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.
Papa frowned. "No one will get any sleep, good or bad, with Buster making such a racket. I don't know what ails that animal."
While we'd been talking, Andrew had gone to the window and whistled for the dog. Though the Tylers hadn't heard the loud two-fingered blast, Buster definitely had. His howls made the hair on my neck prickle. Even Andrew looked frightened. He backed away from the window and sat quietly in the rocker.
"Edward told me a dog howls when somebody in the family is about to die," Theo said uneasily.
Papa shook his head. "That's superstitious nonsense, Theodore. Surely you know better than to believe someone as well known for mendacity as your cousin."
Muttering to himself, Papa left the room. Taking Theo with her, Mama followed, but Hannah lingered by the bed.
I reached out and grabbed her hand. "Don't leave yet," I begged. "Stay a while."
Hannah hesitated for a moment, her face solemn, her eyes worried. "Mama's right, Andrew," she said softly. "You need to rest, you've overexcited yourself again. We've got all day tomorrow to sit in the tree and talk."
When Hannah reached up to turn off the gas jet, I glanced at Andrew. He was watching his sister from the rocker, his eyes fixed longingly on her face. A little wave of jealousy swept over me. He'd get to be with her for years, but all I had were a few more minutes.
In the darkness, Hannah smiled down at me. "Close your eyes," she said. "Go to sleep."
"But I'll never see you again."
Hannah's smile vanished. "Don't talk nonsense," she whispered. "You'll see me tomorrow and every day after that."
In the corner, Andrew stared at his sister and rocked the chair harder. In the silent room I heard it creak, saw it move back and forth.
Startled by the sound, Hannah glanced at the rocker and drew in her breath. Turning to me, she said, "Lord, the moon's making me as fanciful as you. I thought I saw--"
She shook her head. "I must need a good night's sleep myself." Kissing me lightly on the nose, Hannah left the room without looking at the rocking chair again.
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.
Papa frowned. "No one will get any sleep, good or bad, with Buster making such a racket. I don't know what ails that animal."
While we'd been talking, Andrew had gone to the window and whistled for the dog. Though the Tylers hadn't heard the loud two-fingered blast, Buster definitely had. His howls made the hair on my neck prickle. Even Andrew looked frightened. He backed away from the window and sat quietly in the rocker.
"Edward told me a dog howls when somebody in the family is about to die," Theo said uneasily.
Papa shook his head. "That's superstitious nonsense, Theodore. Surely you know better than to believe someone as well known for mendacity as your cousin."
Muttering to himself, Papa left the room. Taking Theo with her, Mama followed, but Hannah lingered by the bed.
I reached out and grabbed her hand. "Don't leave yet," I begged. "Stay a while."
Hannah hesitated for a moment, her face solemn, her eyes worried. "Mama's right, Andrew," she said softly. "You need to rest, you've overexcited yourself again. We've got all day tomorrow to sit in the tree and talk."
When Hannah reached up to turn off the gas jet, I glanced at Andrew. He was watching his sister from the rocker, his eyes fixed longingly on her face. A little wave of jealousy swept over me. He'd get to be with her for years, but all I had were a few more minutes.
In the darkness, Hannah smiled down at me. "Close your eyes," she said. "Go to sleep."
"But I'll never see you again."
Hannah's smile vanished. "Don't talk nonsense," she whispered. "You'll see me tomorrow and every day after that."
In the corner, Andrew stared at his sister and rocked the chair harder. In the silent room I heard it creak, saw it move back and forth.
Startled by the sound, Hannah glanced at the rocker and drew in her breath. Turning to me, she said, "Lord, the moon's making me as fanciful as you. I thought I saw--"
She shook her head. "I must need a good night's sleep myself." Kissing me lightly on the nose, Hannah left the room without looking at the rocking chair again.
( Mary Downing Hahn )
[ Time for Andrew: A Ghost Story ]
www.QuoteSweet.com