cousins. Mom hadn’t ventured into the living room. I could see her alone in the kitchen, clearing things away.
“We really can’t stay,” Daddy said. “We have to catch a plane, but we’ll be in touch.”
Uncle Jack held out his hand. “Good to see you again.”
But Daddy ignored my uncle’s hand, hugging him instead. “Take care of those kids, Jack,” he said, a twinge of longing in his voice.
Grandma kissed him and said to call when they arrived home.
“Take it easy, son,” Grandpa said. His eyes glistened.
“I’ll have my travel agent line up a flight for you soon,” Daddy said to me. I reached for him. He held me. And then, he was gone.
BEST FRIEND, WORST ENEMY
Chapter 14
After Daddy and Saundra left, the rest of us headed off to Sunday school and church. All but Uncle Jack. He said he needed some time alone. I wished I could say something to make him feel better, but what could I say or do? His beloved wife had died, leaving him and the children alone. As we headed out the door, I hurried over to him and gave him a big hug. He hugged me back and kissed me on the forehead. “You’re sweet, Holly,” he whispered.
During church, we sat toward the back of the sanctuary, passing tissues up and down the row during worship. Why did such joyful songs now seem so terribly sad? I kept praying: Dear God, be with Uncle Jack and my cousins. Please comfort them.
When church was over and we were back at my grandparents’ house, I retreated to the room where I’d slept. Silently, I closed the door. It was time to pour out my feelings on paper. Rummaging through my suitcase, I located my journal. In honor of my dear aunt Marla, I wrote her birthdate and death date in my diary. I stared at what I’d written till the tears came. She was too young to die—just two years older than Mom!
Our flight home was long and boring. When we arrived home,
Mom set the suitcases on the kitchen floor and promptly marched Carrie off to bed. I went up to my room and read my Bible until my eyes drooped. They felt like Bearie-O’s eyes had looked. I missed him and his owner, my former best friend. But I didn’t miss Andie’s disgusting attention-getting routines. No way.
I hugged my new birthday bear to me. It had been three whole days since I’d seen Jared—the longest ever. I couldn’t wait to see him again. Turning thirteen was perfect with him as my friend!
The next day at school I told everyone on the list about the new date for the party: Saturday, February 20. Everyone but Jared. I couldn’t find him. Not in the library. Not at his locker between classes.
At last, I saw him in the cafeteria at lunch…with Andie! She was getting some grated cheese for his spaghetti. I waited in the hot-lunch line, seething, as she slid into the seat next to him, shaking the cheese on his plate.
I felt like hanging her upside-down by her fat little toes.
Billy Hill slipped in line behind me. “Looks like Andie’s earning points with Jared,” he said. “The second you left for Pennsylvania, she moved in.”
“She did?” I was crushed.
“Andie didn’t waste any time—helping with his crutches, running errands…you name it.”
I stared at the two of them. They looked so cozy over there, talking and laughing. I set my tray down on the table, seething with anger.
Billy looked at me. “Hey, you okay?”
I blew my breath out hard. “Jared’s a two-timing jerk.”
“Funny. Andie doesn’t seem to mind,” Billy said.
I sat down with my spaghetti. “How could he do this to me?” I said between bites.
Danny and Alissa came into the cafeteria together. They sat at the end of our table. Before they ate, they bowed their heads for grace.
Billy glanced at them, frowned, then got up to leave. “See you around, Holly. Hang in there, okay?”
I moved over across from Danny and Alissa. They smiled and seemed glad for the company. “Ready for choir tour?” I asked them. I’d decided that even if I wasn’t
“We really can’t stay,” Daddy said. “We have to catch a plane, but we’ll be in touch.”
Uncle Jack held out his hand. “Good to see you again.”
But Daddy ignored my uncle’s hand, hugging him instead. “Take care of those kids, Jack,” he said, a twinge of longing in his voice.
Grandma kissed him and said to call when they arrived home.
“Take it easy, son,” Grandpa said. His eyes glistened.
“I’ll have my travel agent line up a flight for you soon,” Daddy said to me. I reached for him. He held me. And then, he was gone.
BEST FRIEND, WORST ENEMY
Chapter 14
After Daddy and Saundra left, the rest of us headed off to Sunday school and church. All but Uncle Jack. He said he needed some time alone. I wished I could say something to make him feel better, but what could I say or do? His beloved wife had died, leaving him and the children alone. As we headed out the door, I hurried over to him and gave him a big hug. He hugged me back and kissed me on the forehead. “You’re sweet, Holly,” he whispered.
During church, we sat toward the back of the sanctuary, passing tissues up and down the row during worship. Why did such joyful songs now seem so terribly sad? I kept praying: Dear God, be with Uncle Jack and my cousins. Please comfort them.
When church was over and we were back at my grandparents’ house, I retreated to the room where I’d slept. Silently, I closed the door. It was time to pour out my feelings on paper. Rummaging through my suitcase, I located my journal. In honor of my dear aunt Marla, I wrote her birthdate and death date in my diary. I stared at what I’d written till the tears came. She was too young to die—just two years older than Mom!
Our flight home was long and boring. When we arrived home,
Mom set the suitcases on the kitchen floor and promptly marched Carrie off to bed. I went up to my room and read my Bible until my eyes drooped. They felt like Bearie-O’s eyes had looked. I missed him and his owner, my former best friend. But I didn’t miss Andie’s disgusting attention-getting routines. No way.
I hugged my new birthday bear to me. It had been three whole days since I’d seen Jared—the longest ever. I couldn’t wait to see him again. Turning thirteen was perfect with him as my friend!
The next day at school I told everyone on the list about the new date for the party: Saturday, February 20. Everyone but Jared. I couldn’t find him. Not in the library. Not at his locker between classes.
At last, I saw him in the cafeteria at lunch…with Andie! She was getting some grated cheese for his spaghetti. I waited in the hot-lunch line, seething, as she slid into the seat next to him, shaking the cheese on his plate.
I felt like hanging her upside-down by her fat little toes.
Billy Hill slipped in line behind me. “Looks like Andie’s earning points with Jared,” he said. “The second you left for Pennsylvania, she moved in.”
“She did?” I was crushed.
“Andie didn’t waste any time—helping with his crutches, running errands…you name it.”
I stared at the two of them. They looked so cozy over there, talking and laughing. I set my tray down on the table, seething with anger.
Billy looked at me. “Hey, you okay?”
I blew my breath out hard. “Jared’s a two-timing jerk.”
“Funny. Andie doesn’t seem to mind,” Billy said.
I sat down with my spaghetti. “How could he do this to me?” I said between bites.
Danny and Alissa came into the cafeteria together. They sat at the end of our table. Before they ate, they bowed their heads for grace.
Billy glanced at them, frowned, then got up to leave. “See you around, Holly. Hang in there, okay?”
I moved over across from Danny and Alissa. They smiled and seemed glad for the company. “Ready for choir tour?” I asked them. I’d decided that even if I wasn’t
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