| OCR Text |
Show Motherlunge a novel 205 I took what Dorothy calls a Cleansing Breath and wiped my cheeks up under my glasses with my fingers. "He was wonderful," I said after a minute, pointing accusingly at my nephew. "He was...fantastic. I loved taking care of him." Everyone beamed at me with approval and relief. But my finger and forearm were slowly swiveling like a construction crane toward my sister. "And you can't do that again." I pointed at her. "You can't." I towered, I swayed, I threatened to topple as I waited. My beautiful sister stared back at me. She nodded. "I kind of lost it," she said. Still, her voice was just the same. Now I pointed at Jack, and now back again at Pavia. "Well, you can't," I said. "Jack. Pavia." "Thea," Pavia said. We all waited; it was Pavia's turn to take a Cleansing Breath, which seemed to work well and rapidly. It shouldn't have been surprising that she would be easier to clean than I. "I didn't know what to do." Pavia squeezed Xavier on her hip, and nodded toward Jack. "I needed to get back Jack." "Ha!" I barked, "That rhymes." My stupid finger now pointed to the ceiling. "Make a new plan, Stan!" My sister held her son and breathed; she pulled him close and kissed the back of his head. Jack twisted the wristband of his watch, no doubt catching his arm hairs painfully. |
