Sweet Memories Read Online Free PDF Page A

seemed to look at him at all.
    Midway through the meal the phone rang, and Amy popped up to get it.
    “Hello,” she said, then covered the mouthpiece and looked disgusted. “It’s for you, Jeffy. It sounds like dumb old Glue Eyes.”
    “Watch your mouth, little sister, or I’ll wire your top braces to your bottom ones.” Jeff took the phone and Amy returned to the table.
    “Glue Eyes?” Brian glanced at Theresa.
    “Patricia Gluek,” she answered, “his old girlfriend. Amy never liked the way Patricia used to put on her makeup back in high school, so she started calling her Glue Eyes.”
    Amy plopped into her chair with a grunt of exasperation. “Well, she plastered it on so thick it looked like her eyelashes were glued together, not to mention how thick she used to plaster Jeff with all those purrs and coos. She makes me sick.”
    “Amy!” snapped Margaret, and Amy had the grace to desist.
    Brian curled an eyebrow at Theresa, and again she enlightened him. “Amy worships Jeff. She’d like to keep him all to herself for two solid weeks.”
    Just then Jeff dropped the receiver against his thigh and asked, “Hey, you two, want to pick up Patricia after supper and go to a movie or something?”
    Brian craned around to look over his shoulder at Jeff.
    Theresa gulped. “Who, me?”
    Jeff flashed an indulgent smile. “Yeah, you and Bry.”
    Already Theresa could feel the color creeping up her neck. She never went on dates, and most certainly not with her brother’s friends, who were all younger than herself.
    Brian turned back to Theresa. “It sounds fine with me, if it’s all right with Theresa.”
    “Whaddya say, Treat?” Jeff was jiggling the phone impatiently, and the eyes of everyone at the table turned to the blushing redhead. A bevy of excuses flashed through her mind, all of them as phony as those she’d dreamed up on the rare occasions when single male teachers from school asked her out. At her elbow she sensed Amy gaping in undisguised envy.
    Brian realized the house was totally silent for the first time since he’d entered it and wished the rock music was still throbbing from Amy’s room. It was obvious Theresa was caught in a sticky situation where refusal would be rude, yet he could tell she didn’t want to say yes.
    “Sure, that sounds fun.”
    She avoided Brian’s eyes, but felt them hesitate on her for a minute while Jeff finalized the plans, and she withdrew from center stage by going to get dessert plates for the German chocolate cake.
    When the meal was finished and Theresa was helping with dishes, she cornered Jeff for a moment as he passed through the kitchen.
    “Jeffrey Brubaker, what on earth were you thinking of, to suggest such a thing?” she whispered angrily. “I’ll pick my own dates, thank you.”
    “Lighten up, sis. Brian’s not a date.”
    “You bet he’s not. Why, he must be four years younger than I am!”
    “Two.”
    “Two! That’s even worse! Why, it makes it look like—”
    “All right, all right! What are you so upset about?”
    “I’m not upset. You just put me on the spot, that’s all.”
    “Did you have other plans for tonight?”
    “On your first night home?” she asked pointedly. “Of course not.”
    “Great. Then the least you’ll get out of the deal is a free movie.”
    Oh no!  the peeved Theresa vowed.  I’ll pay my own way!
    Getting ready to go, Theresa couldn’t help but admire how carefully Brian had concealed his reluctance. After all, who’d want to be saddled with a  big  sister? And worse yet, a freckle-head like her? She scowled at the copper dots in the mirror and despised each one with renewed intensity. She tried to yank a brush through her disgusting hair, but it was like a frayed sisal rope, only not nearly as pleasing in color.  Damn you, Jeffrey Brubaker, don’t you ever do this to me again.  She drew the hair to the nape of her neck, tied it with a navy blue ribbon and considered makeup. But she owned none