. To
change the subject I told Mom I’d be staying over at Eve’s. Whenever I stayed
over now I had to sleep downstairs in the guest room, since Eve’s room was so
cluttered with medical stuff, but at least we could stay up late and talk, like
in the old days. Doug was standing right next to me when I said I was staying
over, and I saw him glance my way, then pull his baseball cap slightly lower
down over his eyes, the way a pitcher sometimes does right before he throws a
pitch.

 
    CHAPTER THREE

 
    We hit traffic
coming over the Tappan Zee Bridge, and it was after nine by the time we got to
the O’Meara’s. Mrs. O’Meara had been waiting for us, still in her yellow track
suit from that morning, which seemed like an eternity ago. She gave Doug a hard
time about getting the wheelchair all sandy, and then she got a look at Eve.
“Look how sunburned you are!” She gasped. Then she looked at me and Doug,
“You’re all burnt to a crisp!” It seemed sort of funny to me, as if our biggest
problem was a sunburn. I thought Eve looked pretty damn good, actually, but I
kept my mouth shut. Having a little color made the unmoving side of her face
look more normal. Her still eye had begun to droop, but the beachy glow made
her seem more tired than sick.
    Mr. O’Meara came
downstairs and he seemed really glad to see us, like maybe the two of them had
been sitting there driving themselves crazy with worry. “You got a nice glow in
your cheeks there, Andy girl!” he said, and patted me on the shoulder. “Check
this out, Eve-darling, I got the ramp all set up! Had the electrician come out
today and do the wiring for you! Dougy and I just need to put an attachment on
the chair and then you’ll be in business.”
    “Did it come
yet? Or do I need to come back up again, Dad? It’s getting kind of hard to keep
coming home – they really pile the work on.” Doug was standing in the
doorway now, with a beer in his hand. The O’Mearas were pretty lenient about
Doug drinking beer in the house, now that he was in college.
    Mr. O’Meara
looked a little uncomfortable. “Yeah, actually, it’s back ordered. We should
have it in a couple weeks.”
    “Great, Dad,
that’s great,” Doug said and then walked out of the room. I heard him switch on
the TV in the next room. It seemed like Doug-the-hero and
Doug-the-college-freshman were having a bit of an internal struggle.
    “Let’s get you
upstairs, then, Eve darling,” Mr. O’Meara said. He wasn’t one to chase after
Doug. He’d prefer to put a cheerful face on for Eve.
    Mrs. O’Meara led
the way up the stairs. She moved quickly, and her wide bottom sort of jiggled
in front of me. Then Mr. O’Meara wheeled Eve to the bottom of the steps, where
he lifted her into his arms and carried her up to her room. Eve could still
stand, and walk a few steps at a time, but a whole staircase had been out of
the question for a while, though she had a crazy scooting method she’d use in a
pinch. I thought Doug was being kind of an asshole to just sit down there and
make his dad do all the work. That Doug was so pissed about having to come back
to town sort of hurt my feelings, but I knew that was stupid. Why should he
want to come home again? To see me? It was a ridiculous thought.
    Mrs. O’Meara got
Eve changed and settled into bed. There was the dismal routine with the
bathroom, but I made sure to stay out of the way for that, though I’d helped
her on and off the toilet down in Jersey. Somehow, when it had been just