Would You Read Online Free PDF Page A

can see that.
    “Mom,” I say, really slowly, inches away. “They're going to see if they can fix her.”
    Mom puts out a hand and finds my face. She shudders a couple of times.
    “I'm sorry,” she says. We wait. “It's a shock.” We wait some more. “I'm all right now.” She opens her eyes and climbs upright.
Now We're Part of Some System
    They put us in this other room and a woman comes in. She's shorter than I am and kind of lumpy.
    “Hello,” she says. “I'm Janet Fox. You're the family of Claire Johnson? I'm your social worker.”
    My father spins on her. “A
social
worker? What for? Don't bother us with any head-shrinking crap right now, okay?”
    Instead of ducking, Janet Fox is easy and calm. “I can appreciate that this is all very scary, Mr. Johnson. My concern right now is to make sure you all have something warm to drink.”
    For the first time I notice that my mother is shivering. And nodding. “Yes,” she says. “Do you have any coffee?”
    “Right away,” says Janet Fox. And then to me, “How about some hot chocolate?”
    I shrug. “Okay.”
    Dad shakes his head. He pulls out his cell phone but stuffs it back into his pocket right away, like he can't face what using it will mean.
    “If there's anyone you'd like me to call?” Janet Fox pauses in the doorway. “That's something else I'm good at.”
    “Oh, dear god,” says my mother. She hunches over in the chair, so her face is on her knees. Janet Fox darts to a cabinet and takes out a blanket. She lays it across my mother's back.
    “Keep her warm,” she says to my dad. “I'll get the coffee.”
    Mom is shaking as if there's a chill wind, but there's no air to breathe.
    “Let's go home,” I say when the door closes. Dad nods at me.
    “No,” Mom croaks. “I'm staying here.”
    “Honey, they said it'll be several hours. We're a mile away,” Dad tells her. “We'll come back.”
    “I'm staying.” Mom pulls the blanket tight around her shoulders. Her hair is sticking out and the gray roots are kind of obvious. I try to smooth it down for her. She takes my hand and holds it against her cheek.
    I look at Dad. “I'll take you home,” he says. “But I'll make sure that woman or somebody is here with her while I'm gone.”
    “I'm waiting outside,” I say. I run for the door, imagining that I'll burst into the parking lot and there'll be fresh air to drink in gulps. But it's hotter out here than inside, and the night hasn't moved since we arrived.
The Police
    There's a cruiser with flashing lights sitting by the entrance. Officer McCafferty and that new guy look at me through the windshield and then look at each other. Coach Cop rubs a hand over his face and climbs out like I'm anugly blind date. Dad comes through the door behind me at the same time.
    “Burt,” says Dad.
    “Mr. Johnson,” says Coach Cop.
    “Oh,” says Dad, figuring out that this is somehow official.
    “Can we go back in?” Burt McCafferty takes Dad's arm. “I'm afraid we have to ask some questions.”
How I Finally Get to Sleep
    I lie across the hood of the car, waiting. The metal is half a degree cooler than the air against my cheek, soothing, like the smooth deck of a pool after a long swim.
    Dad comes out and we get in the car.
    He drives so slowly we could be walking. Then he brakes. His hands are trembling on the wheel.
    “Are you okay?” I ask.
    “I just need a minute,” he says. “I'm feeling kinda shaky.”
    I go to hit the radio button out of habit but I stop in time. How bad taste would that be, eh?
    We get home in silence.
    “We forgot to lock the door,” he says as we go in. “There's someone to blame for this, Natalie.” And he purposely kicks over a kitchen chair in the near dark.
    I pick it up and he kicks over another one.
    “Jesus, Dad.” I hold my breath. What next? What display of parental insanity is next?
    But he just turns on the light and tosses his keys into the basket on the counter.
    He's going to pick up a book and