Book: Time for Andrew: A Ghost Story
Quotes of Book: Time for Andrew: A Ghost Story
Brandishing a green mallet, Hannah grinned at John. "We'll take sides. You and me against Andrew and Theo."Hannah went first. Theo and I watched her knock her ball through the first two wickets and aim for the third. She missed and stepped back to let Theo take his turn.I leaned on my mallet and waited. It had taken me a while to understand the game, but once I learned the rules, I'd become a pretty good strategist. As soon as I had the opportunity, I planned to knock John's ball clear off the court, maybe all the way into the poison ivy at the bottom of the hill.In a few minutes, I saw my chance. My ball rolled through a wicket and hit his. To keep mine steady, I put my foot on it and whacked my ball hard enough to drive John's into the poison ivy."It's dead," I crowed. "I got you!"Hannah gave me one of her vexed looks. Turning to John, she said, "I swear he's getting more like his old self every day."At the same moment, Buster went tearing into the poison ivy and emerged with the ball in his mouth. Waging his tail proudly, he ran off with it. He'd lost Mrs. Armiger's hat, but he wasn't going to give up the ball. Ignoring our commands to drop it, he dashed under the rose trellis and disappeared behind the hedge."Drat," Hannah said. "That stupid dog must have buried a dozen croquet balls by now."I glanced at John, hoping he'd be a bad sport. Maybe he'd say I cheated. Maybe he'd say it wasn't fair. Maybe he'd disgrace himself by refusing to play. Instead, he slapped my back and said, "Well, it looks like you'll win this game, Andrew."Hannah glowed with admiration. Frank Merriwell himself couldn't have been a finer gentleman. book-quoteI told you before--you mustn't let Edward scare you. He's a bully and a coward. What would Frank Merriwell do if he were you?"Frank Merriwell--I was thoroughly sick of hearing that name. "I don't care what some dumb guy in a story would do. I'm not going to fight Edward.""Fight me then." Hannah raised her fists and danced around on her bare feet, bouncing, ducking, and swinging at the air around my head. "Pretend I'm Edward!"I ducked a punch, and she swung again. "Put up your dukes," she ordered, "defend yourself, sir."This time Hannah clipped my chin hard enough to knock me down. Her shirtwaist was completely untucked, her face was smudged, her hair was tumbling down her back and hanging in her eyes."On your feet, sir," she shouted. "Let's see your fighting spirit!"Hannah was making so much noise she didn't hear John Larkin push aside the branches and enter the grove. When he saw her take another swing at me, he started laughing.Hannah whirled around, her face scarlet, and stared at John. "What do you mean by sneaking up on us like a common Peeping Tom?""With the noise you've been making, you wouldn't have noticed a herd of rampaging elephants." John was still laughing, but Hannah was furious.Putting her fists on her hips, she scowled at him. "Well, now you know the truth about me. I'm no lady and I never claimed to be one. I suppose you'll start taking Amelia Carter for rides in your precious tin lizzie and treating her to sodas at your father's drugstore. I'm sure never brawl with her brothers."Theo and I looked at each other. We were both hoping Hannah would make John leave. Before he came along and ruined everything, we'd been having fun.To my disappointment, John didn't seem to realize he was unwanted. Leaning against a tree, he watched Hannah run her hands through her hair. "I don't know what you're so fired up about," he said. "Why should I want to take Amelia anywhere? I've never met a more boring girl. As for her brothers--a little brawling wouldn't hurt them. Or Amelia either."Hannah turned away, her face flushed, and John winked at me. "Your sister's first rate," he said, "but I wager I know a sight more about boxing than she does. Why not let me show you a thing or two?"Happy again, Hannah smiled at John. "What a grand idea! But go slow, Andrew's still weak."When John took off his jacket, I edged closer to Hannah. "I like lessons," I said to her, scowling at John. He was rolling up his sleeves, probably to show off his muscles. Next to him, I was nothing but a skinny little baby. He'd knock me flat and everyone would laugh at me. book-quoteWhen Dad pulled up in front of the house, the three of us sat still for a moment and stared at the gloomy pile of bricks my great-aunt called home. Up close, it looked even worse than it had from a distance. Ivy clung to the walls, spreading over windows and doors. A wisteria vine heavy with bunches of purple blossoms twisted around the porch columns. Paint peeled, loose shutters banged in the wind, slates from the roof littered the overgrown lawn.Charles Addams would have loved it. So would Edgar Allan Poe. But not me. No, sir, definitely