Read Online Huckleberry Summer by Jennifer Beckstrand - Free Book Online
Authors: Jennifer Beckstrand
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forgotten?
Lily groaned inwardly. Evie and Rose’s feelings would be hurt when Aden didn’t eat their carefully made sandwich. It didn’t even matter if he tried to explain himself. The word “vegetarian” meant nothing to a nine-year-old. Lily didn’t understand it well herself.
As soon as they all lifted their heads, Lily scooped Amanda up in one arm—she couldn’t very well risk a fall—and grabbed the pitcher of milk with her free hand. “Milk, Aden?”
She reached across the table. With Amanda in her arms, it proved quite a feat. “Yilly, put down,” Amanda complained as she reached futilely for her dinner.
Aden barely had time to say, “Nae, thank you,” before Lily made a show of aiming for Aden’s glass. She bumped it with the pitcher and proceeded to pour milk all over his plate, soaking his sandwich and rendering it inedible.
“Oh no!” exclaimed Rose. She jumped from the table and ran to the sink. “I’ll get a towel.”
Aden sat mute while Lily caught his eye with a sly look and poured a few extra drops on his soggy bread for good measure. He gave her the most brilliant, breathtaking smile Lily had ever seen. Her heart galloped like a horse, and she felt as if she could jump into the air and fly away. She’d never experienced anything quite like that sensation before.
Slightly dazed, Lily placed the pitcher of milk back on the table, sank to her chair, and deposited Amanda back on her pot.
Evie examined Aden’s plate and a look of sympathy overspread her face. “Your sandwich is ruined, Aden.”
Aden made a show of profound disappointment. “That was probably the best sandwich I would have ever eaten.”
“I am extra clumsy today. I’m so sorry,” Lily said, which when she looked at Aden meant, You’re welcome.
Junior held out his sandwich to Aden. It had one bite taken out of it. “Here. You can have mine.”
Aden shook his head. “You are a growing boy, and you worked hard this morning. You need that whole sandwich.”
“You can eat mine,” Rose said, as she came back to the table and handed Aden a towel. “I haven’t touched it.”
Aden stood and carefully picked up his plate, making sure the milk didn’t slosh everywhere. “Uriah, will you open the door for me?”
Uriah jumped to do Aden’s bidding, and Aden slowly walked out the door with his brimming plate. He returned empty handed. “Pilot loves turkey sandwiches smothered in milk. It’s like a piece of birthday cake to him.”
“They were chicken,” Rose said.
“What are you going to eat?” Uriah wanted to know.
“I will make him peanut butter and huckleberry jelly,” Lily said. “Rose, keep a hand on Amanda, please.” She looked to Aden for confirmation that peanut butter and jelly were acceptable dinner items. He winked and nodded.
Boys should not wink at girls. It left them short of breath.
After dinner and the best cookies Aden said he had ever tasted in his whole life, everyone pitched in with the dishes. Before they got back to work, Aden suggested a game of Frisbee on the lawn, which consisted of Aden throwing the Frisbee and the children, including Amanda, and the dogs trying to catch it. Aden’s dog wanted to catch every throw, and he knocked children out from under him in an attempt to do it. The children thought it was great fun to be plowed over by an eighty-pound dog, so Lily didn’t scold him even though she wanted to.
The first few times the dog came near Amanda, Lily held her breath. Amanda was no match for those giant paws. But Lily soon relaxed when she saw that the dog seemed to have a sense of Amanda’s whereabouts at all times. He never knocked her over, but he would occasionally bend down and let her pull his ears.
Not eager to be trampled by the dog, Lily was content to watch the game from her perch on the porch steps.
“Lily, come on,” Aden called and motioned for her to join them. “I’ll bet you’re as good with a Frisbee as you are with a pitcher of
Lily groaned inwardly. Evie and Rose’s feelings would be hurt when Aden didn’t eat their carefully made sandwich. It didn’t even matter if he tried to explain himself. The word “vegetarian” meant nothing to a nine-year-old. Lily didn’t understand it well herself.
As soon as they all lifted their heads, Lily scooped Amanda up in one arm—she couldn’t very well risk a fall—and grabbed the pitcher of milk with her free hand. “Milk, Aden?”
She reached across the table. With Amanda in her arms, it proved quite a feat. “Yilly, put down,” Amanda complained as she reached futilely for her dinner.
Aden barely had time to say, “Nae, thank you,” before Lily made a show of aiming for Aden’s glass. She bumped it with the pitcher and proceeded to pour milk all over his plate, soaking his sandwich and rendering it inedible.
“Oh no!” exclaimed Rose. She jumped from the table and ran to the sink. “I’ll get a towel.”
Aden sat mute while Lily caught his eye with a sly look and poured a few extra drops on his soggy bread for good measure. He gave her the most brilliant, breathtaking smile Lily had ever seen. Her heart galloped like a horse, and she felt as if she could jump into the air and fly away. She’d never experienced anything quite like that sensation before.
Slightly dazed, Lily placed the pitcher of milk back on the table, sank to her chair, and deposited Amanda back on her pot.
Evie examined Aden’s plate and a look of sympathy overspread her face. “Your sandwich is ruined, Aden.”
Aden made a show of profound disappointment. “That was probably the best sandwich I would have ever eaten.”
“I am extra clumsy today. I’m so sorry,” Lily said, which when she looked at Aden meant, You’re welcome.
Junior held out his sandwich to Aden. It had one bite taken out of it. “Here. You can have mine.”
Aden shook his head. “You are a growing boy, and you worked hard this morning. You need that whole sandwich.”
“You can eat mine,” Rose said, as she came back to the table and handed Aden a towel. “I haven’t touched it.”
Aden stood and carefully picked up his plate, making sure the milk didn’t slosh everywhere. “Uriah, will you open the door for me?”
Uriah jumped to do Aden’s bidding, and Aden slowly walked out the door with his brimming plate. He returned empty handed. “Pilot loves turkey sandwiches smothered in milk. It’s like a piece of birthday cake to him.”
“They were chicken,” Rose said.
“What are you going to eat?” Uriah wanted to know.
“I will make him peanut butter and huckleberry jelly,” Lily said. “Rose, keep a hand on Amanda, please.” She looked to Aden for confirmation that peanut butter and jelly were acceptable dinner items. He winked and nodded.
Boys should not wink at girls. It left them short of breath.
After dinner and the best cookies Aden said he had ever tasted in his whole life, everyone pitched in with the dishes. Before they got back to work, Aden suggested a game of Frisbee on the lawn, which consisted of Aden throwing the Frisbee and the children, including Amanda, and the dogs trying to catch it. Aden’s dog wanted to catch every throw, and he knocked children out from under him in an attempt to do it. The children thought it was great fun to be plowed over by an eighty-pound dog, so Lily didn’t scold him even though she wanted to.
The first few times the dog came near Amanda, Lily held her breath. Amanda was no match for those giant paws. But Lily soon relaxed when she saw that the dog seemed to have a sense of Amanda’s whereabouts at all times. He never knocked her over, but he would occasionally bend down and let her pull his ears.
Not eager to be trampled by the dog, Lily was content to watch the game from her perch on the porch steps.
“Lily, come on,” Aden called and motioned for her to join them. “I’ll bet you’re as good with a Frisbee as you are with a pitcher of
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