"Tom Reamy - Twilla" - читать интересную книгу автора (Reamy Tom)

Twilla
by Tom Reamy




Twilla Gilbreath blew into Miss Mahan's life like a pink butterfly wing that same day in early December
the blue norther dropped the temperature forty degrees in two hours. Mr. Choate, the principal, ushered
Twilla and her parents into Miss Mahan's ninth-grade home room shortly after the tardy bell rang. She
had just checked the roll: all seventeen ninth graders were present except for Sammy Stocker, who was
in the Liberal hospital having his appendix removed. She was telling the class how nice it would be if they
sent a get-well card, when the door opened.

"Goooood morning, Miss Mahan," Mr. Choate smiled cheerfully. He always smiled cheerfully first thing
in the morning, but soured as the day wore on. You could practically tell time by Mr. Choate's mouth.
"We have a new ninth grader for you this morning, Miss Mahan. This is Mr. and Mrs. Gilbreath and their
daughter, Twilla."

Several things happened at once. Miss Mahan shook hands with the parents; she threw a severe glance
at the class when she heard a sniggerтАФbut it was only Alice May Turner, who would probably giggle if
she were being devoured by a bear; and she had to forcibly keep her eyebrows from rising when she got
a good look at Twilla. Good Lord, she thought, and felt her smile falter.

Miss Mahan had never in her life, even when it was fashionable for a child to look like that, seen anyone
so perfectly тАж pink and тАж doll-like. She wasn't sure why she got such an impression of pinkness,
because the child was dressed in yellow, and had golden hair (that's the color they mean when they say
golden hair, she thought with wonder) done in, of all things, drop curls, with a big yellow bow in back.
Twilla looked up at her with a sweet, radiant, sunny smile and clear periwinkle-blue eyes.

Miss Mahan detested her on sight.

She thought she saw, when Alice May giggled, the smile freeze and the lovely eyes dart toward the class,
but she wasn't sure. It all happened in an instant, and then Mr. Choate continued his Cheerful Charlie
routine.

"Mr. Gilbreath has bought the old Peacock place."

"Really?" she said, tearing her eyes from Twilla. "I didn't know it was for sale."

Mr. Gilbreath chuckled. "Not the entire farm, of course. I'm no farmer. Only the house and grounds.
Such a charming old place. The owner lives in Wichita and had no use for them."

"I would think the house is pretty run down," Miss Mahan said, glancing at Twilla still radiating at the
world. "No one's lived in it since Wash and Grace Elizabeth died ten years ago."

"It is a little," Mrs. Gilbreath said pleasantly.

"But structurally sound," interjected Mr. Gilbreath pleasantly.

"We'll enjoy fixing it up," Mrs. Gilbreath continued pleasantly.