"Patricia A. McKillip - Naming Day" - читать интересную книгу автора (McKillip Patricia A)

the ancient thaumaturges had written their spells. тАЬWhat do you think about
when you think about me?тАЭ

Her mother, turning bacon at the stove, flung her a haggard,
incredulous glance. She was pregnant again, at her age, and prone to
throwing up at odd times. An unfortunate situation, Averil thought privately,
since they had moved from a house in the suburbs to a much smaller
apartment in the city for AverilтАЩs sake, to be as close as possible to
Oglesby. Where, she wondered, were her impractical parents planning to
put a baby? In the laundry basket? In the walk-in closet with Felix, where it
was likely to be shoved under his bed along with his toys and shoes? Her
brother chose that moment to draw atten-tion from her compelling question
by banging his small fist on the tines of a fork to cause the spoon lying
across the handle to go spinning into the air.

тАЬFelix!тАЭ their mother cried. тАЬStop that.тАЭ

тАЬBacon, bacon, I want bacon!тАЭ Felix shouted. The spoon bounced on
his head, then clattered onto the floor. He squinted his eyes, opened his
mouth wide. Averil got up hastily before he began to howl.

тАЬAverilтАФwait. Stop.тАЭ

тАЬMom, gotta go; IтАЩll be late.тАЭ

тАЬI need you to come home right after your classes today.тАЭ A banshee
shriek came out of Felix; their mother raised her voice. тАЬI want you to watch
Felix.тАЭ

AverilтАЩs violet eyes skewed in horror toward her squalling baby
brother, whose tonsils were visible. He had just turned four, a skinny, noisy,
mind-less bundle of mischief and energy whom Averil seriously doubted
was quite right in the head.

тАЬSorry, Mom.тАЭ She grabbed her book bag hastily. After all, her mother
had nothing else to do. тАЬI have group study after school.тАЭ

тАЬAverilтАФтАЭ

тАЬMom, itтАЩs important! IтАЩm good at my studiesтАФone of the best in a
decade, Miss Braeburn says. She thinks I can get a full scholarship to the
University of Ancient Arts if I keep up my grades. ThatтАЩs why we moved
here, isnтАЩt it? Anyway, my friends are waiting for me.тАЭ Something in her
motherтАЩs expression, not unlike the mingling of admiration and despair that
AverilтАЩs presence caused in less gifted students, made her round the table
quickly, trying not to clout Felix with her book bag, and breathe a kiss on her
motherтАЩs cheek. тАЬAsk me again after Naming Day. I might have time then.тАЭ

She discussed the situation with her friends Deirdre, Tamara, and
Nicholaus, as they walked to school.