Читать книгу Faerie Tale - Raymond E. Feist - Страница 27

‘Okay, monsters, back off.’

The boys grudgingly retreated a step as they watched the workmen. The concrete around the pole had been poured a few days before and left to dry, and now the dish itself was being mounted. Patrick and Sean had been hovering around them all morning, asking questions, and generally being underfoot. The two workmen didn’t seem to mind, but Gloria was determined to give them a demilitarized zone in which to work. She glanced at the house and wondered if Gabbie and Jack had resolved their differences. She was pleased that Gabbie appeared back to normal this morning, but still felt uneasy about last night. The fever had been sudden and severe. It had been at least 103, if Gloria could judge from touch. She had nursed two babies through fever and knew Gabbie’s had been high. Still, no harm, no foul, as that basketball announcer back in LA said all the time.

But there was something about the sudden onset and recovery that disturbed Gloria. It just didn’t fit her set of acceptable illnesses. Anything that wasn’t clearly a cold, flu, broken bones, or allergy was suspect. Symptoms that didn’t make sense were always a sign of terrible things approaching. A deep fear of Gloria’s never shared with anyone, not even Phil, was a terror of illness. Cancer, heart disease, the other lingering, disabling illnesses with long technical names that twisted bones, filled lungs with fluid, robbed the muscles of strength, all were horrors beyond her mind’s ability to accept. The strongest, most robust man she had known – her father – had died of cancer. And the symptoms had been misleading at first. His death simply amplified her deep fear of debilitating illness. She gave up smoking in high school when other girls were just beginning. She wasn’t a health food fanatic, but she stayed away from refined sugar and high-cholesterol foods and made sure everyone stayed active. She had badgered Phil into running when they had met, and now he was addicted. No, Gloria thought, it was just a bug. But deep inside she wondered if she should press Gabbie to see the doctor.

Ted Mullins, the owner of the local television shop, personally supervised these installations. He had made a fair profit from other farmers nearby and this was the fanciest ground station he had sold yet, so he wanted it perfect. Satisfied all was going as it should, he turned to Gloria and said, ‘Ma’am, I’ll need to hook the cable up inside the house now.’ She nodded distractedly. ‘The dog, Ma’am?’

Gloria smiled. ‘Boys, go get Bad Luck and take him for a walk.’

‘Ah, Mom,’ Sean began to complain. She gave them both the Look and they fell silent and walked towards the house. ‘And make it a long walk.’

Mullins, a heavy man of middle years said, ‘Fine-looking boys. You must be proud.’

Watching Sean and Patrick vanish round the rear of the house, she smiled in appreciation. ‘Yes, I am. They’re pretty terrific kids.’

‘I’ve got a boy about their age, Casey. Ought to get them together.’

Gloria said, ‘Does your Casey play baseball, Mr Mullins?’

The man grinned. ‘All the time.’

Gloria returned the grin. ‘If they haven’t met already, they will.’

Mullins wiped his hands on his handkerchief and put it away. ‘We’ve finally got a Little League charter separated from Frewsburg’s and we’ll be starting teams next year. We used to have our own, but the population fell off fifteen years back when the economy got so sour and factories closed down or moved. Lots of families went to Kentucky or Texas with the factories. We had to take our kids over to Frewsburg. Now we’ve got that high-tech stuff coming and we’ve got enough kids for our own league again.’ He glanced at the dish, obviously pleased at the work. ‘But until then it’s sandlot. Tell them there’s a game about every day over at the field. Not the park field, that’s for the Muni softball league, but beyond Doak’s Pond. Forms up about one in the afternoon.’

‘That’s a little far.’

‘Not too far. They can cut through the woods and come out over on Williams Avenue. That’s only a block from the field.’

Gloria didn’t relish the idea of the boys using the woods paths with regularity. But the woods were in their backyard, and it looked as if the Hastings family was settling in for a while, so she judged she should get used to the idea. As she moved towards the house with the workman, she said, ‘I’ll mention it to them.’

Mullins turned and shouted some instructions to his companion, who waved in acknowledgement. The boys came tumbling through the door with Bad Luck in tow, and Gloria said, ‘Mr Mullins here has a son your age.’

Patrick said, ‘Casey Mullins?’

The man nodded while Sean said, ‘We played with him yesterday at the park. He’s a good shortstop.’

Gloria said, ‘I rest my case.’

‘Well, he’s over there right now. There’s a game about every day, over by Doak’s Pond. I’m sure they would like to have you aboard.’ He glanced at Gloria, suddenly sensing he might be speaking out of turn. ‘If your mother doesn’t mind.’

Patrick answered for his mother. ‘She doesn’t.’

Gloria said, ‘Well, I like that.’

‘Can we go, Mom?’ asked Sean.

‘Just don’t be late for dinner, and if anything happens, you call. I’ll come get you. I don’t want you tramping around the woods late. Got a dime?’

‘Phone’s twenty-five cents, Mom,’ said Sean with ill-disguised disdain at such ignorance. ‘An’ we got some money.’

‘Okay, Diamond Jim. Just be careful.’

‘Okay!’ they chorused as they dashed towards the woods.

Mr Mullins said, ‘Seems they already know the shortcut.’

Gloria said, ‘Sure, they’re kids. Kids always know the shortcuts.’