Claudia Silver to the Rescue (9780547985602) Read Online Free Page B

occupied neighboring twin mattresses underneath a low canopy of exposed pipes and stapled wires, Edith’s foam mattress against a nearby concrete wall.
    How the clamp-on lights affixed to the pipes and rafters illuminated the view from her bed: empty cardboard boxes, broken umbrellas, rusted ironing boards, expired appliances, garbage bags stuffed with old school assignments, and piles of cracked, curled shoes forming an unsteady mountain range. How she swept her eyes across the space, renovating it in her mind as she had seen other white folks in the neighborhood do in real life, making the unfinished cellar into real rooms, with heat, and doors.
    The tempera vines and flowers with which the sisters had gamely decorated the plywood floors.
    The exposed-brick wall behind the fireplace on the parlor floor upstairs, which was for Claudia not just a glimmer of the battered house’s possibilities, but of their own. A few house-proud square feet, visible at certain angles from the street.
    How Claudia had considered finally inviting a friend or two over, or at least letting friends hang around the dining room table on the parlor floor, where, if you squinted, things seemed kind of okay. Real art on the walls, good books on the shelves.
    How the beloved exposed-brick wall became the exclusive domain of Edith and Robbie Burns when they turned the front room into a bedroom. This was after Robbie ditched rehab again and moved in with them, the morning after Edith had finally confessed that he existed, after years of pretending to hide their relationship in plain sight.
    The John Lennon poster that Robbie hung over the fireplace.
    The alarm system that Robbie installed in the foyer of the ground floor: a plastic tub stocked with aluminum baseball bats and hand axes.
    The evenings when Edith would brush Robbie’s long hair and carefully wrap his braid with a leather thong as he ignored her, chain-smoking Pall Malls, glaring at Claudia as she hurried past, staring at Phoebe.
    â€œYup,
at home with Mom,
” Claudia told Tamara, punctuating the space between them with air quotes. “And her boyfriend.”
    â€œHave you thought of contacting Mom first? Maybe sending her a card? They have some really great ones at the Open Center.”
    The office door flew open, and Faye appeared.
    â€œHallelujah, let’s eat!” Faye cried, snatching the lunch bags from Tamara and disappearing inside.
    Tamara cupped Claudia’s chin and peered at her closely. Claudia noticed the tiny dark roots at the base of Tamara’s feathery mustache: she must have devoted hours a week attempting to keep it blond. “I want you to know that I am here for you, Claudia,” Tamara said. “We all are, okay?”
    â€œGot it, chief,” said Claudia. They went inside.
    â€œWhere
were
you?” Kim asked, feeling betrayed herself, despite her free discussion of Claudia’s secret troubles.
    â€œI can guess where she was,” Ricky singsonged, emerging from his office. The joint in the breast pocket of his flowing shirt peeked out. He raised his sunglasses and gave Claudia a wink.
    â€œWhere? What?” Kim cried, accusingly.
    â€œTrust me, you can’t handle the truth, Kim,” said Ricky. He yanked the end of Ruben’s long striped scarf. Claudia had forgotten she was still wearing it.
    â€œOh!” Faye exclaimed, always on the hunt for an in with Ricky, glancing at the scarf as she emerged from the bathroom. “Is that from Daffy’s?” Ricky rolled his eyes and headed to the fire escape for a toke.
    Claudia now stood alone in the office hall. From the dining room, she heard the plastic snap of salad boxes opening.
    A lumbering, backlit shape appeared.
    It was Gwen, the first to order, the last to join. She avoided the awkwardness of the narrow hallway and her labored gait by holding back until the rest had been seated. Claudia breathed in Gwen’s powdery scent as she approached.