Heartsong (Logan 2)

Grandma Olivia sucked in her breath as if I had punched her in the stomach. She started to speak, but stopped, her eyes strangely softening, her look turning from anger and condemnation to an unexplainable look of pleasure, respect.

"Don't push me too far, Melody. I would like to see you have a good life, despite what you think of me, but you have to rise above yourself, your own contaminated blood."

"Am I dismissed?" I asked. I was trembling inside, but I wouldn't show it.

"Dismissed? Yes, but keep my advice hanging up front in your closet," she said. "Raymond will see to it you get home."

"Thank you," I said. I turned and marched out of the house, never welcoming the fresh sea air as much.

5

Someone's Watching

Over Me

.

Cary and May were already gone by the time

Raymond brought me home. Aunt Sara said they had just left. "Cary waited as long as he could, dear, but he felt sorry for May. He told me to tell you he was taking her to the Sea and Shell on Commerce Street and, if you came home early enough, to join them. How was your visit with Belinda?" she asked, but looked away quickly

as if she didn't want to hear my answer.

"It was nice. She's very sweet," I said, "even if she is confused about events and time."

"Jacob asked me to make my meat loaf for dinner tonight," Aunt Sara continued, as if I hadn't said a word. "It's one of his favorites." She laughed, her laugh sounding as fragile as thin china. "He says I proved the old adage that the shortest distance to a man's heart is through his stomach. He says he fell in love with my cooking first and then looked up and saw there was an angel in the kitchen."

"Uncle Jacob said that?" I asked skeptically. Aunt Sara heard the note of doubt in my voice.

"Oh yes," she declared. "When he wants to, Jacob can say very sweet things."

"I guess he hasn't w ted to for a while," I muttered. "Aunt Sara, did you know my grandmother before she was sent to the rest home?"

Aunt Sara's smile faded quickly and she turned away.

"Not really, no," she said. "I mean, Belinda was always different. Jacob thought it best we didn't have much to do with herd'

"Why? Because Grandma Olivia wanted it that way?" I asked pointedly.

"It's better not to say anything if you can't say anything nice about someone," Aunt Sara lectured. "Oh, I forgot. Could you pick up some garlic for me on the way home? Here, let me give you some money," she said, hurrying to her cookie jar. It looked more as if she were fleeing from my questions.

I went upstairs to change into a pair of jeans and a faded gray sweatshirt with our high school letters on the front. I put on a pair of sneakers, too, and then went running down the stairs, hurrying to catch up with Cary and May. Aunt Sara was waiting at the front door to hand me the money for the garlic.

"Thank you," she said, but she didn't move out of the way. After a moment she lifted her eyes and said, "Laura liked Belinda." It was as if guilt had been buzzing around in her head like a bee in a jar, threatening to sting her if she didn't open the lid.

"She did?"

"She even went to visit her at the home once." She lowered her voice to a whisper even though there was no one else around. "Olivia never knew, but Jacob found out and he was very upset with her for doing it. It was one of the few times he got angry at Laura. She promised never to go again and that was that."

"Why was everyone so mean to my

grandmother?"

"It wasn't that we were mean to her, dear. She was . . ."

"What?"

"Telling horrible lies, and lies are . . lies are what Jacob says they are, like termites. They get into your moral foundation and tear you down. Only sinners have reason to lie."