Read The Merchant of Venice Beach Online
Authors: Celia Bonaduce
Tags: #Romance, #ebook, #Contemporary, #Fiction, #QuarkXPress, #epub
The Merchant of Venice Beach (31 page)
“Well?” Suzanna asked.
“Well what?”
“Did you find a tenant for the guesthouse?”
“No, I did not,” Erinn said.” And I have to say, I don’t think Craig nor his list are the way to go.”
“You aren’t trying.”
“It’s my guesthouse, Suzanna. I don’t have to try. They do.”
“Well, keep looking.”
“Let’s change the subject, shall we?”
Erinn had pulled out her big sister voice, which wasn’t really fair. She knew Suzanna would cave in.
“OK,” Suzanna said.” How’s the new play?”
Erinn got up and went into the living room. Suzanna had started casting yarn onto a set of large circular needles and had to scoot after her sister to catch up.
“How long have you been practicing that casual delivery?” Erinn asked.
“Uh . . . all week, if you must know,” Suzanna said, following closely at her sister’s heels.
Erinn thumped down on the sofa and put a pillow over her head.
“Erinn, come on! I’m worried about you. You stay holed up in here day after day, not talking to anybody. . . .”
“That is not true,” Erinn said, from under the pillow.” I had a very interesting conversation with a nice couple I met in the park just this afternoon.”
Suzanna sat next to Erinn. She pulled the pillow off her sister’s head and tossed it aside. Erinn noticed the corners of the pillow were a little frayed, but, hey, get in line.
“Listen, I’m not just talking to you as a sister,” Suzanna said.” Mimi was in the shop yesterday, and she said you’ve been avoiding her.”
Mimi was Erinn’s agent.
“She shouldn’t be discussing my business with you!”
“She’s worried about you. She says she needs something to sell.”
“And what if I don’t have anything right now? She’ll drop me?”
“How should I know? Hey, we forgot our cocoa,” Suzanna said.
“I’ll get it,” Erinn said.
Erinn headed back to the kitchen. She tested the temperature by dipping her little finger into the cocoa. She put the cups in the microwave to reheat. While she watched the cups go around and around, she suddenly noticed how quiet it was. Leaving the cocoa to its carousel ride, she dashed frantically back into the living room, but she was too late. Suzanna was staring intently at the computer screen.
Erinn tried to block the screen and said, “It’s not ready!”
“Just a peek!”
“No! It’s still rough.”
“I’ll make allowances.”
Erinn couldn’t budge her sister. Suzanna countered every move like a prizefighter —years of sisterly combat had her trained—and the two women stared at the screen.
MRS. FURST
John, you may be the president, and this might be the
White House, but it’s still our home . . . where the buffalo
roam and the deer and the antelope play.”
Erinn turned off the monitor and started to pace.
“It’s hopeless,” she said.” I’m hopeless.”
“It’s not that bad,” Suzanna said.” It’s very patriotic.”
“Do you think Mimi will like it?”
“Oh, who cares if she likes it? She’s an agent . . . she only cares ten percent,” Suzanna said, as Erinn chewed on a thumbnail.” I, on the other hand, am your sister. So I care one hundred and ten percent.”
Erinn turned, mid-pace, and stared at her sister.
“That’s a good line,” she said, going back to the computer.” That’s a very good line. I bet I can use that.”
Suzanna smiled wanly. She started to twist her hair nervously as Erinn’s fingers blazed over the keyboard.
“Sorry, Suzanna, you need to go. I need to write!” Erinn said without looking up.” Could you let yourself out? And let the cat in?”
“Sure,” Suzanna said, kissing Erinn’s hair.” Good night.”
Erinn glanced up as her sister waddled away in the muted light of the living room. She saw the little girl who used to look up to her. How did it come to this? Erinn wondered, as she stared back at the computer screen.
How did it ever come to this?
• Acknowledgments
The Merchant of Venice Beach •
• Celia Bonaduce
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• Celia Bonaduce
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