Web of Dreams (Casteel 5)

Farthy--swimming in the indoor pool, cross-country

skiing, hiking to the ocean and back, horseback riding

and sleigh riding--that the first week passed quickly. Tony had an enormous library, and my favorite

book from his well-stocked shelves was Lolita, the

story of an older man's love affair with a twelve-yearold girl, a girl my age! I couldn't believe the things

she did and said. There were parts I reread and reread,

parts that made me blush and made my heartbeat

quicken. I kept the novel buried under the others so

the servants wouldn't know I had been reading it, just

in case any of them knew what it was about. I promised Troy we would spend New Year's

Eve in his room watching television. He was

determined he would stay up until twelve o'clock and

watch the people celebrating in Times Square, in New

York City. He held out until almost eleven, but by

then, his eyes had shut and his little chest rose and fell

in quiet, rhythmic breathing.

A little after eleven-thirty, Daddy called from

Florida. He sounded small and faraway. The phone

line crackled.

"I loved your Christmas present, Daddy. Yours

is waiting for you on your desk at home."

"I'll be there next week, so I'll call you after I

open it," he said. "How are you?"

"I'm okay, Daddy, but I miss you," I said, my

voice nearly breaking.

"And I miss you, too. In a few weeks, come by

and we'll spend a day together in Boston."

"I'll be in school by then, Daddy. You'll have to

come to Winterhaven. But it's not far from here." I

told him about the different things I had been doing. "Sounds like quite a place," he said sadly. "I'd rather be home with you, Daddy." "I know, sweetheart. We will be together soon.