Unprotected Read Online Free PDF

with that, sweetheart. Don’t you apologize for it.” She ate small bites of everything, chewed fast, and swallowed with dainty sips of water. She reminded Amanda of a small, well-run machine the way she moved so efficiently.
    “Um, what does your husband do?” Amanda asked, mostly to take the focus off herself.
    “He’s in sales, bikes and equipment,” Trix said. “The company is located in Colorado, so he’s there for a good part of February and March to prepare for the big sales season, and then on and off the rest of the year depending on how things go. He’s home October and November almost all the time, so it seems to balance out, except that in the middle of winter I start to feel like a widow. I’m in sales too, you know, so we tend to be busy at the same times, which is nice.” Trix put another piece of pork on Amanda’s plate without asking, and served her more vegetables and bread. “I know you athletes have appetites, so don’t be shy about eating a big meal.”
    Jake smiled at her, and she found herself smiling back. Amanda let out a sigh and tried to relax.
    “I rented you two some movies,” Trix said, squeezing her knee. “I hope you’ll want to stick around for a while. Your mom won’t expect you back at the hospital tonight will she?”
    Amanda didn’t know how much Jake had explained to Trix about her “situation.” Amanda put her head down and decided to be direct. “I think she’ll be too tired to see me tonight, but she’ll still be upset if I don’t call or something before she goes to sleep.”
    “Is there anyone else who helps you?” Trix asked gently.
    “I’m not sure what you mean,” Amanda said quietly. “Helps us do what?”
    It looked like Trix had tears in her eyes. Pity. There was always pity. Amanda looked away.
    Trix gave Amanda a watery smile. “I was wondering if anyone helps you take care of your mom, but I can see she’s in very competent hands with you looking out for her all by yourself.” Trix rubbed Amanda’s back and then jumped up with their plates. “I hope you both saved room for pie!”
    When they were both stuffed to the point of nausea, they tried to take their dessert plates to the kitchen, but Trix shooed them off. “Go check out those movies, you two.”
    They both ambled off to the basement. Jake went to use the bathroom, so Amanda went to the TV and noticed that Trix had rented no less than seven movies. She had found something in just about every genre, including a musical, drama, thriller, and three romantic comedies. Subtle , Amanda thought. Amanda popped the thriller into the DVD, and then realized that she couldn’t figure out how to run the TV with all the remote controls and different boxes. She sat on the corner of the couch and waited for Jake to return.
    Several minutes passed, and Trix came down the stairs. “He’s been in the bathroom a long time,” she announced. She went to the bathroom door. “Jacob, honey, are you sick again?”
    Amanda could hear him respond quietly.
    “Are you sure sweetie?”
    “I’M FINE, BEATRICE. Go away.”
    Trix turned to Amanda with a weak smile. “Obviously he wants me to back off.” She wrapped her arms around her shoulders, hugged herself and shuddered. “It’s hell having a sick child, Amanda. You can just never completely convince yourself that everything will be okay. You watch the tiniest things. He was eighteen years old and I was practically wiping his nose for him because he was so exhausted from all the treatments.” Amanda knew what she meant. Her mother weighed less than a hundred pounds, but Amanda used to panic whenever her mother complained of being cold because it was one of the first things that happened every time before she went to the hospital.
    There was a flush, and Jacob walked out of the bathroom. Amanda and Trix both turned to look at him.
    “I had to take a dump, Mom. I managed all by myself, and it looks like I’m going to live one more day.” It