Read Online An Uncommon Family by Christa Polkinhorn - Free Book Online Page A

what’s going on with you. I need to know when you have a problem or if you’re unhappy about something.”
    Karla slid down from her chair and hugged Anna. Anna felt tears rise to her eyes. “I love you, Karla. I want you to be happy. But now we have to talk about school and homework and all that.”
    Anna and Karla came to an agreement. Karla promised to pay more attention in school and to do her homework first thing after school before painting and drawing. Anna would talk to her teacher after a few weeks to find out if Karla needed more help.
    “And I want you to take Spanish lessons, too. We’ll both take them. I know a little Spanish but I need to improve. And you need to learn,” Anna said.
    “Why?” Karla looked at her surprised, squinting her eyes, as if Anna was a painting she scanned.
    “Because I want you to be able to talk to your father. He wrote to me; he’s coming to visit you.”
    A spark of fear lit up in Karla’s eyes. “But I don’t know him.”
    “That’s why he’s coming to visit, so you can get to know him a little better.”
    Karla shrugged her shoulder. “But I don’t want to go with him. I want to stay with you and Saint Nicholas.”
    “Of course, you’re not going back with him. Not as long as you’re little. Don’t worry. Perhaps, once you are older, you will want to visit him.”
    “Maybe.” Karla wrapped her arms around Anna again.
    Anna gently patted her back. “It will be fun, you’ll see. He’s only going to stay with us for few weeks.”
    “Okay,” Karla murmured.
    “Now then, what about drawing that spiderweb?” Anna said.
    “Yeah, and the spider and the leaves,” Karla said and rushed to the table. She picked up a pastel pen and started to draw.
     
     
    Chapter 15
     
    “Mama, I’ve big news. My papa came to visit. I’ve never met him before. He’s real nice and he brought me presents. I got a beautiful doll. She’s sitting on top of the dresser. Can you see her? She has long black hair, real hair, Papa said. And look at the beautiful colors in her dress. I also got some clothes for myself: a dress, a skirt, and blouses. They have similar colors: red, blue, green, yellow. They’re just like my doll’s clothes. Papa said that his wife picked them out. His wife is my stepmother, he said.
    “I felt a little strange around Papa. He doesn’t speak Italian or German. But he said he understands a lot of Italian. I speak a little Spanish and Anna helps. She translates for us.
    “Today was bad weather. April weather, Anna said. It’s been very windy and raining and once in a while the sun was shining through the holes in the clouds. I love to look at the sky when it’s stormy. There are so many colors and shapes and they change all the time. I love to paint the sky, but it is hard. The clouds move so fast, you have to draw very fast.
    “The other day, Papa and me were painting. Papa isn’t very good at it, but I helped him. We painted a landscape with animals in it. Papa tried to draw a dog but it looked more like a donkey. I tried not to laugh but I couldn’t help it. He didn’t mind, though.
    “I drew the people in the picture. Papa said that’s too difficult for him. So I drew you, Papa, me, and Anna. When I drew you, I got sad. I wanted you to be here and meet Papa. Papa was sad, too. I saw it. His eyes were all wet. The picture turned out pretty nice. Anna put it up on the wall. Can you see it over there?
    “I have to think a lot these days. I’m thinking about you and Papa. How come you and Papa don’t live together? I mean when you were still here? Papa said I have a stepmother and a sister in Peru and that I’ll get to visit them when I’m a little older. But I don’t want another mother. I want you. I didn’t tell Papa that, but I told Anna. She said that you’ll always be my real mother. Rosa can be my second mother. Rosa is Papa’s wife. Anna said that a lot of children have a second mother, a stepmother. But I want Anna to be my