Read Online If I Should Die Before I Wake by Lurlene McDaniel - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lurlene McDaniel
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to go back to school,” Deanne said, changing the subject. “I’ll miss everyone.”
“Especially Matt,” Susan finished.
“Especially Matt,” Deanne agreed. “But I am going to work on Saturdays and after school.”
“Yeah. Me, too. Next summer, I’ll be old enough to get a paying job. So, this may be my last summer fling with volunteer work,” Susan added.
Deanne felt sorry for Susan. She was glad she could afford to be a VolunTeen, glad that she could work at the hospital for as long as she wanted. All in all, Deanne realized that she had a lot to be thankful for.
* * * * *
Mrs. Vandervoort paced around the living room. Dr. Vandervoort stood leaning against the fireplace. Deanne watched the whole scene, her heart beating.
Matt’s family had asked her to spend the entire Labor Day weekend with them at Loch de Nor! She was so excited, she could hardly sit still. The whole weekend! Best of all, Matt’s doctors had given him a seventytwo hour pass from the hospital so that he could go, too.
“I don’t know,” her mother said, shaking her head.
“Mr. Gleason came to me personally,” Dr. Vandervoort told her. “He said that Matt had asked especially for Deanne to come stay with his sisters. It means a lot to the boy.”
“But the whole weekend,” Mrs. Vandervoort protested. “Hans, we don’t even know these people.”
“I know plenty,” he assured his wife. “They’re a fine family with a very sick son who wants to go home for a few days. He wants our daughter to come, too. It’s no different than letting her go spend the weekend with your sister, Christine.”
“But, Christine’s family,” Mrs. Vandervoort said.
“The Gleasons are family to me,” Deanne said quickly. “I’ll be staying with Matt’s sister, Tina, the whole time. Oh, please let me go! Mother, I want to go! I’m almost fifteen. I know how to act. I won’t embarrass the Vandervoort name, you know.”
“That’s not the point, Deanne,” her mother began. “It’s—it’s just not proper.”
“Why not? You wanted to take me to spend a whole weekend with Judson Cortland over July Fourth.”
“That was different . . .”
“Hold it!” Dr. Vandervoort said in his deep authoritative voice. “You’re my family, and I will decide.”
Both Mrs. Vandervoort and Deanne looked at him. “Sylvia, I see no reason why Deanne can’t go. She’s a mature, smart girl. The Gleasons are caring people and their son is very sick. They’ll take good care of both of them. I want her to go.”
Mrs. Vandervoort started to say something. But she changed her mind when he turned his determined face toward her. Deanne wanted to jump up and hug him.
“Very well,” Mrs. Vandervoort said finally. “I’ll speak to Mrs. Gleason and make the arrangements. Maybe you’re right, Hans. Deanne’s grown up a lot this summer. Maybe this is the perfect thing for her to do.”
Eleven
D eanne had never seen any place more beautiful than Loch de Nor. The lake was large and deep navy blue in color. Its shoreline was lined with tall pines on its west bank and grass on its east bank. Homes and cottages dotted various clearings all around it.
The long shadows of evening were stretching across the shores of the lake when the Gleason family car pulled into the driveway. The ride from town had taken ninety minutes. It had tired Matt. As the car arrived, the Gleason kids, five of them, tumbled out the front door of the cabin.
“Matt! Matt!” Anthony shouted, hanging on the car window.
“Hi, guy,” Matt smiled, tussling his brother’s hair.
His father opened the car door for Deanne and Matt. “Wait a minute, Tiger,” Chuck laughed. “Don’t knock your brother over before he has a chance to get out of the car.”
Everyone began talking at once. They were all so glad to have Matt home, even if it was only for three days. Janet hugged Deanne warmly and told Tina to get her suitcase.
“We’re having ‘sketti for supper!” Anthony
“Especially Matt,” Susan finished.
“Especially Matt,” Deanne agreed. “But I am going to work on Saturdays and after school.”
“Yeah. Me, too. Next summer, I’ll be old enough to get a paying job. So, this may be my last summer fling with volunteer work,” Susan added.
Deanne felt sorry for Susan. She was glad she could afford to be a VolunTeen, glad that she could work at the hospital for as long as she wanted. All in all, Deanne realized that she had a lot to be thankful for.
* * * * *
Mrs. Vandervoort paced around the living room. Dr. Vandervoort stood leaning against the fireplace. Deanne watched the whole scene, her heart beating.
Matt’s family had asked her to spend the entire Labor Day weekend with them at Loch de Nor! She was so excited, she could hardly sit still. The whole weekend! Best of all, Matt’s doctors had given him a seventytwo hour pass from the hospital so that he could go, too.
“I don’t know,” her mother said, shaking her head.
“Mr. Gleason came to me personally,” Dr. Vandervoort told her. “He said that Matt had asked especially for Deanne to come stay with his sisters. It means a lot to the boy.”
“But the whole weekend,” Mrs. Vandervoort protested. “Hans, we don’t even know these people.”
“I know plenty,” he assured his wife. “They’re a fine family with a very sick son who wants to go home for a few days. He wants our daughter to come, too. It’s no different than letting her go spend the weekend with your sister, Christine.”
“But, Christine’s family,” Mrs. Vandervoort said.
“The Gleasons are family to me,” Deanne said quickly. “I’ll be staying with Matt’s sister, Tina, the whole time. Oh, please let me go! Mother, I want to go! I’m almost fifteen. I know how to act. I won’t embarrass the Vandervoort name, you know.”
“That’s not the point, Deanne,” her mother began. “It’s—it’s just not proper.”
“Why not? You wanted to take me to spend a whole weekend with Judson Cortland over July Fourth.”
“That was different . . .”
“Hold it!” Dr. Vandervoort said in his deep authoritative voice. “You’re my family, and I will decide.”
Both Mrs. Vandervoort and Deanne looked at him. “Sylvia, I see no reason why Deanne can’t go. She’s a mature, smart girl. The Gleasons are caring people and their son is very sick. They’ll take good care of both of them. I want her to go.”
Mrs. Vandervoort started to say something. But she changed her mind when he turned his determined face toward her. Deanne wanted to jump up and hug him.
“Very well,” Mrs. Vandervoort said finally. “I’ll speak to Mrs. Gleason and make the arrangements. Maybe you’re right, Hans. Deanne’s grown up a lot this summer. Maybe this is the perfect thing for her to do.”
Eleven
D eanne had never seen any place more beautiful than Loch de Nor. The lake was large and deep navy blue in color. Its shoreline was lined with tall pines on its west bank and grass on its east bank. Homes and cottages dotted various clearings all around it.
The long shadows of evening were stretching across the shores of the lake when the Gleason family car pulled into the driveway. The ride from town had taken ninety minutes. It had tired Matt. As the car arrived, the Gleason kids, five of them, tumbled out the front door of the cabin.
“Matt! Matt!” Anthony shouted, hanging on the car window.
“Hi, guy,” Matt smiled, tussling his brother’s hair.
His father opened the car door for Deanne and Matt. “Wait a minute, Tiger,” Chuck laughed. “Don’t knock your brother over before he has a chance to get out of the car.”
Everyone began talking at once. They were all so glad to have Matt home, even if it was only for three days. Janet hugged Deanne warmly and told Tina to get her suitcase.
“We’re having ‘sketti for supper!” Anthony
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