Page 20 of Something Like Summer
“It’s not funny!” Allisonhissed, casting an uneasy glance toward Mrs. Hammond, who had comeoutside the choir room to investigate.
“Is there any reason youtwo are so apprehensive of entering my domicile?” she asked indramatic tones that were wholly unnecessary.
“We just have a few thingsto talk over,” Ben said.
The look of pleasantamusement fell from Mrs. Hammond’s face. Ben might be her starpupil, but her own ego came first. “What, exactly, is moreimportant than my class?” she insisted, all theatrical traces nowgone from her voice.
“The talent show,” Bensaid, thinking fast. This was Mrs. Hammond’s favorite subject. Shehad high hopes for them to win last year until a tonsillectomy tookBen’s voice out the week of the show. Since then she mentioned thefollowing year’s competition almost daily. “It’s not moreimportant, of course. It’s just that I had a few ideas last nightand--”
“Say no more!” Mrs.Hammond trilled, her mood instantly favorable again. “The talentshow! Well! If you two would rather practice today, the auditoriumnext door is empty.”
After a few commentsengineered to make Mrs. Hammond feel good about herself, they wereable to escape to the privacy of the auditorium. Allison floppeddown in one of the chairs and aimed an expectant look athim.
“Just talk him out of it,”Ben said easily. “Tell him that it’s a sweet but horrible idea andthat will be the end of it.”
“What do you think I wasdoing during lunch? He kept smiling at me as if I was exaggeratingthings for my own amusement.”
“Even after having his carpelted by a whisky bottle?”
“He acts like he didn’teven notice.” Allison frowned. “Now I wish it had busted out one ofhis windows or something.”
“I guess some lessons needto be learned the hard way.”
Ben smiled sympathetically,a gesture Allison didn’t reciprocate. Instead her frown increasedand her forehead wrinkled with concern. “I’m really worried aboutRonnie,” she said. “You know my dad. He gets crazier and meanerevery year. I need your help.”
Ben shrugged and nodded,indicating that he would do whatever she needed.
“Come over tonight,” shepleaded. “When Ronnie’s there I want you there, too.”
“Yeah, right.” Ben’schuckle faltered when he saw that she was being serious. “And thisis going to keep your dad calm, how?”
“He won’t be calm nomatter what happens, but he’s much less likely to do somethingstupid with other people around.”
Rubbing his foreheadwearily, Ben paced back and forth a few times. “If you want awitness to keep the situation in check, maybe you should try thepolice.”
Allison didn’t respond,choosing instead to wait for a definitive answer.
“All right. I’ll be there.When?”
“At six. Or a littlebefore, so you are there before Ronnie shows up. Here…” Allison dugin her purse and pulled out her wallet. “You can bring this to me.That will be your excuse for being there. There’s one otherthing.”
“What’s that?” he askedapprehensively.
“You totally just enteredus in the talent contest a few minutes ago.”
Ben rolled his eyes andsmiled. “Wonderful.”
* * * * *
Five minutes before six,Ben walked up the driveway of Allison’s home with increasingtrepidation about this plan. He was certain that his presence wouldonly serve to aggravate Mr. Cross further, but he couldn’t get outof it now. He had promised Allison and had no choice but to followthrough.
The door swung open beforehe could knock. Allison put one finger to her lips to indicate thathe should stay quiet and waved him into the house.
“I don’t want dad to knowyou’re here until Ronnie shows up,” she whispered.
“That makes sense,” Benmuttered.
They crept into the livingroom and sat together on the comfortable burgundy couch. The livingroom, like most of the house, was warmly decorated and veryinviting. Little had changed since Mrs. Cross died eight years ago.Ben had few memories of her, but remembered her being as expressiveand friendly as her daughter. He wondered how someone like her hadended up with the man she married. Was Mr. Cross a different manback then? Was it the death of his wife that transformed him intothe domineering brute he was today?
