Read Online Music From Standing Waves by Johanna Craven - Free Book Online

think they were looking for us do
you?” he asked.
    We clicked open Justin’s front door and
hurried down the hallway. Michelle was sitting on the couch with
Hugh beside her. Tears rushed down her cheeks. Dad sat with a hand
on Michelle’s shoulder, Sarah in the armchair opposite. We walked
into the back room, leaving silver trails of water on the tiles. My
voice came out in a whisper.
    “What’s wrong?”

TEN
     
     
    “Mum?” said Justin. “What’s going on?”
    Michelle wiped her eyes. “Oh honey. Your
dad’s fishing boat is out past the Marine Park and Coast Guard lost
contact with them when the storm hit the reef.” She gave another
loud sob.
    Justin stepped closer to me, the wet skin on
his upper arm pressing against mine. “What’s happened to them?”
    “We don’t know,” said Dad. “They’re out
looking for them now.”
    Justin stared through the smeary bay window.
Torrents of water streamed down the glass. Rain beat against the
old fisherman’s dinghy behind the washing line.
    Michelle clutched the phone. “Why isn’t
anyone calling me? Do you think I should go down to the marina?
What if someone’s trying to ring and our line’s down?” She lifted
the receiver and listened for the dial tone.
    Sarah reached over and patted her shoulder.
“It won’t do you any good to be down at the docks. I’m sure they’ll
call you as soon as they hear anything.”
    “They shouldn’t even have been out there!”
Michelle sobbed. “Why would they go out in weather like this?”
    “You know what these storms are like,” Dad
said gently. “They come on so quickly.”
    Michelle looked over her shoulder at us. “Oh
God, they’re soaking wet,” she said distantly. “They need
towels…”
    Justin rushed from the lounge. His sneakers
thumped against the floorboards as he trampled upstairs to his
bedroom. Michelle stood up.
    “Wait,” I said. “Can I go and talk to
him?”
    She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.
“I think he would like that.” She pulled me into her suddenly and
held me in a tight embrace. I could hear the faint drumming of her
heart.
    The steps creaked under my feet as I climbed
up to Justin’s bedroom. I knocked faintly.
    “Can I come in?”
    No answer.
    I turned the handle and peeked inside. Justin
was curled up on top of his red and blue coverlet. He stared
blankly at a wide crack along the ceiling, muddy feet resting
against the pillow. I nibbled my thumbnail. My wet dress clung to
my legs.
    “Jus?” I stood motionless in the doorway. “Do
you want me to go?” I took a step backwards.
    He sat up. “No. Stay.”
    I perched beside him on the bed and picked at
the mud on hem of my dress.
    “Can I tell you a secret?” His voice was
scratchy.
    I nodded.
    He took a deep breath. “I’m really
scared.”
    I hugged the soft flesh above his elbow and
held my eyes closed against his t-shirt. I slid my hand down his
arm until our fingers laced. His hand was warm in mine. I stared
into the floorboards. Neither of us spoke. Rain pelted the windows
and overflowed out of the drain. Finally, I said in a squeaky
voice:
    “Of course you’re scared. I’m scared
too.”
    Justin lurched suddenly and threw his arms
around me. I swallowed hard. In all our fifteen years, we’d
tickled, punched, poked, Chinese burned and wedgied, but never held
each other. Not like this. My heart was pounding. I stared into his
wavy blonde hair. I wanted to touch it, but kept my hands resting
on his back, my thumbs tracing subconsciously over his wet t-shirt.
His head began to shudder and I felt hot tears slide down my
shoulder.
    “What if they don’t find him?” His words were
muffled. I lowered my head until my cheek touched his hair.
    “Don’t think like that.”
    Justin curled back against his pillow and I
lay beside him, our legs entwining. I took out my butterfly clips
and let my hair fall across my cheek. Our wet bodies left imprints
on the coverlet. Justin looked at me with watery