Read Online Drowning in Deception by Willa Jemhart - Free Book Online Page A

was suddenly
feeling very confused about this odd family.
    “It wasn't, though. Did you see Abilee's
face? She looked so happy when Clover started reading to her.” Arma's eyes
clouded. “I don't think she's going to make it,” she whispered to Clover. “She’s
getting weaker by the day. I wish there was another way to read her those
stories. If a child must die, then she should at least die happy...” Her voice
quivered and her eyes dewed with moisture.
    Rye was looking at her with a mix of
sadness and frustration. “Well, there is no other way. She will not get to hear
the stories in that book. It was a dumb idea, anyway. I never should have let
you talk me into it.” Clover wondered how he could be so cold about his own
child.
    Arma's face turned red and she looked at
him with pure anger. “How can you say that? My little girl is dying. Dying,
Rye! She probably only has a week or two left. Maybe not even that long. I
would do anything to make her happy in the little time she has left. I thought
you felt the same.” She was crying now.
    Rye rushed to embrace her, shushing quietly
in her ear.
    Suddenly feeling awkward, but still wanting
to help, Clover quietly said, “Well, maybe there is another way...”
    Both sets of eyes turned to her quizzically.
    “I could teach you to read.”
    “There isn't time for that,” Rye scoffed.
    “Maybe not. But there are only three
stories in that book. What if I taught them to you? You know… You could
memorize them.”
    Arma's hands flew to her face. “Yes! Oh,
Clover, that's a wonderful idea.”
    Rye rolled his eyes as his shoulders
slumped forward.
    “Oh, please, Rye. For Abilee...” she begged.
    He took a large inhale of breath and let
it out slowly, exaggeratedly. “Fine,” he grumbled, and turned to continue
walking Clover back.
    Much to her surprise, Arma grabbed her
and gave her a quick hug. “Thank you. I knew that some of you had to be good. I
just knew it.” She released her and hurried back toward the house.
    Rye and Clover walked in silence for a
long time. He no longer held her hand as he walked in front of her, leading the
way back to the shiny, silver door in the bushes.
    She wasn’t pleased with having been left
alone with this angry boy…or man. He was with her to protect her, but she
couldn’t help but wonder who would protect her from him. She felt the need to
be nice, and to keep him from getting angry at her. “Your daughter is sweet,” she
tried. “I'm sorry she's sick…that you all have to go through this…”
    “She's not my daughter,” he half
snarled, half laughed, as if Clover had said the stupidest thing possible. It
seemed as though she could say nothing right to this person.
    She ran a few steps to catch up to him
so they could walk side by side. “She isn't? But I thought you and Arma...”
    He laughed fully this time. “No. Arma is
my older sister.”
    Clover nodded. That would explain why they
both had referred to the woman as Mama.
    “Oh. I just thought that... Well, the
two of you seem very close, holding hands and all.”
    He gave her a sidelong glance.
    “Well, it's just that I have a younger
brother, and I can't imagine holding hands with him all the time…except when he
was really small, of course.”
    Rye smiled as he looked at her. This was
a first, and she had to admit that it suited him. It changed his scary eyes
into something almost warm and friendly, which in-turn affected his entire
face. She found herself shyly smiling back.
    “I suppose we are close. But we were
holding hands because we were scared and nervous. Holding hands helps to keep
us calm, helps to keep the emotions from overwhelming us.”
    “Oh.” That made sense...sort of.
    There was a lengthy silence. It was
uncomfortable. Clover needed to talk.
    “Um…so…where is Abilee’s dad?” she
asked, hoping to keep a conversation going.
    “He’s dead.”
    The words were said in such a flat,
final way, that there was no way for Clover to