Contessa Read Online Free Page B

’ t see what I ’ m working on.
    “ Yeah? ”
    She laughs at me when she sees me. “ When are you ever going to retire that thing? ” she asks as she tugs on the frayed ribbon around my waist.
    “ I like it, ” I tell her. “ It has history. ”
    “ You should let me wash it for you. ”
    “ I just did two days ago. I take care of it, Mom, don ’ t worry. ”
    She smiles and nods. “ I know. Wait, is that a new hole? ” she asks, poking her finger through an opening in the seam.
    “ I just noticed it yesterday, but yeah. ”
    “ That dress was expensive when I bought it. Very high quality, but I guess I never thought it would get this much wear. Anyway, dinner will be ready in five minutes. Can you get cleaned up by then? ”
    “ Yeah, of course. ”
    “ Is your homework done? ”
    “ No. I don ’ t have much, though. I can knock it out after dinner. ”
    “ Subject? ”
    “ English. I just have to read two chapters of Brave New World . ”
    “ Ahhh, that ’ s one of your dad ’ s favorite books, you know? ”
    “ He mentioned that. I don ’ t like it. ”
    “ Of course, ” she answers, giving me a strained look. “ Five minutes. ”
    “ I ’ ll be up. ”
    “ Bring the smock up with you, ” she says on her way back up the stairs. “ I can stitch up that hole for you. ”
    “ Alright, Mom. ”

    Many years after the first night I got to paint with brushes, I learned the real story behind the smock. When my mother was on bed-rest six years ago, pregnant with my brother, we had a lot of mother-daughter conversations. My dad was out of the country on business. Grandma Hennigan was staying with us while he was away. Mom ’ s pregnancy was high-risk, so she had to be very careful.
    Grandma had taken over my bedroom and I was allowed to sleep with my mother when Dad was away. We had many late-night talks. I learned so much about my mother then, and just when I thought a new baby would drive a wedge between me and the parents that had been my own for almost six years, Mom and I grew very close, creating a special bond that we still have to this day.
    We had been talking about how she met my dad. She was telling me about this “ other guy ” that she had been dating, and at some point, his name slipped out: Nate.
    I knew the name, though. I knew that he was my mother ’ s friend. I knew that he was Granna ’ s son, who had died years ago. She had told me many stories about him over years of afternoons and evenings I spent first as a student, then as a mentor, at the Art Room. I had no idea Nate had been romantically involved with my mother.
    “ He was your boyfriend? ” I ’ d asked Mom. She was reluctant to answer me, but finally did.
    “ Yes, briefly, ” she said with a wistful smile. “ But, really, we were just friends for most of the time I knew him. ”
    “ Does Daddy know? ” I ’ d asked first.
    “ Yes, Daddy knows. ”
    “ Did Granna know? ”
    She laughed at that question. “ Of course she knew. It ’ s not nice to keep secrets from your parents. We didn ’ t keep secrets from them. ”
    “ Did they like it that you were dating? ”
    “ Who? ”
    “ Everyone. Granna, your parents... ”
    “ Yeah, ” she answered. “ You know, Donna ’ s always treated me like a daughter. And Nate was friends with your uncle– Chris –and me . My family liked him, too. ”
    “ Why didn ’ t you marry him? ”
    “ Well, Livvy. I like to think it ’ s because I was meant to be with Jacks all along. And Nate and me, we were just supposed to be best friends. ”
    “ Well, how come you broke up? ”
    “ We didn ’ t exactly. ” I could sense her hesitance, but I was silent, waiting for her answer. “ Nate and I were together when he died. ”
    This revelation startled me, and I remember sitting up in bed, frightened at the thought of my mom ’ s life being in danger. I knew how Nate died. “ You were in the car with him? ”
    She sighed. “ Yes, baby. I was. ”
    “ How