"HOMEBODS" - читать интересную книгу автора (Paul Barbara)

to make jokes about returning to the Old Homestead, but it was heaven
having a place to run to when you needed it, a place where you knew
you would always be welcome.

They reached Wrightsville shortly before noon; the funeral was
at two. "The house is an architectural nightmare," Annie warned with
a laugh, "but inside it's roomy and comfortable." Jake saw what she
meant as he pulled into the driveway. The house had been added on to
many times, with no particular attention paid to matching the styles
of either the earlier additions or the original structure. Most of
the extensions had been tacked on to the rear, where a once-spacious
back yard had provided the most room for expansion.

Jake followed Annie to the kitchen door, where cries of "Annie!"
and "Mama!" rose as Annie jerked the door open with her good arm.
Then she and a large woman wearing a neckbrace were hugging each other
and the latter was calling out, "Annie's home!" Jake stood holding the
door and watching other people crowd into the kitchen. Then both women
pulled back, looked at each other, and said, "What happened?"

"Whiplash," said Annie's mother. "You?"

"Broken arm."

"Aw, baby. Does it hurt much?"

"Yes," Annie admitted. "But I have pain pills. Uncle Tedward!
Cousin Bette! And Young Malcolm!" More hugging.

With a smile, Annie's mother reached out a big hand to Jake,
still self-consciously holding the door. "You must be Jake--come in,
come in! I'm so glad to meet you at last. We'll sit down and get
acquainted properly once this business is finished."

By "this business", Jake assumed she meant the funeral. He
said, "I'm sorry about your loss, Mrs. Kirkland. It's hard, losing a
father."

"Why, thank you, Jake. We're all going to miss having Grandpa
Kirkland around. But he was my husband's father, not mine. And call
me Mama Sue--it's easier that way. Annie, take Jake around and make
sure he meets everybody."

Easier than what? Jake wondered.

"Come on!" Annie sang out, clearly enjoying her homecoming.

"Did you bring the trunk?" Mama Sue asked.

"It's in the car--Jake will get it later."