Read Online Little Sister by Patricia MacDonald - Free Book Online Page A

shook her head and indicated that they should move out of the way.
    “So—” said Beth.
    “How’ve you—” said Cindy at the same time.
    “You first,” said Beth. “It’s so good to see you. What are you doing here these days? How’s your family?”
    “Well,” said Cindy proudly, “I’m married now.” She held out her ring finger for Beth to admire.
    “Do I know him?” Beth asked.
    “Billy McNeill,” said Cindy. “He was two years ahead of us.”
    “Ahhh, one of the older boys,” said Beth slyly. “How did you manage that? We could never get them to look at us in school.”
    Cindy blushed. “My luck changed.”
    “Mine too,” said Beth. “Are you working?”
    “I’m teaching. That’s one reason I’m here. Francie is in my class at school.”
    “Oh,” said Beth, “I see.”
    “A couple of her classmates are here too. They wanted to come. Although they were a little nervous. You know, kids.”
    Beth, who did not want to admit that she didn’t have any idea about kids, simply nodded.
    “Listen, Beth, there’s something I wanted to…Um, I need to talk to you about…Concerning Francie. Do you have a minute? I know this isn’t the greatest time, but…well, it’s on my mind, and it’s kind of important.”
    Beth shrugged. “Sure, I guess so.”
    “Beth,” said Aunt May, who had just made her way up the stairs and encountered the two young women on the landing. “Oh, hello, dear.”
    “Hello, Mrs. Traugott,” said Cindy.
    “Beth, dear,” said May, “may I borrow you a minute. I need to ask you something. Do you mind, dear?”
    Cindy shook her head. “No, of course not.”
    Beth looked at her questioningly.
    “It’s all right. We can talk later or another time.”
    Beth frowned at the uneasy look in Cindy’s eyes. “Are you sure?”
    “Sure,” said Cindy. “Besides, I want a chance to hear about you.” She gave Beth a tight smile and then waved, noticing that the bathroom was again vacant. She went in and closed the door.
    “What is it. Aunt May? Do you need me downstairs?”
    “No, no. They’ll manage just fine. Everyone here has experience. They all know just what to do.”
    “I guess so,” said Beth.
    “I wanted to ask your opinion,” she said, starting purposefully down the upstairs hallway of the house. “I’ve been trying to decide which room to put Francie in.”
    Reluctantly Beth followed her aunt down the hallway, with its faded lily of the valley wallpaper. “I don’t think you need to decide right this minute,” said Beth.
    “Now Tommy’s room is bigger,” said May, opening the door and peering into the room, which had twin beds and was still decorated with pictures of ballplayers and trophies, which Tom had won in high school. Beth looked in over May’s shoulder, remembering her cousin, who was married now and lived in Colorado. She had thought him a most dashing figure when she was a child.
    “Tommy’s room is nice,” she agreed patiently.
    “Peggy’s room is smaller, but it gets lots of sunlight, and it’s such a pretty room,” said May as she toddled across the hall and opened the door to the pink and white room with a canopy bed and ruffled curtains.
    “Well,” said Beth, “why don’t you let Francie pick? They’re both nice rooms.”
    May pressed her lips together, one finger tapping her cheek, and nodded, still staring into the room of her daughter, who now had children of her own. “We want her to be happy here with us.”
    “I’m sure she will,” said Beth automatically.
    May smiled bleakly. “She hasn’t had it easy, the poor thing. Although Martin tried very hard, there was only so much he could do, working all day, trying to keep the house up. A lot of it fell on that child, I’m afraid. It must have been awfully tough for her, growing up without a mother the way she did.”
    “Well, whose fault is that?” said Beth in a flat voice.
    May’s mouth dropped open, and she turned and stared at her niece, who was