Read Annihilate Me: Holiday Edition for Free Online

When she
turned to Charles, her face softened.   “You’re a fine young man, Charles, even if you do share the name of my
former husband, who is a horrible person who should be eaten alive by the snake
that gave birth to him.   Not that
I’ll hold that against you—obviously, I don’t.   I can see your future stretched right out
in front of you, and it’s rather something.   I see Michelin stars.   What did you make for us today?”
    “What
did you have?”
    She
went around the table and told him what we’d ordered.
    “I
made the salads, and I made your lobster salad,” he said to me.
    “It
was wonderful.”
    “The
salads were divoon,” Blackwell said.   “So light.   So fresh.   Not too much oil.   And just the right amount of vinegar and
citrus.   Sublime, sublime, sublime.   Good for you.   Well done, my future celebrity chef.”
    “Thank
you, Ms. Blackwell.”
    “And
good for you for going to school, and also for having the fortitude to land a
prime apprenticeship here.   Both
will take you far.   Just watch.”
    “I
really appreciate it, Ms. Blackwell.”
    “I
didn’t make this apprenticeship happen.   You did, which says all I need to know about you.   Oh, you darling boy.   You keep working hard, keep learning new
things, and you’ll be surprised by how the world will open up to you.   I’m eager for that day.   And remember—you never know when
I’ll be back.”   She lifted her
napkin off her lap and placed in on the table.   “After that perfect salad you made for
me, I might even come with a proper appetite.   So, you know, in the meantime, learn how
to make poached salmon.   Because
when I come back?   I’ll be having
that.”

 
 
 
 
    CHAPTER SIX

 
    It
was on a Monday that we left for Maine—just two days before Christmas,
but plenty of time to buy food at Hannaford in Ellsworth, chop down a tree on
Alex’s land, decorate it with whatever he had in the house to decorate it with,
and get settled in.  
    We
all agreed to meet in the lobby at Wenn before leaving.   And that’s where we met Blackwell’s
daughters.
    I
thought they were beautiful and verging on the exotic.   I knew from Alex that Charles’ family
came to the States from India two generations ago, and what I saw in Alexa and
Daniella underscored that.   They
looked as if they could be fraternal twins.   Each was young and lovely, with long,
thick black hair that shimmered in the light.   They had nice figures, clear
complexions, and dark brown eyes laced with the sort of thick brown lashes I’d
kill for.  
    “It’s
nice to meet you,” I said to each of them.
    Alexa
came over to me first.   “And
you.   Mom has said so much about
you, Jennifer.”
    “I
hope good things.”
    “She
totes gave you props.”
    “And
Daniella,” I said as I approached her.   “Welcome.   I’m glad that
you’re here.”
    “You’re
ass really is something,” she said.   “Just like Mom said.”
    I
blushed at that.
    “Daniella,”
Blackwell said.
    “Well,
it’s true.   I want that butt.   How did you even get that butt.”
    “French
Canadian genes.”
    “Is
that all?”
    “Maybe
some fries.”
    “That
explains it,” she said with a smile and a nod.   “Good for you.   You’re super hot.”   She looked at her mother.   “You stole away the butt genes, so I
need a bucket of fries.   And
whatever else Jennifer eats.   I want
to look like that.”
    “You
are perfectly fine the way you are.”
    “Oh,
mother, please.   The really
good-looking boys at school don’t even look at me.   I’ve told you that.   I either need implants up here or down
there.   Choose, or I’ll live with
Dad, who will give me what I want.”
    “I
doubt that he’ll give you that.”
    “You
never know.   Children of divorced
parents tend to get what they want.   Dad’s got as much money as you do.   And I want her ass.”
    “Daniella,”
Alexa said.
    “I’m
just sayin’.”
    And
she