Sarah's Legacy by Valerie Sherrard

few seconds I thought I’d shut them up. The laughter stopped suddenly and there were no more comments. Then I became aware that a few of them were darting uncomfortable glances behind me.
    I turned to see what they were looking at, and there, to my horror, stood Stan, holding my bathing cap in his hand.
    â€œI … thought you’d be needing this, Sarah,” he said. His voice was missing its usual booming exuberance. “You forgot it in the kitchen.”
    I could see by the look on his face that he’d heard what I’d just said. This awful feeling hit me hard in the stomach, like the kind you get when you’ve just been caught doing something really horrible and you know there’s not the slightest chance you can worm your way out of it.
    I wished I could take back the mean remark, but it was too late. Stan’s eyes were really hurt but he forced a smile as he passed me the cap.
    â€œEnjoy your swim,” he said quietly. Then he turned and left, while I stood there holding the cap and feeling wretched.
    The worst thing was that I hadn’t meant what I’d said at all. Stan had been nothing but kind and helpful to us since we first got here, and I knew perfectly well that my mom was starting to like him a lot. I couldn’t figure out why I’d made the cruel comment that he’d heard. It had just come out.
    Swimming was the last thing on my mind at that point, but the only other option was going home and facing Stan and Mom. That was out of the question! I wondered what I was in for later and what Mom would have to say about the whole thing. It wasn’t going to be good, but then I knew that I deserved whatever I got.
    The whole time I was in the pool, all I could think about was Stan’s hurt face and what Mom’s reaction was going to be. I had the worst possible time ever. The two hours went by unbelievably slowly as I tortured myself with thoughts of what I’d done, but then, oddly enough, when it was over, the time seemed to have flown by.
    I dried myself off on the towel Stan had bought, feeling even worse, and made my way home in a state of pure dread.
    As I rounded the corner to the house, I could see that Stan’s car was no longer in the driveway. At least I didn’t have to face him right away.
    Mom was in the kitchen, setting the table for us to eat. She’d laid out leftovers from the great lunch Stan had brought — another reminder to add to my guilt.
    â€œHi, sweetie,” she said cheerfully when she saw me. “I imagine you’re hungry as a bear after your big swim. Did you have a good time?”
    I knew immediately that he hadn’t told her! It hadn’t even occurred to me that he might not, and I could hardly believe my good fortune.
    â€œSarah? Is something wrong?”
    â€œNo,” I said quickly, “I’m just tired.” It was true, too. The enormous relief left me with a sudden exhausted feeling, as though my whole self had sagged inward.
    â€œTired! At your age!” She laughed. “Well, come and eat. That might help your failing strength pick back up.”
    The food that had been so delicious at lunchtime tasted like sawdust to me then, but I forced enough down to keep Mom from getting suspicious. Afterward, I did the dishes and mopped the kitchen floor. Both tasks were finished by six o’clock and the whole evening stretched out before me with nothing to occupy me but my guilt.
    Mom said she couldn’t face doing any more work in the servants’ quarters that night and asked if I’d like to get a movie. I told her I didn’t really feel like it, not wanting to be around her at the moment, as if avoiding her would help me forget what I’d done.
    Instead, I went to my room and tried to concentrate on Aunt Sarah’s diary. To my surprise, it worked.
    April 12
    What a wonderful day this turned out to be, in spite of early indications to the contrary. The twins,