Secrets in the Attic (Secrets 1)

everything, and then I got ready for bed, said a prayer, and put out the lights. I was asleep faster than I imagined I could be, but I was grateful for that and for the sound of my alarm clock telling me I had slept through the night and had somehow dodged all the nightmares floating about and looking for a way into my dreamland.

My mother was up and preparing some breakfast for herself and for me.

"How are you, honey?" she asked. "I hate not seeing you for a few days like that."

"I'm okay."

"Daddy told me what a great job you did on his dinner the other night. You and Karen had a nice dinner last night?"

"Yes."

"Everything all right with her? Those headaches gone?"

"Yes, Mama," I lied.

"Good," she said, and started to talk about the hospital, how busy they were, and what some of the nurses were complaining about. I listened as attentively as I could. She was so absorbed in what she was saying that she didn't notice how nervous I was. For once, I was happy to be ignored or to be second to her work-related problems.

My father came down and called to me as I was heading out to meet the school bus. "I'm having breakfast with Jeffery Zimmer in Centerville this morning, Zipporah. I'll drop you off at school."

What student wouldn't want to be driven to school rather than ride the bus? But I was looking forward to meeting and talking to Karen this morning. How could I tell my father that?

"Okay," I called back, and waited while he spoke to my mother about their plans for the day.

He and I got into his car in the garage.

"This year is flying by," he said. "Soon you'll be a high school junior, and I can remember like it was yesterday taking you to kindergarten. I had to do it because your mother was on duty, remember?"

"Yep. Yes."

"Your teacher was amazed at how grown-up you were about it. Jesse cried the first day he was taken to school, you know."

"No, I didn't know that."

"He did. Your mother had some time of it. I started to think you were happy to get away from me."

"I was not," I said, laughing.

"Giving any thought to what you want to do career- wise?" he asked.

"Teach, maybe," I said. "Jesse still wants to be a lawyer?"

"We breed them like rabbits," Daddy said, smiling. "Yes, I'm having him work with the firm thissummer. Learn some of the ropes, so to speak. What do you want to do with yourself this summer?"

"I don't know."

"Maybe Karen's stepfather needs someone in the drugstore. You should ask."

I didn't say anything.

"Of course, he would have her work for him, I guess. It gets busy, though. He might need both of you." He looked at me because I didn't say anything. "You don't have to work, but it's good to keep busy," he said.

We didn't catch up with the school bus until we were nearly halfway to Centerville. I tried to see if I could spot Karen looking out the window from the rear seat, but when we passed the bus, I couldn't see through the windows because of the glaring sunlight reflecting off the glass.

When we arrived at school, I stood by the doorway and waited for the bus. It unloaded nearly completely, and I didn't see her, but I thought that was because she always sat in the rear. I stood and waited and watched. The bus driver closed the door, however, and she hadn't come out. Where was she? I wondered.

The first warning bell for homeroom rang, but I didn't move from the doorway.

How could she not come to school? Had something happened again the night before? I hurried to my homeroom, but I was too troubled to pay attention to anything all day. I couldn't wait to get on the bus at the end of the day and stop off at her house. I fidgeted in all my classes and nearly got into trouble and put on detention when I annoyed Mr. Kasofsky in social studies by not hearing him ask me a question twice.