The Matriarch Read Online Free PDF Page A

decided we needed a ‘change’. Burt packed us both up, and we left for his birthplace, Eugene, Oregon.
    I look down at my glass and am surprised to find it empty. “Pour me another, will you Uncle Frank?” The old man seems pleased and complies.
    “Your health, Cassidy,” he says. He takes another slug of the mash, then the water, and then a drag on his Camel.
    I take a generous swallow of whiskey, light up one of the Camels, and suck down some smoke. “Some health,” I mutter, my eyes tearing.
    Frank chuckles. “Dante says Carla’s mad as hell about his nieces, Charlotte and Shelly, comin’ for a visit. Tells me they’re just lazin’ around together. Don’t do a lick a’ work around the place.”
    “That Charlotte is a real beauty. What’s she like?”
    “I don’t know.” Frank gives me a somewhat probing stare. “I haven’t gotten to know either one yet. Dante says Shelly’s a bit on the wild side.” He takes a drag on his cigarette. “You got a lady friend, Cassidy?”
    “Not at the moment. Why are Charlotte and Shelly here, Frank?”
    “Yeah, well, that’s kinda odd, I think. Seems Charlotte’s lost her job. She worked for a lawyer in San Diego. Anyway, she was real upset, and her mom, Dante’s sister, wanted her to come out here to get her mind off the job loss and all. And then Shelly showed up along with Charlotte and Carla’s kinda pissed off. A bit strange, I think. I mean shit sakes, these girls are Dante’s family.”
    “Yeah, I see what you mean.”
    “How’d you happen to pick up this here Louie fellah, anyway?”
    “Well …” I slide a foot over to Louie and wiggle my toes up against the dog’s warm neck. “He fell in with bad company, so I persuaded him to come hang with me.”
    Frank smiles. “Maybe sometime you’ll tell me the real story.”
    “That I will, Uncle Frank, but it’s been a long day.” Louie, on cue, gives out with an audible yawn. “See what I mean?”
    Frank reaches across the table and takes my hand. “Like I been sayin’ Cassidy, I’m real glad you’re here. I need your help with the quake damage … everything’s outta alignment in the barn. That was the hardest hit. Lester and me haven’t made much progress with the repairs.”
    “Sure, I’ll help out, but—”
    “And then, there’s somethin’ kinda strange goin’ on here … since the quake. Tell you the truth, I feel … well …”
    “What, Frank. What do you feel?”
    “I’m not sure. But things … things just don’t feel quite right since that damned quake. The only thing going right since then is that fig tree. Like I was tellin’ you, boy, that thing’s gone crazy popping out so many figs all the time.”
    With over half his acreage sold off some years back, Frank is living a comfortable life off the proceeds, and I’m sorry the earthquake has upset him. But I’m not sure what I can do about the situation. And I know I don’t want to be drawn in to a lengthy stay on the ranch.
    I guess I really am a runner … But …
    “I need to tell you, Uncle Frank, I can’t stay very long. I’ll help you some with the quake damage, but I’m thinking I’ll be here two weeks tops.”
    But what about Charlotte? What if she turns out to be the wonderful creature I think she is? And what if—
    Frank holds up a hand. “I surely do hope you won’t be runnin’ off all that soon, boy. Like I’ve been sayin’, I need you. Well … we’ll talk tomorrow. You take your pup and get on to bed. You can use your folks’ old room; it’s ready for you.”
    Lester gets up, goes to the sink, and busies himself with the few dishes.
    I peer into the basket of figs and pick up a fat purple one. “It’s good to be here, Uncle Frank,” I say, surprised to find that statement actually true. Frank says nothing, but his cheeks redden with pleasure. “I’ll turn in now,” I say. Louie and I start off down the hall to Catherine and Burt’s old bedroom. We pass the guest room and