"Kit Reed - What Wolves Know" - читать интересную книгу автора (Reed Kit)

He always knew Happy was his name. This is just the first time heтАЩs
heard it spoken since he joined the wolves and made Sonia his mother.
Does Brent not know? The name Brent calls him is different. Is this big,
leaden woman who smells like despair the only one who knows who he
really is? In the hospital where the police took him, Brent shouted at the
doctor like a pet owner claiming a dog that had strayed. тАЬOlmstead. ItтАЩs right
here on his tag! Olmstead. Frederick.тАЭ

Her voice is soft as the darkness. тАЬOh, Happy. IтАЩm so glad you came
back.тАЭ

There is another of those terrible long silences in which he hears her
shifting from foot to foot in the dark, pretending sheтАЩs not crying.

She says, тАЬYou donтАЩt have to come out from under there if you donтАЩt
want to.тАЭ

She says, тАЬAre you okay?тАЭ

ItтАЩs been a long time since words came out of Happy; he only had a
few when they lost him. He isnтАЩt ready. Will he ever be?

She says, тАЬIs it okay if I sit down on the bed? I mean, since youтАЩre not
using it?тАЭ

Words. He is thinking about words. He knows plenty now, all that talk
going on outside his locked door. He has heard dozens. He could spit out a
word for her if he wanted, but which one? He waits until she gets tired of
him waiting.

She says softly, тАЬIтАЩm sorry about everything.тАЭ

Then she says, all in a rush, тАЬOh Happy. Can you ever forgive me?тАЭ

This is not a question Happy can answer.

There is a lot of nothing in the silence that follows. She is breathing
the way Sonia did before she died. ItтАЩs a rasp of pain, but the mother smells
all right to Happy. Wolves know nothing of the pain of waiting, nor do they
know anything about the pain of guilt.

Her voice shakes in a way he is not used to. тАЬSon?тАЭ

Son. It does not parse. Happy rummages through all his words, but
there is no right one.

The first morning light is showing in the window; Happy sees it touch
the fake fur of the ruggy bear; he sees it outlining the hands she keeps
folded on her plump knees and he watches as it picks out every vein in her