Harmony House Read Online Free

watching his knotted hands touching my clothes, “I wanted to walk into the town and check it out myself.”
    â€œWell, okay,” he says, after thinking for a minute. “But this isn’t a holiday, Jen. It’s gonna take a lot of work maintaining this house through the winter. I’ve written out a list of chores I need you to do every day. And I’m going to be teaching your lessons every morning.”
    â€œI know,” I tell him. “I’m going to work. And I’m going to study. But I have to have some fun. Anyway, I can pick up groceries for us. There’s nothing in the house.”
    He nods, still folding my goddamn clothes.
    â€œYes, that would be good. I’ll write you a list. This is going to be just what we need. I know it, Jen. This is really going to be perfect.”
    He glances down, then, and sees a tank top I’d forgotten I left in my suitcase. His hands reach out and he takes it up quickly.
    â€œWhat is this?” he asks.
    I try to grab the shirt back from him, but he pulls away.
    â€œI don’t know,” I say. “Maybe it’s Stephanie’s.”
    His face turns very red and he stuffs the tank top in his jacket pocket.
    â€œDon’t lie to me,” he yells. “Where did you get it?”
    â€œI don’t know. I’m telling you. I’ve never seen it before.”
    There are tears in my eyes now and I feel a pressure building inside.
    â€œIt’s a sin to lie,” he yells.
    I grit my teeth and stare hatefully at him—wishingmore than anything that it could’ve been him—that he could’ve died instead of her.
    â€œWhat is wrong with you?” he asks.
    I stare and stare and wish him dead.
    â€œThis cannot go on like this,” he shouts. “This cannot go on.”
    He grabs my bag from off the bed and dumps the contents out on the floor next to me. He sorts through them quickly, tossing them everywhere.
    I stare hating him.
    My teeth are clenched so tight my jaw aches.
    I feel my heart pounding loud in my ears. There’s a knife cutting in through the muscles in my stomach. I crack my neck and try to breathe but my chest is constricted and I press the palm of my hand into the center of my hot forehead.
    â€œDad,” I say—trying to stay calm—speaking evenly. “Dad, that’s enough.”
    He ignores me, of course. He goes on tearing through my things.
    â€œDad, stop it!” I yell.
    I stomp my foot.
    And then my dad cries out in pain. He clutches at his stomach and doubles over.
    I turn to him, putting a hand on his back.
    â€œDad? What happened? Are you all right?”
    I feel my hatred fading away.
    He straightens, pushing me roughly.
    â€œHey!” I yell, falling back.
    He gnashes his teeth.
    â€œYou’re grounded,” he says, spitting as he talks. “You’re not going anywhere !”
    He storms out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him.
    â€œAsshole!” I say, but not so he can hear.
    I gather up my clothes from off the floor, feeling like I might cry. The pain in my head has mostly gone. There’s only the burning behind my eyes.
    I go over to the window and look out at the surrounding forest. The sun is nearly set over the distant hills—the wind blowing in strong off the ocean.
    For the first time I think that it really is very beautiful here—at least, outside of this goddamn house.
    I watch as those same ravens land on the twisted branches of the trees below.
    Squirrels chase one another across the grounds.
    On the side of the house next to my window there is a white lattice built up almost to the roof, planted with crawling roses and rust-colored ivy. Who knows how long it’s been there or how stable it is?
    At this point, I really don’t care.
    In my suitcase there’s a side zipper where I hid a photograph of my mom.
    She has her hair down and is smiling—holding what must be a three-or