The Hungry House Read Online Free PDF Page B

was working at the house, but I have not seen the inside."
    French doors opened onto the patio at the back of the cottage. I opened the doors, and my friends and I began carrying in boxes. The view out through the French doors was the laurel hedge and the flowers bordering the back garden. On the patio was a new set of outdoor furniture, which had not been there when I had looked inside the cottage. Inside, the dustcovers had been removed from the furniture, and the carpets had been vacuumed. Fresh flowers sat on the entry hall table, the mantelpiece, and the kitchen nook table. The overall effect was beautiful.
    Mom began walking from room to room, looking at everything very thoughtfully, so thoughtfully that I began to worry that something was amiss. Maybe I should have shown her the inside before we moved, I thought. I was so sure she would love it.
    Finally, I could no longer endure the suspense. "Mother, is something wrong?" Mom stood in the largest bedroom, looking out the window. The old window featured a beautiful purple and yellow border design.
    "Wrong ? No, nothing is wrong. It's just that, as I look at every piece of furniture and every detail inside this cottage, it is exactly as I would have it, if I had planned it myself. It's almost as if someone has looked into the secret world of my dreams. It's uncanny."
    I rushed to hug her. "I knew I was right. I thought you would love it." Mother and daughter stepped apart and noticed that the cottage seemed very quiet.
    Liz spoke first . "I wonder if the girls left."
    "I don't think they'd leave without saying goodbye."
    The two began to look for the others . In the small house, it did not take long to find them, sitting at the table in the breakfast nook, all three with Cheshire cat grins on their faces. They had quietly unpacked chicken salad sandwiches, a homemade cake, and paper plates with festive paper napkins.
    "Feel like lunch? " Bett's asked.
    Mom quickly said grace, and we all began happily munching. It was during this time, when everything seemed to be perfect, that Frank decided to knock on the front door. I let him in, and he came into the kitchen carrying a large, professionally prepared, fruit bouquet.
    "Don't let me disturb you, and I promise I won't make a habit of intruding on your privacy, but I just wanted to offer a little housewarming gift. " Something in his expression made me feel as if he would like nothing more than to be able to intrude upon our privacy on a regular basis.
    Liz spok e. "Thanks. That was very kind of you. Would you like to join us for lunch?"
    "No. Thank you . I'll see myself out. Have a good day." With that, he turned and left through the front door."
    Jennifer was the first to speak . " That's Frank. He looks positively decadent--and old. "
    "My point exactly," Liz responded, "but at least I will be right here, whatever happens . I've told Vicky that if this doesn't work out, we'll just leave, and that will be it. I love the cottage, but not at the expense of that man having his paws on my beautiful daughter."
    The formerly joyous co mpany became quiet.
    Betts was the first to break the silence . "Well, at least now he knows she has friends."
    Vicky thought of something. "Wait until he sees Paul." The whole group burst out laughing, and Jennifer shot a mouthful of water across the table.
    She got up and grabbed a few paper napkins to clean up the mess. "If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times, hold up your hand when you get ready to say something funny, that way I have a chance to gulp."
    Liz wondered, "Who's Paul?"
    "Oh, he's just a guy I met at school. We're going to have coffee this Tuesday after class."
    Betts scoffed, "'Just a guy! ' I don't know about that. He sounds like a hunk and a half to me."
    "Well, I have enough going on without jumping into some relationship right now . It's just coffee." The table again fell silent. I had taken that approach ever since my disastrous fling with "popular Dave,"