What's the meaning of this?" Papa strode toward us. "You've disturbed the entire household, Andrew."
Mama gripped his arm. "For goodness sake, Henry, don't frighten the child. Haven't you done enough damage? I told you not to whip him!"
Papa made an effort to calm down. Taking a deep breath, he squatted in front of me. "What's troubling you, son?" he asked. "Surely a spanking didn't cause this."
Aching with sadness, I put my arms around his neck. I'd won, I'd finally beaten Andrew. I'd thought I'd be happy, but I wasn't. "I don't want to leave you and Mama," I sobbed.
Papa held me tight. "Now, now," he said. "Where did you get such a silly notion? You aren't going anywhere."
While Papa comforted me, Andrew climbed onto his father's shoulders, piggyback style. No one saw him but me. No one heard him say, "Hush Drew, you're shaming me in front of everyone."
Ignorant of Andrew's presence, Papa shivered. "Fall's coming. Feel the nip in the air?"
Hannah and Theo were waiting for us at the bottom of the steps. "Mama," Theo whispered, "is Andrew sick again?"
Mama shook her head, but Theo looked unconvinced. Slipping his hand in Hannah's, he watched Papa lay me on my bed.
On the other side of the room, Andrew took a seat in the rocking chair. It was obvious he didn't enjoy being invisible. Staring at Hannah and Theo, he rocked the chair vigorously. When that didn't get their attention, he sang "I've Been Working on the Railroad" at the top of his lungs. But no matter what he said or did, he couldn't make his sister or his brother see or hear him.
I knew Andrew was sad, but I was even sadder. When Mama leaned over to kiss me, I hugged her so tight she could hardly breathe. "I'll never forget you," I whispered.
Mama drew back. "What did you say?"
"Nothing," I mumbled. "I love you, Mama."
She smiled. "Well, for goodness sake, you little jackanapes, I love you too."
Smoothing the quilt over me, she turned to the others. "What Andrew needs is a good night's sleep. In the morning, he'll be himself again, just wait and see."
"I hope so," Andrew said.
Mama gripped his arm. "For goodness sake, Henry, don't frighten the child. Haven't you done enough damage? I told you not to whip him!"
Papa made an effort to calm down. Taking a deep breath, he squatted in front of me. "What's troubling you, son?" he asked. "Surely a spanking didn't cause this."
Aching with sadness, I put my arms around his neck. I'd won, I'd finally beaten Andrew. I'd thought I'd be happy, but I wasn't. "I don't want to leave you and Mama," I sobbed.
Papa held me tight. "Now, now," he said. "Where did you get such a silly notion? You aren't going anywhere."
While Papa comforted me, Andrew climbed onto his father's shoulders, piggyback style. No one saw him but me. No one heard him say, "Hush Drew, you're shaming me in front of everyone."
Ignorant of Andrew's presence, Papa shivered. "Fall's coming. Feel the nip in the air?"
Hannah and Theo were waiting for us at the bottom of the steps. "Mama," Theo whispered, "is Andrew sick again?"
Mama shook her head, but Theo looked unconvinced. Slipping his hand in Hannah's, he watched Papa lay me on my bed.
On the other side of the room, Andrew took a seat in the rocking chair. It was obvious he didn't enjoy being invisible. Staring at Hannah and Theo, he rocked the chair vigorously. When that didn't get their attention, he sang "I've Been Working on the Railroad" at the top of his lungs. But no matter what he said or did, he couldn't make his sister or his brother see or hear him.
I knew Andrew was sad, but I was even sadder. When Mama leaned over to kiss me, I hugged her so tight she could hardly breathe. "I'll never forget you," I whispered.
Mama drew back. "What did you say?"
"Nothing," I mumbled. "I love you, Mama."
She smiled. "Well, for goodness sake, you little jackanapes, I love you too."
Smoothing the quilt over me, she turned to the others. "What Andrew needs is a good night's sleep. In the morning, he'll be himself again, just wait and see."
"I hope so," Andrew said.
( Mary Downing Hahn )
[ Time for Andrew: A Ghost Story ]
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