Waking Anastasia Read Online Free PDF Page A

costs money.”
    “Everything costs money, Mom. You can’t go through life without spending some of it.”
    “I don’t like your attitude, Jeremy. When you finish here we’ll talk about it.”
    Jerry took a deep breath to fight the encroaching pain and straightened his back to relieve the pressure of slouching and carrying the heavy boxes. “Mom, by the time we finish loading here and then unloading at the storage depot, I won’t have time for one of your lectures. I’d like to be back in St. Marys before the storm moves in and clogs the roads.”
    “I expected you to be staying in town tonight, and I’d have your sister over for dinner. We’d even have that boyfriend of hers over, too.”
    “You mean Jean-Marc?”
    “He doesn’t speak English, he’s Roman Catholic, and he has a tattoo, for God’s sake.”
    “He speaks six languages, including fluent English with only a faint accent, Mom. And so what if he’s Roman Catholic? I’m considering Christian Science as my own faith of choice.”
    “Don’t even joke about that!”
    “It’s my life to do as I choose, and if I decide to worship, say, Hostess Twinkies and chesty redheads named Bambi, it’s my choice. I guess you don’t want to see my rearing cobra tattoo, then.” He made like he was going to undo his pants.
    “Why are you always so difficult? You have a smart ass answer for everything!”
    “And you have . . . never mind. I’ve got work to do.” He went back up the steps, kicking the road dirt off his boots when he reached the mat at the front door. He went back into the house, passing his cousins who each had a small box under one arm and one of Mavis’ crust-free cucumber sandwiches in the other hand.
    Jane followed Jerry inside. “Hello, boys. How’s the move coming along?”
    “Having a real ball, Aunt Jane.”
    “Nice to hear, Geoffrey.” Jerry wondered whether she was oblivious to his cousin’s sarcasm or just chose not to acknowledge it because it wasn’t from her own son. Jerry fished a small plastic bottle of painkillers from his coat pocket, popped two of them, and then headed for the kitchen to get a mouthful of water to wash them down. Mavis stepped out of the sewing room to meet her niece, and patted Jerry’s arm in understanding as she passed him.
    “Jane? What brings you back here? Did you forget something, dear?”
    “No, Aunt Mavis, I just wanted to make sure this was being done properly.”
    Jerry came back into the hallway from the dining room, ending up behind his mother, but she was surveying the house, really seeing neither Mavis nor Jerry. She sighed, either at the emptiness or the fact that there were still boxes to be moved. Mavis winked at Jerry, unseen by Jane.
    “Well, dear, it took two training videos and a written test in both official languages, but after the boys figured out how to use two hands to carry a box, things moved along just fine.”
    Jane turned back to Mavis and released another world-shattering sigh. “I’m glad to see you’re in good spirits. Now I know where Jeremy gets his attitude.”
    “Yes, dear. Whatever you say, dear.” Mavis shuffled back to the novel on her rocker, and Jerry started back outside with another box, chuckling as he went. His mirth was short-lived.
    “Jeremy, if you carry two boxes at a time, you’ll get finished faster and then you can come shovel the driveway.”
    Jerry didn’t slow, but just tossed his exhausted reply over his shoulder. “I thought you invited me for dinner , Mom.”
    “Of course, but while you’re there, I have a list . . .”
    As he walked toward the Jeep, he heard Aunt Mavis interrupt his mother. “You always have a list for him when he visits, dear. Do you ever have him over without getting him to do jobs around your house?” Jerry smiled again. He definitely got his sense of humour from Aunt Mavis and his father’s side of the family.
     
     

Chapter Three
     
    @TheTaoOfJerr: “Without deviation from the norm, progress is