GG01 - Sudden Anger Read Online Free

um," she stammered. "Yes, I
do
have to bring Clay with me! Just because we haven't chosen to marry doesn't mean he's not a part of
my
family. We're a committed couple; he likes spending time with my children, and I'm getting to know his daughter Candy."
    "But do you have to, like, flaunt him in front of Charles?" Jennifer asked petulantly.
    Clarissa looked around to spot Clay deep in conversation with Jim Holloway. Probably talking Golf. Charles was on the other side of the lawn, talking to his friend Bill. "He doesn't look upset to me," she remarked.
    "Well, but, I mean, he doesn't like it," Jennifer replied. "And I want him to be happy, you know."
    Clarissa considered that Jennifer doubtless
did
want Charles to be happy. A happy husband was less likely to notice how shallow she was or how much she complained. The poor kid was going to have trouble keeping Charles happy, but that was her problem.
    "Well since we're no longer married, I guess he's just going to have to deal with it," Clarissa said. She grabbed another canapé and said, "Think I'll go see what the boys are talking about. Susan told me Jim's made another hole-in-one, bet he's bragging about it." She left the table and wandered over to join in Clay and Jim's conversation.
    * * * *
    Gracie was getting really tired of talking with her aunt. Perhaps 'talking' wasn't the right word; you never actually talked with Jeanine, you mostly listened. Jeanine had wound down her current tale of woe, the point of which Gracie had never quite determined. It had something to do with money - or the lack thereof, Aunt Jeanine was always broke.
    "I'm starving," she announced into the momentary quiet. "I'm gonna go get something to eat. You want me to bring you something?"
    Jeanine looked a little confused at the sudden change of topic. She'd suddenly remembered another grievance she wanted to air and it took a moment for her brain to change gears. "Um, yeah, some of that green Jell-O stuff on the corner there," she answered. "Ooh, and a piece of that chocolate cake, too."
    Gracie said, "OK," and walked away quickly. Under her breath she muttered, "Lime Jell-O and chocolate cake? Yuck!" There was a stack of paper plates on the table and she picked up two. "
Paper
plates, Dad?" She spoke quietly, not really meaning anyone else to hear, just wanting to air her disgust. "You had this shindig catered, you couldn't have asked for real plates? The caterers would've washed them."
    She scooped some of the Jell-O salad onto a plate and added the cake, then set it down while she contemplated her own choices. She walked slowly around the table, taking a little of this and a few of that and checking everything out. She got to the other end and started around to the back side just in case there was something yummy she'd overlooked.
    Jennifer and Cindy were standing there close together talking, their hands clasped between them. Jennifer suddenly skipped forward and grabbed something off the table and popped it into her mouth. "Oh, hi guys," Gracie said. "Didn't mean to startle you. Ooh, those meatballs look good - are they?"
    Jennifer swallowed with some effort and made a disgusted face. "Actually they're pretty greasy." She turned to Cindy and said, "Those cracker-things are almost gone, let's go see if there's, like, more in the kitchen." Jennifer opened the patio door and Cindy followed her inside, sliding the door shut behind her.
    Gracie speared several of the meatballs on a long toothpick and added it to her plate. "Fine," she said to the blank door. "Don't talk to me."
    "Got enough on that plate to last until the steaks are done?"
    Gracie looked up to see Bill Conover's smiling face. Bill was her dad's best friend, they'd been roomies in college. He was a short man with average looks and short black hair. Though he was a chemistry professor at the local JC he was the one who'd gotten her interested in the environment, and they'd become pals because of their shared interest. He was