again. Elizabeth played with her baby all summer in the yard of her home and Addyâd seen Laisa give a kind smile to both as they walked on by.
Addy rocked on the porch until the middle of the afternoon. The rain stopped and the sky lifted to let winter infull. She shivered but didnât hate the numbing cold. She was hungry though, and felt shame for that with her brother dead in the house. She had an idea to scrounge out back for a rotten apple she might get a decent bite from, but decided against it, thinking of the little white worms and how they might find a way to her baby.
It was with some effort that Addy stood, being heavy and grievous and hungry and sore from rocking all day long. It would not be possible to describe to Wallace and Laisa the truth of what happened. But in time they might forgive her if she could work hard and do for them, and help bury Lâil Leam and make food for the mourners to come. Addy tried the door but it was locked. She tried again. She knocked and waited but there was no answer. She knocked again, louder. Still no one came.
Addy reasoned she must be dreaming. Her dreams were mostly frightening since what Zach Heron had done, and she nearly always woke feeling relieved. She realized she must still be sitting in that rocking chair, dead asleep, and not standing here with the door locked against her. Better, she must still be in her bed, and it not yet sunrise, and not this, not any of it, really happening. And even better, it must still be June, and the day before Strawberry Sunday, and wonât Chester Monk enjoy her berry pie?
She lumbered back to the rocking chair, sinking down and closing her eyes. Let me wake in bed, she begged. Let Lâil Leam be alive. Let it be June and me not ruined and Chester Monk to love me forever. But she had not a momentto beg anything more as a sharp pain struck her in the forehead. She opened her eyes and saw the neighbour children gathered on the lawn. There was Isaac Williams and Junior and Martin, and Davis and Gertie, all rearing back to fire on her, armed with handfuls of chestnuts.
Addy knew then she was awake and not dreaming at all. She rose again and tried the door, but it was still locked. She knocked on it as the children grew brave and drew closer, and the hard nuts struck her shoulders and head. She tried to keep the panic from her voice. âMama? Mama? Daddy?â She knocked and called, but they did not answer. She knocked again, and again, but no one came. Addy covered her stomach with her arms as the shower of nuts continued to rain on the porch. She stepped down and didnât look at the children as she ran around to the back of the house.
The backyard was quiet and empty, but for a black squirrel not ashamed of Addy and willing to share his land. The children didnât follow and she was grateful for that. Through the window she saw her father light a lamp, and in the glow of the lamp she saw her father turn from her motherâs embrace. Wallace drew the curtains and she knew heâd seen her there.
The rain returned. Addy could not find shelter under the leafless apple tree, so, drenched, shivering, and hugging her arms across her chest, she began to walk. Though it was not possible, it was true. And though it was unthinkable, it would be done. Addy was alone. Her brother dead.Her mother and father no longer themselves. Chester drowned in the river. And she, Addy Shadd, would leave Rusholme and find some other place and some other way to live.
Addyâd never left Rusholme before, not even to go to nearby Chatham. Sheâd think it all the rest of her life, like a commandment. Rush home, sheâd think, Thou Shalt Rush Home.
Â
La-Z-Boy
SHARLA CODY HARDLY GLANCED at Colletteâs trailer as she passed. She knew her mother wouldnât be happy to see her, and Emilio might even give her a swat for coming back before the scheduled Sunday visit. Sharla didnât much want to see Collette
Addy rocked on the porch until the middle of the afternoon. The rain stopped and the sky lifted to let winter infull. She shivered but didnât hate the numbing cold. She was hungry though, and felt shame for that with her brother dead in the house. She had an idea to scrounge out back for a rotten apple she might get a decent bite from, but decided against it, thinking of the little white worms and how they might find a way to her baby.
It was with some effort that Addy stood, being heavy and grievous and hungry and sore from rocking all day long. It would not be possible to describe to Wallace and Laisa the truth of what happened. But in time they might forgive her if she could work hard and do for them, and help bury Lâil Leam and make food for the mourners to come. Addy tried the door but it was locked. She tried again. She knocked and waited but there was no answer. She knocked again, louder. Still no one came.
Addy reasoned she must be dreaming. Her dreams were mostly frightening since what Zach Heron had done, and she nearly always woke feeling relieved. She realized she must still be sitting in that rocking chair, dead asleep, and not standing here with the door locked against her. Better, she must still be in her bed, and it not yet sunrise, and not this, not any of it, really happening. And even better, it must still be June, and the day before Strawberry Sunday, and wonât Chester Monk enjoy her berry pie?
She lumbered back to the rocking chair, sinking down and closing her eyes. Let me wake in bed, she begged. Let Lâil Leam be alive. Let it be June and me not ruined and Chester Monk to love me forever. But she had not a momentto beg anything more as a sharp pain struck her in the forehead. She opened her eyes and saw the neighbour children gathered on the lawn. There was Isaac Williams and Junior and Martin, and Davis and Gertie, all rearing back to fire on her, armed with handfuls of chestnuts.
Addy knew then she was awake and not dreaming at all. She rose again and tried the door, but it was still locked. She knocked on it as the children grew brave and drew closer, and the hard nuts struck her shoulders and head. She tried to keep the panic from her voice. âMama? Mama? Daddy?â She knocked and called, but they did not answer. She knocked again, and again, but no one came. Addy covered her stomach with her arms as the shower of nuts continued to rain on the porch. She stepped down and didnât look at the children as she ran around to the back of the house.
The backyard was quiet and empty, but for a black squirrel not ashamed of Addy and willing to share his land. The children didnât follow and she was grateful for that. Through the window she saw her father light a lamp, and in the glow of the lamp she saw her father turn from her motherâs embrace. Wallace drew the curtains and she knew heâd seen her there.
The rain returned. Addy could not find shelter under the leafless apple tree, so, drenched, shivering, and hugging her arms across her chest, she began to walk. Though it was not possible, it was true. And though it was unthinkable, it would be done. Addy was alone. Her brother dead.Her mother and father no longer themselves. Chester drowned in the river. And she, Addy Shadd, would leave Rusholme and find some other place and some other way to live.
Addyâd never left Rusholme before, not even to go to nearby Chatham. Sheâd think it all the rest of her life, like a commandment. Rush home, sheâd think, Thou Shalt Rush Home.
Â
La-Z-Boy
SHARLA CODY HARDLY GLANCED at Colletteâs trailer as she passed. She knew her mother wouldnât be happy to see her, and Emilio might even give her a swat for coming back before the scheduled Sunday visit. Sharla didnât much want to see Collette
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