Gini Rifkin Lady Gallant (pdf)

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."I've spent too many yearstearing things down rather than building them up.There'snothing permanent in my life, there never has been exceptShamus, and he's getting old.Someday he'll be gone too.""But what of your parents?" she asked.A shiver snaked through him.He hadn't planned onrevealing the most anguished chapters of his life.Josieseemed to have enough painful memories of her own to dealwith.On the other hand, it might do them both good toshare."I never knew my father," he began, "and my mother diedwhen I was ten." He twisted the whiskey glass round andround and stared down into it.The bright little circle of liquid238Lady Gallantby Gini Rifkingold stared back at him, unblinking, like the eye of the tigerthat hunted him still."I killed the man who caused mymother's death.I committed an act that was at the sametime horrendous and ineffectual.I had no choice yet it servedno purpose.And I never got even, I only got older.Don't letthat happen to you."He snagged the neck of the whiskey bottle and refilledboth their glasses.Other than Shamus, Josie was the firstperson to whom he'd ever entrusted this much of his life'sstory.He wondered what type of review his recital mightelicit."Tell me more," she gently urged."If you want to."Oddly enough he felt compelled to convey to her the partof his past that controlled his present and loomed ahead inhis future.Perhaps if he put a name to the demon byexpressing his feelings in words he could conquer the beast.And if he planned to have a future with Josie, she deserved toknow his past."My Father left before I was born," he said, daring to takeher up on her offer to listen."My Mother never said an unkindword about him, and even as a child I knew she still lovedhim and missed him and mourned the fact that he had run offwith someone else.Someone younger, to feed his ego.Someone richer, to feed his gambling ways.""To keep us from starving my Mother worked at the localbakery.Up before the sun, coming home after dark, her armsaching from kneading bread dough for pastries we couldn'tafford to buy, her back tired from unloading bags of flour andsugar, her feet sore from standing all day and walking to and239Lady Gallantby Gini Rifkinfrom work.It was a hard life.Yet she always made time forme and tried to show me that what counted in life was whatwas in our hearts not what was in our bank account."He stopped to catch his breath.Josie gave him a hint of asmile and nodded her head encouragingly.He supposed hemight as well go on.There was little point now in turningback."We lived in a rough neighborhood, of course being just alad I didn't realize it at the time.One night a man broke in torob us.What a laugh.He was dressed better then we were.Angry for having chosen so unwisely, the blackguardrampaged around the room breaking what little we did own.He drew a pistol and aimed it at the little china teapot thatsat upon the mantle.The porcelain keepsake was chipped andit leaked, but it was the only material thing my mother trulytreasured.My Father had given it to her as a weddingpresent.She pushed the man aside, and he dropped thepistol."Enraged at her interference, the bastard struck her around-house blow that caught my Mother on the jaw.Shetumbled to the floor in what seemed like slow motion.I'llnever forget that image.Her hair fluttered gracefully abouther face and shoulders as it did when we walked in the parkon a breezy day, and her eyes were wide as if I had justsurprised her with one of my childish poems.Then her handsgrasped at empty air and I reached out to catch her but shewas too far away.As she hit the floor, her head struck theflagstone hearth with a sickening thud.240Lady Gallantby Gini Rifkin"Looming over her, the big man kicked her and drew backhis arm to strike her again.My frantic gaze fell upon the pistolhalf-hidden beneath a chair.I ran forward and grabbed up theweapon.It was cold and heavy and made me feel unafraid.Struggling to cock back the hammer, I pointed the weapon atthe man and pulled the trigger."Fire belched from the muzzle, the flash of light so bright itmomentarily blinded me, and the smoke that filled the airstung my eyes and burned my throat.I felt the thunderingblast reverberate through the room, and I heard the sound ofthe man's body as it crashed to the floor.The burglar laidface-up and deathly still.A stain spread out around his headlike a dark halo.It grew larger and larger never seeming tostop."I dropped the pistol and ran to my Mother's side.Shesmiled weakly, her cheeks as white as her nightgown."Mybrave little soldier," she whispered and touched my arm."Someday I pray you will find your Lady Gallant." With afragile sigh she closed her eyes, never to open them again.Iheld her hand until her fingers turned cold."He heard Josie sob but he didn't look up.He had to finish,had to explain."We used to play this game you see [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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