waiting. Long distance still costs money.â
Leaning against the trunk lid and thumping it with the heel of my hand, I work the stuck half of the picture free and hurry down the attic stairs, hiding the picture in my hip pocket. Surely thereâs a place in Nashville that fixes photos. But the original is torn. Forever.
âWhereâve you been?â Momma asks, handing me the phone. âElizaâs getting ready to go to England, and youâre dilly-dallying.â
âI do not dillydally.â I hop up on the counter. Savory smells drift from Mommaâs oven. âHey, Liza.â
âHowâs Momma behaving?â she asks.
I mutter into the receiver, âSheâs not on board, but sheâs accepting it.â
âThatâs something. I canât get why sheâs so boiled over you moving to Nashville but so accepting of me going to England.â
âStory of our lives, I reckon.â
âAre you going to e-mail me when Iâm in England?â
âDid I e-mail you at Auburn?â
âNo.â
âThere you have it.â
âYouâre a horrible big sister.â
âOh, really?â I cup my hand over the phone. âSay, Daddy, remember when Granddaddyâs valuable coin collection was stolen?â
Elizaâs laugh floats down the line. âOkay, you win best big sister ever ! You did take my punishment for me.â
âWhatâs that, Robin Rae?â Daddy cranes around his easy chair, a red licorice whip dangling from his lips. He quit smoking twenty-five years ago and took up licorice.
I smile. âNothing, Daddy.â
Eliza tells me a letting agent (translation: realtor ) found her a flat (translation: apartment ) in Cambridge near the university. She can walk or bike to most places or take the buses.
Then, too soon, she says, âIâd better go. I still have a lot to do.â
My heart lurches. Itâs hard to say good-bye. I ward off my tears by picking at the small hole in the knee of my jeans. âBe careful, you.â
My baby sister, thousands of miles away. It was one thing when she was only a few hours south in War Eagle country. One small plea for help and weâd send down the cavalry. But all the way over in England? I suppose Eliza has to find out what sheâs made of too. Steel or clay.
âYou know I will.â
âEliza, I tease you about being all brains, but youâre very beautiful. Be smart about it.â
She sniffs. âSame to you, Robin. Donât let no sweet-talking cowboy get in your way, because once they hear your songs, theyâll fall in love with your soul.â
âSure they will. As soon as I work up the nerve to sing to them.â
âLet me talk to Momma again. I want to say good-bye.â
Handing the phone back to Momma, I realize how soon my own life will change. Iâm leaving home. Leaving the comforts and sounds of Freedom for a life and a city I donât know. And that doesnât know me.
Will Nashville welcome me?
I meander into the living room where Daddyâs dozing off. Sitting on the floor, I press my cheek against his knee, defenseless against the tears that form when his hand rests gently on my head.
âLast day?â
I look up as Ricky approaches me Friday afternoon with his work apron wadded in his hand. His cowlick sweeps his thick blond hair off his forehead.
I smile though the sad shimmer in his eyes, and it stings my heart. âThis is it. Just finishing up next weekâs order for Lil. Sheâs taking over my aisle.â
âI need your truck,â he says.
âMy truck? Why?â
âBecause.â
âBecause? You canât have my truck on a âbecause.â I still remember what you and Mitch did to Reed Larsonâs car.â
His jaw drops as if heâs completely innocent of painting the manâs car pink and green. âRobin, please, I never touched Reedâs
Maria Hudgins
Antwan Floyd Sr.
Katherine Applegate
Kathleen R. Boston
Jonathan Stroud
Alyson Santos
Jessica Coulter Smith
Claude Lalumiere
Peter James West
W.R. Kimble