Chris Read Online Free Page A

subdued, yet her eyes betrayed an inner excitement. She folded her hands on the table.
    "Darling," Dizz said, "that was, George. He's driving up to Connecticut to see a client. He asked me to ride along."
    "Are you?"
    "Yes. He’ll be here about noon."
    That does it, Chris thought.
    But she said nothing. She put out the cigarette. Then she picked up the platter, stepped to the cupboard and returned it to the top shelf. She went through the living room and out to the terrace.
    The garden, she thought. There's enough to be done to keep me busy, all afternoon. Dig up those bulbs and get them inside. Should have some straw. Some fertilizer.
    She turned back to the house. Dizz was standing at the door watching her.
    "Chris, what's the matter?" Dizz said quietly. She stood aside to let Chris pass.
    "Who said anything's the matter?" Chris was in no mood for this. But she knew Dizz would force the issue.
    Chris crossed to the couch and sat down. Dizz sank into the sling across from her and leaned forward.
    "I wish you'd hit me or something when you're feeling like this," Dizz said. "I can't stand it when you get sullen."
    Chris sighed and, leaned back. She shoved her hands deep in her pockets and stretched out her legs.
    "Damn it, say something," Dizz said. "Talk to me."
    "What would you like me to say, Dizz?" Chris replied.
    Dizz sat back in the chair and glared at her. "Don't play games with me, Chris. Say it and get it over with."
    "To be perfectly honest, I can't think of a thing."
    "Darling," Dizz said, "do you really think that you have any reason to feel insecure?"
    "No," Chris said slowly. She knew that Dizz had been faithful to her. She had no reason to doubt her now. But there was a terrible sickness in Chris. Something funded in her head, an ugly something. What, it said, will happen to me if he can do for her what I can't? What if she goes to bed with him and finds out what it means to be fulfilled? It's not very likely to happen, I know that. But it could. It could!
    "Then, darling," Dizz went on, oblivious to the voice in Chris' head, "Why are you so upset? All that's going to happen is that I'll have a nice drive in the country. Even you can't find anything ominous in that."
    Wanna bet, Chris thought. But all she said was, "I guess I'm just being silly."
    "Of course you are," Dizz said earnestly. She got up out of the chair and came to sit by Chris. She ran a long pointed nail around Chris' ear and down her neck over the bruise.
    Chris took the finger in her own. "Don't distract me," she said.
    Dizz turned on that smile and it hit Chris where it hurt. She leaned over and pecked Chris quickly on the lips. "So you won't be jealous, will you?" she said.
    "Look, honey," Chris said. "You know all I care about is that you should be happy. If it makes you happy to go out with George, go. What more can I say?"
    Chris had no more to say that she wanted Dizz to hear. She dared not tell her that she was afraid, and that it was not George who made her so, but her own sense of inadequacy. She could not tell Dizz, who had never known it, of the kind of thing that happened when two people fulfilled all each other's needs. She had prayed that Dizz would never know it with somebody else. She had hand-picked their friends to include no one who might tempt her away. But George was something she hadn't counted on. And Dizz was obviously attracted to him.
    Dizz curled up beside Chris and put her head against Chris' shoulder. "Well, anyhow, we'll be home early. You don't mind eating out this once, do you?"
    Chris moved her head to look down at Dizz. "No, darling," she said, "I don't mind." She felt herself slipping. Dizz was so soft, so sweet. She wanted Dizz to have fun and come home early. Maybe she'd even be glad to get home.
    Chris slid her arm around Dizz's waist and Dizz nestled against her. Their heads were close together. We fit so well, Chris thought. We belong this way. And she felt that Dizz must know it too.
    Dizz moved after a