The Lake (The Lake Trilogy, Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

the least painful for me.
    “I did…everything…especially after Gram died. Gramps wasn’t able to do much, so I pretty much just handled it all.” I’m surprised by my own honesty. I feel like I’m tattling on Gramps, but it’s the truth. I did everything because he couldn’t. I once caught him trying to trim his fingernails with a pair of scissors. Later that day it occurred to me that Gram must have helped Gramps with his grooming. Which made me think that maybe she wasn’t a mean and hateful person; maybe it was just me she hated.
    Luke and Claire give each other an apprehensive look and I can’t tell what they’re thinking. It’s been so long since I’ve seen two people work together on anything that had to do with me. Gram took the reins on the “parenting” stuff. Gramps did his best to help me when he could tell she was tightening them, but it never changed anything. Knowing he was there for me helped a little. It helped make me feel not so entirely alone all the time.
    “Layla, with all due respect to Jack and Carol, we know you had a lot of responsibilities there…more than you should have. We don’t want it to be that way here. You’re 17-years-old and we want you to really enjoy your senior year.” Claire’s words are soft, like her. I can tell that she and Luke have already talked about this. It’s definitely the kind of thing that has to be decided ahead of time. I think they would have given me no chores if it weren’t somehow the “right” thing to do.
    There was no disrespect. I understood what they were saying and I really appreciated it. I’m just not sure how to exist without having to hurry through a list of chores so I can get to the only leisure activity I ha ve in reading. It seems I’ll no longer have to use my contraband flashlight to read after lights out. It will take some getting used to, but this is what I have been longing for. To be…considered.
    “That’s really nice of you. Thanks , but please don’t hesitate to ask me to help out with anything around here. I definitely want to pull my weight, and it doesn’t have to be all inside work either. I used to cut the grass and pull weeds for Gramps. I actually enjoy that kind of stuff.” I smile awkwardly. Staying busy or burying my head in a book are my two preferred options for occupying my mind. With Luke’s non-list of chores, it seems I’ll have time to do the latter.
    “I’m sure there will be plenty for you to do,” Luke says agreeably with a bit of a wink.
    I try to help Claire with the breakfast dishes, but since Luke said the dinner dishes were my responsibility she won’t let me help any further than clearing the table, and that’s only because I had the dishes gathered before she could stop me. Luke has made his way down to the basement while Claire finishes in the kitchen. With nothing but time on my hands, I excuse myself to wander the house, exploring.
    The furniture is all so beautiful and perfectly designed. It isn’t a hodge-podge of mismatched thrift store furniture like I had in my room or the circa 1960’s décor I’m used to. Everything is so well thought out, so strategically placed. Two light blue wingback chairs are flawlessly flanked with their backs to the front window so the view is unobstructed when you sit on the brown, tufted couch facing them. I sit there a moment, feeling the soft material of the couch, looking at the view of the trees and landscaping on the other side of the circular driveway, lost in the silence, watching the leaves rustle in the wind.
    I have to force myself to break my gaze. I go upstairs with the intention of choosing a new book, but once there I decide it would be unfair not to finish the current book I’m reading first. So , I find what will become my permanent reading spot in the oversized celery green chair facing the wall of windows and open up to the page where I left off and begin to read. I haven’t gotten far when I’m struck by Clare