about the weather on television. Maybe something will come
to me.
The four of them sat on the
couch as Rona turned on the television and found a local channel. As she
suspected, the weather was the big news. The news crews had filmed endless
shots of laughing kids and adults sledding down slopes on everything from an
occasional real sled to large pieces of cardboard. Then the anchor-woman's
voice turned serious as she began to explain the film footage of lines of
homeless people waiting to get into shelters. When she announced that two
people had already died because of the
freezing temperatures, Tammy reached over and clutched her arm. They were still
glued to the news when Anna came in wearing neatly pressed jeans and a gray and
white sweater pulled over a long-sleeved gray turtleneck. A pair of sturdy
hiking boots encased her feet. She perched on the edge of the recliner.
"I need to talk to you
both," she said.
Tammy glanced nervously from
Anna to the girls.
Rona tried to read Anna's
expression but couldn't. Was she about to ask them to leave? Maybe her
brother's invitation to a family event had shaken her up.
Anna walked to a bookcase
beside the television. "Do you girls like"—she glanced at the DVD in
her hand— "Dora the Explorer?"
The girls looked at each other
and shrugged.
"My niece loves this
show. She'll watch it for hours." She popped the disc in before turning to
Rona and Tammy. "Maybe we could talk in the kitchen while the girls watch
television."
A look of concern crossed
Karla's face and she started to stand. Tammy leaned over and patted her
shoulder. "It's okay. I'll be in the kitchen." She kept her hand on
Karla's back until the child nodded and sat back down. As if by some silent
mutual agreement, the three adults remained in the room until the kids were
engrossed in the cartoon. Karla barely gave them a glance as they slipped out
of the room.
The women sat down at the
kitchen table. Without preamble, Anna began, "I was watching the weather
while I was dressing and it appears this arctic front, as they describe it, is
going to be around for a few days. They're predicting more snow tonight and
below freezing temperatures for the rest of the week."
"Please, don't call
anyone. We'll go to a shelter," Tammy promised.
Anna looked at her for a long
moment. "Maybe so, but you won't be able to get in. Because you have the
kids, someone might be able to pull some strings and get you in somewhere, but
I have another idea. You can stay here."
Rona wanted to jump up and
continue her sham of outrage, but her knees were too weak. It was really going
to happen. She had spent her last night on the street. They were both looking
at her. "I can't take your charity." If the words came out as weak as
they sounded to her, no one seemed to notice.
Anna glared at her.
"Fine. Walk outside and see how long your pride keeps you warm. You know
Tammy won't stay unless you do. Is your silly macho dignity worth one of those
kids getting sick and maybe dying?"
Rona saw Tammy blanch.
"Well, is it?" Anna
demanded.
"Tammy doesn't need me
here. She can stay," Rona said. Anna's righteousness was starting to piss
her off. Without realizing what she was doing, she stood.
Tammy reached out and grabbed
her arm. "No. You can't leave. She's right."
Both Rona and Anna looked at
Tammy in surprise as she squared her shoulders and turned back to Anna.
"We thank you for your offer, but we have to help out where we can. I can
cook and clean." She turned to Rona and asked, "What can you
do?"
Rona's face burned under the
scrutiny of the other women. She hadn't expected this. "I don't know... I
mowed yards one summer. I can shovel snow and help clean." As they
continued to watch her, she wanted to shout that she could shoplift and was a
fair hand at picking pockets.
Anna leaned back in her chair.
"Can you type?" she asked Rona.
"Yeah, some. I learned in
high school and worked in an auto parts warehouse for a while. My job was to
track
to me.
The four of them sat on the
couch as Rona turned on the television and found a local channel. As she
suspected, the weather was the big news. The news crews had filmed endless
shots of laughing kids and adults sledding down slopes on everything from an
occasional real sled to large pieces of cardboard. Then the anchor-woman's
voice turned serious as she began to explain the film footage of lines of
homeless people waiting to get into shelters. When she announced that two
people had already died because of the
freezing temperatures, Tammy reached over and clutched her arm. They were still
glued to the news when Anna came in wearing neatly pressed jeans and a gray and
white sweater pulled over a long-sleeved gray turtleneck. A pair of sturdy
hiking boots encased her feet. She perched on the edge of the recliner.
"I need to talk to you
both," she said.
Tammy glanced nervously from
Anna to the girls.
Rona tried to read Anna's
expression but couldn't. Was she about to ask them to leave? Maybe her
brother's invitation to a family event had shaken her up.
Anna walked to a bookcase
beside the television. "Do you girls like"—she glanced at the DVD in
her hand— "Dora the Explorer?"
The girls looked at each other
and shrugged.
"My niece loves this
show. She'll watch it for hours." She popped the disc in before turning to
Rona and Tammy. "Maybe we could talk in the kitchen while the girls watch
television."
A look of concern crossed
Karla's face and she started to stand. Tammy leaned over and patted her
shoulder. "It's okay. I'll be in the kitchen." She kept her hand on
Karla's back until the child nodded and sat back down. As if by some silent
mutual agreement, the three adults remained in the room until the kids were
engrossed in the cartoon. Karla barely gave them a glance as they slipped out
of the room.
The women sat down at the
kitchen table. Without preamble, Anna began, "I was watching the weather
while I was dressing and it appears this arctic front, as they describe it, is
going to be around for a few days. They're predicting more snow tonight and
below freezing temperatures for the rest of the week."
"Please, don't call
anyone. We'll go to a shelter," Tammy promised.
Anna looked at her for a long
moment. "Maybe so, but you won't be able to get in. Because you have the
kids, someone might be able to pull some strings and get you in somewhere, but
I have another idea. You can stay here."
Rona wanted to jump up and
continue her sham of outrage, but her knees were too weak. It was really going
to happen. She had spent her last night on the street. They were both looking
at her. "I can't take your charity." If the words came out as weak as
they sounded to her, no one seemed to notice.
Anna glared at her.
"Fine. Walk outside and see how long your pride keeps you warm. You know
Tammy won't stay unless you do. Is your silly macho dignity worth one of those
kids getting sick and maybe dying?"
Rona saw Tammy blanch.
"Well, is it?" Anna
demanded.
"Tammy doesn't need me
here. She can stay," Rona said. Anna's righteousness was starting to piss
her off. Without realizing what she was doing, she stood.
Tammy reached out and grabbed
her arm. "No. You can't leave. She's right."
Both Rona and Anna looked at
Tammy in surprise as she squared her shoulders and turned back to Anna.
"We thank you for your offer, but we have to help out where we can. I can
cook and clean." She turned to Rona and asked, "What can you
do?"
Rona's face burned under the
scrutiny of the other women. She hadn't expected this. "I don't know... I
mowed yards one summer. I can shovel snow and help clean." As they
continued to watch her, she wanted to shout that she could shoplift and was a
fair hand at picking pockets.
Anna leaned back in her chair.
"Can you type?" she asked Rona.
"Yeah, some. I learned in
high school and worked in an auto parts warehouse for a while. My job was to
track
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