"Drake,.David.-.Mountain.Magic.-.Flint,.Eric.-.Spoor,.Ryk.E.-.Wellman,.Manly.Wade" - читать интересную книгу автора (Drake David)

Eric Flint and Ryk E. Spoor
1. Calling Mamma

"You're getting MARRIED?!"

I had to pull the receiver away from my ear. Father always said if
Mamma was in full voice she could break window glass over in the
next county. "Yes, Mamma. I asked Jodi yesterday and she
accepted."

"Well, that's WONDERFUL!" Another ear-saving reaction. Her
voice shifted to No Nonsense mode. "Now you've put this off long
enough, Clinton Jefferson Slade. You're bringin' that girl home to
meet your family this very week, you hear? I know you can take that
time off if'n you try, in that big fancy job that you're so important at."

When Mamma uses your whole name, there isn't anything for it but
you'd better do as you're told. "Yes, Mamma. It's just . . . Mamma,
she's city."

"Well, now, I know that, boy. What other kind of girl would you be
meetin' in New York? We're not completely uneducated out here,
you know."

I lowered my voice. "Mamma, I'll come. I'll bring her, okay. But . . .
is everything okay there?"

"Well, of COURSE itЧ" Mamma cut off short, then sighed. "Oh.
Yes, Clinton, ain't been none of that in quite a while. Daddy Zeke
said you might be tryin' to hide that from this girl and that was why
we hadn't met her."

"From anyone, Mamma, not just Jodi. Family's never told anyone,
and I didn't aim to change that." I was slightly embarrassed to hear
the Kentucky accent getting stronger; it always did when I talked to
family. Not that I was really embarrassed about my family, not
really, but . . . sometimes they were so weird. "So everything is
okay?"

"Just FINE, dear. Now, we'll be expecting you when?"

I did a quick calculation in my head. "Say, Monday evening? We'll
be driving and I'll have to make some arrangements before we
go."

"That will be just fine, Clint dear." I was back to Clint now, so that
was good. I hadn't been at all sure how they'd take me marrying a
city girl, even though they really thought I was more than half city
myself now. "We'll do you proud, boy, because we really are all
proud of you, first Slade to finish college this century and all, and