Flood by James Heneghan Page B

keeper yelled in fear as he clutched the arms of the chair. The chair toppled and threw him to the floor.
    â€œI better go,” said Andy, hurrying out the door. “I’ll be back, Brownie,” he yelled at the dog.

    â€œI would have spun the creature into a black hole had you not stopped me,” said a Young One angrily.
    â€œWe
Sidhe
strive to be like the meadow grass,” instructed the Old One. “We bend with the force of the wind. You must learn patience.”
    â€œIs that why you do nothing to rid us of the great ugly rat in the kitchen?” jeered the Young One. “Or is it because you are afraid?”
    The Old One smiled. “As well as patience, we must learn that all creatures are the same: each has the right to live its life.”

14
    â€œTODAY WE’RE HAVING BREAKFAST for a change,” Andy declared the next morning. “I took some money from your coat pocket and bought stuff for pancakes, okay? And a jar of maple syrup.”
    Vinny still hadn’t found a job, and the rat had appeared in the kitchen again last night. Andy hadn’t mentioned it yet. Vinny had done nothing about the rat. He’d done nothing about the cockroaches either. Vinny sat drinking his nice cup of tea while Andy stirred his disappointments into the pancake batter.
    â€œBreakfast is a grand idea,” agreed Vinny.
    â€œDo you ever go to church on Sundays?” Andy asked him from the hot plate.
    â€œHuh? Church is it? I do, the odd time. Good Friday, Easter. And Christmas,” he added.
    â€œWhich one? St. Dominic’s?”
    â€œThat’s the one.”
    â€œCould we start going to church, Father? Together, I mean, Sunday mornings? Mom used to take me sometimeswhen I was little. I liked it. Everyone was dressed in their best, and the girls and women had hats and gloves and rosary beads. We could take a prayer book and go early and always sit in the same pew and sing the hymns together. What do you say?” He poured batter into the hot pan.
    â€œIt would be grand altogether. Your mother could sing the hymns like a linnet when she was a girl. And at the ceilidh she’d sing ’Danny Boy’ and have everyone crying.”
    â€œI’m starting school today,” said Andy.
    â€œSchool?” Vinny sounded surprised. “What school?”
    â€œSt. Dominic’s. I can walk there in five minutes.” Andy put a pancake down in front of him.
    â€œThey didn’t ask to see me?”
    â€œI haven’t been there yet. I’ll just go to the school office and enroll as a new kid from Vancouver. If they ask, I’ll tell them you’re at work.”
    â€œJust like that?”
    â€œJust like that.”
    â€œThis pancake looks lovely.” Vinny picked up his fork. “Education is the wonderful thing. I never had much of it myself, but I’m glad to see you taking my advice. School is a remarkable idea.”
    Andy brought his own pancake, flipped a second pancake onto Vinny’s plate, and sat opposite.
    â€œI only want what’s best for you, Andy.”
    â€œI know that, Vinny. That’s why I went to the pound yesterday. I found a dog I like. One that will keep the ratsaway. Might be good for the cockroaches, too. And he’ll be a great guard dog. He’s only a pup; he’s brown with floppy ears and big brown eyes. I called him Brownie and I could see his eyes light up; he liked his new name, I could tell. You’ll love him, I know you will. But you have to come with me to sign the papers, okay? After I get home from school?”
    â€œAndy, I’ve got to be straight with you. The dog will have to wait till I find a job, and that’s all there is to it. Once I have a job, you will have all the time in the world to find a dog, I can’t be straighter than that.”
    Disappointment, like a fist in his face. “You don’t want me to have a dog. You’re just like my mother and