not me. Just looking at the place made my skin prickle. Dad was the first to speak. "This is your ancestral home, Drew," he said, once more doing his best to sound excited. "It was built by your great-great-grandfather way back in 1865, right after the Civil War. Tylers have lived here ever since."While Dad babbled about family history and finding your roots and things like that, I let my thoughts drift to Camp Tecumseh again. Maybe Martin wasn't so bad after all, maybe he and I could have come to terms this summer, maybe we--My fantasies were interrupted by Great-aunt Blythe. Flinging the front door open, she came bounding down the steps. The wind ballooned her T-shirt and swirled her gray hair. If she spread her arms, she might fly up into the sky like Mary Poppins. book-quoteIt must be a shock to see us so old," Hannah said. "I'm afraid I couldn't climb a tree or shoot a marble if my life depended on it. Neither could Andrew, but I doubt he'll admit it.""If I put my mind to it," Andrew said, "I could beat Drew with one hand tied behind my back. He was never any match for me."Hannah raised her eyebrows. "It seems to me he outplayed you once.""Pshaw. What's one game?"If Aunt Blythe hadn't come back just then, I'd have argued, maybe even challenged Andrew to a rematch, but instead, I smiled and leaned my head against Hannah's shoulder, happy to feel her arm around me. This close, she still smelled like rose water.Turning the pages of the album, Hannah showed us pictures of Mama and Papa, Theo, herself--and Andrew."These are my favorites." She pointed to the photographs John had taken of us in the Model T. We were all smiling except Theo. He sat beside me, scowling into the camera, still angry about Mrs. Armiger and the music lessons."We wanted Theo to come with us today," Hannah said, "but he's living down in Florida with his third wife--a lady half his age, I might add."Andrew nudged me. "He sends his best, said he hopes to see you again someday."I glanced at Aunt Blythe but she was staring at the photograph. "The resemblance is incredible. If I didn't know better, I'd swear it was Drew."Andrew chuckled. "Take a good look at me now. This is how the poor boy will look when he's ninety-six."I studied his rosy face, his white hair and mustache. His back was bent, but his eyes sparkled with mischief. Going to his side, I put my arms around him. "You're not so bad," I said. Dropping my voice to a whisper, I added, "I wouldn't be surprised if you could still beat me in a game of ringer." book-quoteAfter a while, Hannah said, "I heard Papa and Mama talking last night. Mama told Papa she thinks John Larkin is fond of me."To my annoyance, a little smile danced across her face. "I'm fond of John too," she admitted, "but Papa--"Hannah bit her lip and frowned. "Papa said a girl with my notions will never find a husband. He told Mama I'd end up an old-maid suffragette. Those were his very words, Andrew."Forgetting everything except making her happy, I said, "No matter what Papa thinks, you'll marry John. What's more, women will get the vote and drive cars and do everything men do, even wear trousers and run for president."Hannah sucked in her breath. "The way you talk, Andrew. I could swear you've been looking in a crystal ball."Clapping my hand over my mouth, I stared at her. Whatever had made me say so much? I didn't even want to think about her marrying John, and here I'd gone and told her she would, as well as revealing a bunch of other stuff she shouldn't know."Do you see anything else in my future?" Hannah was leaning toward me, her face inches from mine, gazing into my eyes, her lips slightly parted. "Will John and I be happy? Will we have lots of children? Will we live a long, long time?"I tightened my grip on the branch. I was drowning, losing my identity, speaking words that made no sense. "You'll be old when I'm young," I whispered, "but I'll remember, I'll never forget, I'll always love--""What are you talking about?" Hannah reached out and grabbed my shoulders. "Are you all right?"For a moment, I was too dizzy to answer. I wasn't sure who I was or where I was or what we'd been talking about. Feeling sick, I clung to the tree. Gradually, things came back into focus, the world steadied. Birds sang, leaves rustled, the branches swayed slightly. The strength in Hannah's hands calmed me.I took a few deep breaths and managed to smile. Hannah relaxed, but she was obviously still worried. "Will you ever be yourself again, Andrew?""I hope so." I said it so fervently Hannah looked at me oddly. If only I could tell her the truth. She'd understand everything then. But would she believe me?Hannah sighed and wiped the sweat off her face with the back of her hand. "I reckon the heat's enough to give anybody the fantods." She smiled at me. "Come on, Andrew, I'll race you to the pump for a drink. book-quote
