Mattie's Call Read Online Free Page B

Mattie's Call
Book: Mattie's Call Read Online Free
Author: Stacy Campbell
Pages:
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toward the stairs.
    â€œMare, don’t do this.”
    She continued her brisk stride as he followed her. She headed toward the guest bedroom where she’d put a few items in the closet. It made sense to bring clothes and leave them here when she spent the night. His house was closer to Savannah State than hers, and he said he didn’t mind. If he didn’t want me, he shouldn’t have led me on, she muttered as she plucked her business suits from hangers. Angrier now, she voiced her ire with each yank.
    â€œI’m not getting back out here on this dating scene with these non-working, trifling men.”
    She stuffed clothes in a box she found in the bottom of the closet.
    â€œAlways trying to move in on you when you’re not looking.”
    Camisoles.
    â€œWanting to have a baby and can’t take care of themselves.”
    Stilettos.
    â€œDon’t know a salad fork from a dinner fork.”
    Two coats.
    Joshua stood in the doorway watching her. He loved her, but he wasn’t ready to take the next step. He approached her gingerly, wanting to assist with the clothes and calm her.
    â€œLet me help.”
    â€œYou’ve done enough!”
    In one swoop, she raked jewelry on the dresser into the box.
    â€œMare, calm down.”
    She faced him. “This is the last time I’m asking. Will you marry me?”
    He saw the love and sincerity in her eyes, but wouldn’t yield. “Marilyn, I can’t.”
    She hoisted the box from the side of the dresser where she dropped in the last pair of earrings. “You had your chance. After tonight, don’t call me, don’t email me, don’t get in touch with me. I’m thirty-seven years old with a time clock ticking louder than Big Ben. I’ve wasted almost a year with someone who doesn’t even think I’m worthy to be his wife.”
    â€œMarilyn, proposing to a man is too modern for my tastes. If you’d be patient, we can continue our relationship to see where it goes.”
    Marilyn’s steely look chilled Joshua. Marilyn spat in her hand and slapped Joshua so hard his face burned.
    â€œFuck you, Joshua Benson. Fuck you!”

5
Husband First–Always
    â€œW e don’t need organized religion to be connected to God.”
    â€œHallowed Beryl, we should call the authorities. We could get some of the—”
    â€œAre you raising your voice at me?”
    â€œNo, I only meant—”
    â€œThat’s what I thought. I’m still the head of this household. Don’t you ever forget your place!”
    Alice nodded in deference to her husband, glued to the spot where the berating began. As Beryl’s chest rose and fell, she attempted to suppress his anger with, “your dinner is getting cold. You need to come eat.”
    â€œWarm it up for me.”
    Alice headed to the kitchen and took Beryl’s plate from the table. Though they owned a microwave, she was forbidden to warm his food in it. After their short-lived membership with the Friends of Sinai, Beryl mistrusted microwaves, said they were another way the world conspired to fill bodies with toxins and cancer. He believed food was best warmed in the oven, covered with foil and heated through, or reheated on top of the stove, covered in foil, over a pan of boiling water. He demanded his non-alcoholic drinks have seven ice cubes, because seven was the biblical number of completion. Alice rarely used the icemaker; Beryl stood over her as she filled the old-fashioned ice cube trays to assure she manually released them in his glass. She pressed the preheat button on the oven to 325 degrees and stood against the island. They adhered to a strict bedtime of nine o’clock, so she had less than an hour to heat the food, wash the dishes, and take a shower. She removed two juicy ribeye steaks from his plate with tongs—Beryl said meat lost its flavor if pierced with a fork—and laid them side-by-side. She covered
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