Read Online I'll Be Seeing You by Lurlene McDaniel - Free Book Online
Authors: Lurlene McDaniel
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hall while Jon and Carley peeked around the doorframe. When Janelle knocked on Kyle’s door, Carley ducked backward. “She’s in,” Jon said. “Now what?”
“Now we loiter in the hall by his door and maybe we can hear something.”
Jon looked at her as if she were nuts, but he tagged along when she hopped out on her crutches. She rested her back on the wall beside Kyle’s door, and Jon leaned his shoulder against the wall next to her. She strained to hear through the slightly ajar door, but only snatches of words and mumbles came to her. She whispered, “I sure wish I could hear better.”
Jon arched his eyebrow at her. “If only we’d thought to put a tape machine in her lap, she could have gotten the whole conversation.”
She flashed him a hateful look. All at once her knees started shaking as it dawned on her that she was manipulating people’s lives! She was working so hard to protect
herself
that she was forcing her sister and her sister’s boyfriend to conform to her will. And she was deceiving Kyle and his friends by misrepresenting herself to them. She felt a wave of guilt and remorse. And fear. If Kyle found out about her now, he really would hate her. And she couldn’t blame him. But she felt as if she’d gone so far with her charadethat she couldn’t drop it now. She couldn’t tell him the truth at this stage.
Kyle’s room door swung open and Janelle rolled out in the wheelchair, waving goodbye over her shoulder. Carley ducked under Jon’s arm and headed in the opposite direction down the hall, fearful that one of Kyle’s friends might stick his head out the doorway and see her. When she felt it was safe, she returned to her room. Janelle and Jon were preparing to leave.
She shut the door fast. “So what happened?”
“Nothing happened. I was charming and sweet.”
“Did Kyle say anything?”
“He said he’d call me later.” Janelle picked up her purse and slipped on her coat. “But of course, he thinks I’m
you.”
“You don’t have to leave yet. We could watch an NBA game on TV, or maybe some old movie.” Now that the charade was over, Carley didn’t want to be left alone. She wanted her sister to stay. She wanted to get back into Janelle’s good graces.
“I’ve got a Lit test tomorrow and I need to study for it.” Janelle started for the door with Jon.
“Janelle,” Carley called. “Thanks.”
Janelle didn’t smile. “You’re welcome. We’ll walk down the stairwell to the ground floor,” she said. “Less chance of being seen by Kyle’s friends.”
Then Janelle and Jon were gone and Carley was alone. All alone.
“My friends were suitably impressed.” Kyle was eating dinner in Carley’s room. Their trays were spread out on the small table near the window, and the TV played softly in the background.
“That’s nice,” Carley said, grateful that he couldn’t see how little she was eating. She didn’t have much of an appetite tonight.
“What did you think of them?”
She started. Why hadn’t she pressed Janelle for more details? “They seemed nice.”
“Nice?” Kyle cocked his head. “Steve practically fell over your chair. Did he hurt your leg?”
“No. I’m fine.”
“Is anything wrong?” His expression looked puzzled.
“No. Why do you ask?”
He touched his meat loaf, gave the plate a small turn, and cut off a piece with his fork. Carley realized he’d become quite adept at feeding himself despite his blindness. “You—um—sounded funny today.”
“Funny ha-ha or funny peculiar?” She tried to laugh off his observation, but her heart began to thud.
“I don’t know. Your voice sounded different to me this afternoon. Not like your usual self. I’ve grown used to your voice and the way it sounds. I like it.”
“How does my voice sound?”
“Sort of sexy.”
She giggled with pure pleasure. Her voice was hers alone, and he liked it. She didn’t have to speak through her sister’s mouth. It was Carley’s voice Kyle
“Now we loiter in the hall by his door and maybe we can hear something.”
Jon looked at her as if she were nuts, but he tagged along when she hopped out on her crutches. She rested her back on the wall beside Kyle’s door, and Jon leaned his shoulder against the wall next to her. She strained to hear through the slightly ajar door, but only snatches of words and mumbles came to her. She whispered, “I sure wish I could hear better.”
Jon arched his eyebrow at her. “If only we’d thought to put a tape machine in her lap, she could have gotten the whole conversation.”
She flashed him a hateful look. All at once her knees started shaking as it dawned on her that she was manipulating people’s lives! She was working so hard to protect
herself
that she was forcing her sister and her sister’s boyfriend to conform to her will. And she was deceiving Kyle and his friends by misrepresenting herself to them. She felt a wave of guilt and remorse. And fear. If Kyle found out about her now, he really would hate her. And she couldn’t blame him. But she felt as if she’d gone so far with her charadethat she couldn’t drop it now. She couldn’t tell him the truth at this stage.
Kyle’s room door swung open and Janelle rolled out in the wheelchair, waving goodbye over her shoulder. Carley ducked under Jon’s arm and headed in the opposite direction down the hall, fearful that one of Kyle’s friends might stick his head out the doorway and see her. When she felt it was safe, she returned to her room. Janelle and Jon were preparing to leave.
She shut the door fast. “So what happened?”
“Nothing happened. I was charming and sweet.”
“Did Kyle say anything?”
“He said he’d call me later.” Janelle picked up her purse and slipped on her coat. “But of course, he thinks I’m
you.”
“You don’t have to leave yet. We could watch an NBA game on TV, or maybe some old movie.” Now that the charade was over, Carley didn’t want to be left alone. She wanted her sister to stay. She wanted to get back into Janelle’s good graces.
“I’ve got a Lit test tomorrow and I need to study for it.” Janelle started for the door with Jon.
“Janelle,” Carley called. “Thanks.”
Janelle didn’t smile. “You’re welcome. We’ll walk down the stairwell to the ground floor,” she said. “Less chance of being seen by Kyle’s friends.”
Then Janelle and Jon were gone and Carley was alone. All alone.
“My friends were suitably impressed.” Kyle was eating dinner in Carley’s room. Their trays were spread out on the small table near the window, and the TV played softly in the background.
“That’s nice,” Carley said, grateful that he couldn’t see how little she was eating. She didn’t have much of an appetite tonight.
“What did you think of them?”
She started. Why hadn’t she pressed Janelle for more details? “They seemed nice.”
“Nice?” Kyle cocked his head. “Steve practically fell over your chair. Did he hurt your leg?”
“No. I’m fine.”
“Is anything wrong?” His expression looked puzzled.
“No. Why do you ask?”
He touched his meat loaf, gave the plate a small turn, and cut off a piece with his fork. Carley realized he’d become quite adept at feeding himself despite his blindness. “You—um—sounded funny today.”
“Funny ha-ha or funny peculiar?” She tried to laugh off his observation, but her heart began to thud.
“I don’t know. Your voice sounded different to me this afternoon. Not like your usual self. I’ve grown used to your voice and the way it sounds. I like it.”
“How does my voice sound?”
“Sort of sexy.”
She giggled with pure pleasure. Her voice was hers alone, and he liked it. She didn’t have to speak through her sister’s mouth. It was Carley’s voice Kyle
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