Read Online Sparrow Road by Sheila O'Connor - Free Book Online

only trying to help. He knows I want to handle this my way. In my own time.”
    “Still,” Diego said. “Did he need to bring her home?”
    “It was probably for the best,” Mama said. “At least until Raine knows; and I want to do it right. When I’m certain Raine is ready.”
    “But isn’t that the reason why you came here in the first place?”
    “It hasn’t even been two weeks,” Mama said. “I wanted Raine to settle in at Sparrow Road before I told her.”
    Told me what? Mama’s voice sounded serious, like something horrible was ahead. Like Grandpa Mac was sick. Or maybe something worse.
    “I think she’s settled in,” Diego said. “Are you sure it’s Raine who isn’t ready?”
    At first Mama didn’t answer. “You’re right,” she finally said. “It’s me.”
    “I know it’s tough, but you can do it, Molly.” Diego sounded like he had the day he’d helped me climb the ladder. “You can. And a good time would be now.”
    When I heard our screen door slam, I lay there still as stone. Downstairs Mama opened the old refrigerator and poured herself a drink. Lemonade. We always had a pitcher in our refrigerator here. Fresh lemonade with blueberries on top.
    “Hey,” I called. The heat from the low ceiling pressed against my skin. I couldn’t stay up here much longer.
    “Raine?” Mama sounded shocked. Before I could go down, she hurried up the steps. “Why are you here in bed in the middle of the day?”
    “I fell asleep. Why were you so long in Viktor’s office?” I rolled my eyes; I wanted her to know my anger hadn’t passed.
    Mama sat down on my bed. “A nap? Sweetheart, are you okay? Are you sick from that long bike ride?” She pressed her icy hand against my forehead. “Looks like a storm is on the way. It’s a good thing Viktor brought you home.”
    “It’s not,” I said. “And that’s not why he made me leave.”
    “Lemonade?” She offered me her glass. I shook my head; my stomach did feel sick. “It’s like an oven in here, Raine.”
    “Why’d you bring me here?” I said to Mama.
    “Here?” Mama glanced away.
    “To Sparrow Road. I just heard Diego say it. He said it’s why we came to Sparrow Road. That thing you should have told me. And why did Viktor take me back from town?”
    “Oh, Raine.” Mama scooted closer. “I know some things seem strange here.”
    “More than some,” I said. “But you won’t ever tell me.”
    “Telling isn’t always easy, Raine.” Mama combed her fingers through my hair. “Sometimes the truth isn’t always what you want. Even when you ask for it.”
    “I want the truth today,” I said.
    Another flash of worry passed over her tight face. “I know you do.” She gave my hand a squeeze. “But I’m not sure where to start.”
    “Just start at the beginning. Why we’re here? What’s going on with Viktor? Why’d he drive me home from Comfort?”
    “All right.” Mama heaved a heavy sigh. “I’ll start with why we’re here.”
    Mama said it was a story we had to settle in for, a story she couldn’t tell me in the weight of all this heat, so first she made us go downstairs. Outside, the meadow sky was a sickly shade of green. “The calm before the storm,” Mama said as she closed the cottage door and latched the lock. Then she sat down on the couch and took a long, slow breath. “You know how mad Grandpa Mac was about this job? How upset he was with me the day he drove us to the train?”
    “Yes,” I said. Even now, his letters only came for me. “He didn’t want us to leave.”
    “He didn’t,” Mama agreed. “He certainly did not.” Storm darkness loomed over the room. Drops of rain plinked against the roof. “But mostly Grandpa Mac was mad because there was someone here he didn’t want you to meet.”
    “Here?” I said, confused. The only people here to worry Grandpa Mac would be Eleanor or Viktor, but Grandpa Mac didn’t know either one.
    “Sweetheart.” Mama tucked my hands inside of hers.