May pulled harder. I laughed as we broke into a run around the rear of the house and over the pinkymauve and pearly pebbles toward the hill. Toward the ocean I could see Cary on the boat working with his father and Roy Patterson. It looked as if he was gazing our way, but he didn't wave.
May lead me to the top of the hill. We paused and I looked down at the cranberry bog. It was all in blossom.
It looked like a second sea of pale pink. May gestured wildly with her hands. I was sure she was explaining the planting, the flooding, the draining, and the harvesting of the berries. It was frustrating not to understand.
I sat her down beside me on the top of the hill and opened the book about sign language. If we worked together, I thought, I would make faster progress. We were still practicing gestures when Cary and Uncle Jacob returned from the dock.
"Hey!" Cary barked. "Get her back to the house." He made some gestures and May stood up.
Using my new skills, I thanked her. She hugged me.
When I looked back, I saw Cary glaring at us. He lowered his head and then plodded after Uncle Jacob. I took May's hand and we followed.
"May showed me the cranberry bog," I told him when we entered the house. He was in the living room with Uncle Jacob. "It's beautiful."
He snorted. "See if you still think it's beautiful when it comes harvest time." He cut past me quickly to go upstairs.
"If I'm still here," I called after him. Couldn't I say anything that would please him?
"Go see if Sara needs any help with dinner," Uncle Jacob commanded. He didn't even say hello and he had no questions for me about my first day at school. He snapped his newspaper and sat back to read.
May looked at me, wondering, I was sure, what all the dark faces meant. I smiled at her reassuringly. Then I heard the phone ringing.
Oh let that be Mommy, I prayed. I had never longed to hear her voice so much. No matter what her faults were, how much she had annoyed or
disappointed me before, I would be grateful for the sound of her voice.
Uncle Jacob lifted the receiver reluctantly and said hello. His eyes were on me.
"I said go help Sara," he ordered. I took a step past the doorway, but paused to hear him talk.
"Yeah," he said, "She's here. She's looks a lot like HaiIle. Guess you'll see for yourself soon enough," he added. "It's bound to bring back memories."
Suddenly, I felt eyes on me and turned to look up the stairs. Cary was standing there glaring.
"Eavesdropping isn't very ladylike," He went back upstairs, leaving me feeling cold.
I choked back my tears and went into the kitchen, where I was sure Aunt Sara waited to tell me how she was preparing Laura's favorite meal.
8
A Stormy Warning
.
As we had at dinner the night before, we began
with a prayer and a Bible reading. Uncle Jacob gazed at Cary, glanced at May, and then turned to me. "You might as well start right off," he said. "It's your turn."
"My turn?" I looked at Aunt Sara.
"He wants you to read an excerpt from the Good Book, dear. Laura always followed Cary." "I could read again if she doesn't want to," Cary
volunteered with a smirk.
"It's all right," I said quickly. "I'd like to read.
What do I read?"