She glanced down at the date on her Bicentennial wristwatch.
The Mularkeys would be home tomorrow.
CHAPTER SEVEN
The drive home from British Columbia seemed to take forever. The air conditioner in the station wagon was broken, so warm air tumbled from the useless vents. Everyone was hot and tired and dirty. And still Mom and Dad wanted to sing songs. They kept bugging the kids to sing along.
Kate couldnt stand how lame it was. "Mom, will you please tell Sean to quit touching my shoulder?"
Her brother burped and started laughing. The dog barked wildly.
In the front seat, Dad leaned forward and turned on the radio. John Denvers voice floated through the speakers with "Thank God Im a Country Boy. " "Thats all Im singing, Margie. If they dont want to join in . . . fine. "
Kate returned to her book. The car bounced so much the words danced on the page, but that didnt matter; not with as many times as shed read The Lord of the Rings.
I am glad you are here with me. Here at the end of all things.
"Katie. Kathleen. "
She looked up. "Yeah?"
"Were home," her dad said. "Put that dang book down and help us unload the car. "
"Can I call Tully first?"
"No. Youll unpack first. "
Kate slapped her book shut. For seven days shed been waiting to make that call. But unloading the car was more important. "Fine. But Sean better help. "
Her mother sighed. "You just worry about yourself, Kathleen. "
They piled out of the smelly station wagon and began the end-of-vacation ritual. By the time they finished, it was dark. Kate put the last of her clothes into the pile on the laundry room floor, started the first load, then went to find her mom, who was sitting on the sofa with Dad. They were leaning against each other, looking dazed.
"Can I call Tully now?"
Dad consulted his watch. "At nine-thirty? Im sure her grandmother would really appreciate that. "
"But—"
"Goodnight, Katie," her dad said firmly, looping his arm around Mom and pulling her close.
"This is so not fair. "
Mom laughed. "Whoever told you life would be fair? Now go to bed. "
For almost four hours Tully stood at the corner of her house, watching the Mularkeys unload their car. Shed thought about running up the hill a dozen times, just showing up, but she wasnt ready for the boisterousness of the whole family just yet. She wanted to be alone with Kate, someplace quiet where they could talk.
So she waited until the lights went out and then crossed the street. In the grass beneath Kates window, she waited another thirty minutes, just to be sure.
Off to her left somewhere, she could hear Sweetpea nickering at her and pawing at the ground. No doubt the old mare was looking for company, too. During the camping trip a neighbor had fed the horse, but that wasnt the same as being loved.
"I know, girl," Tully said, sitting down. She wrapped her arms around her bent legs, hugging herself. Maybe she should have called instead of stalking them like this. But Mrs. Mularkey might have told her to come by tomorrow, that they were tired from their long drive, and Tully couldnt wait anymore. This loneliness was more than she could handle by herself.
Finally, at eleven oclock, she stood up, brushed the grass off her jeans, and threw a piece of gravel at Kates window.
It took four tosses before her friend stuck her head out the window. "Tully!" Kate ducked back into her room and slammed the window shut. It took less than a minute for her to appear at the side of the house. Wearing a Bionic Woman nightshirt, her old black-rimmed glasses, and her retainer, Kate ran for Tully, arms outstretched.
Tully felt Kates arms wrap around her and for the first time in days, she felt safe.