Read Online Summer of Dreams by Elizabeth Camden - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Elizabeth Camden
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bun Clyde had everseen finally answered after Evelyn’s third knock. “Oh, Evelyn,” she said in a sleepy voice. “I didn’t realize you’d be here so early. I was sleeping. Well, come in. You know where Josie’s old room is. I should go check on the pickles. It’s canning day.”
And that was the extent of the welcome Evelyn received. Clyde carried the bags down the first-floor hallway to the room where Evelyn would be staying. Their footsteps echoed on the hardwood floors in the eerily quiet house.
“Is she the only person who lives here?” he whispered, wondering if his voice carried.
“For now. Her daughters are both married, and her husband is in Texas. There is an army post there.”
It seemed such a desolate place to leave someone as vibrant and curious as Evelyn. There were a few other houses several acres away, but here there was only a disinterested woman and a field of barley to keep Evelyn company. And even the barley would be gone soon.
“Come on,” he urged, “let’s go for a walk. I’ve brought you a present.”
Given the way her face lit up, Romulus had been right about her love of gifts. It seemed Aunt Bess wouldn’t be much of a chaperone, for she barely glanced up from her vat of pickles when Evelyn asked permission.
Evelyn clasped her hands as Clyde lifted something wrapped in tissue paper from the box in the back of the wagon. It was no larger than a baseball and barely weighed anything. She loved presents. It was embarrassing and silly to be so thrilled with this unexpected gift, but she wanted to savor this moment.
“Be careful,” he said as he placed the tissue-wrapped gift in her hands. “It’s breakable.”
“What is it?” she asked.
“Open it and find out.”
She wanted to draw this out as long as possible. Leaning against the side of the cart, she cradled the present gently and then, with exquisite care, peeled back the first layer of tissue paper, trying to guess what could possibly be so light. She sniffed it. No smell, so it couldn’t be food. Only after peeling back several layers of plain white tissue paper did she see a flash of purple inside. She caught her breath. In her palm was a hand-blown piece of purple glass, shaped into a tiny hummingbird.
“It’s just a little something to help you remember this summer,” Clyde mumbled. “You can hang it on a Christmas tree. Or set it on a window ledge.”
“Oh, it’s perfect,” she said softly, a little tremble in her voice. “Thank you! I won’t need any help remembering this past summer, but I will love this forever.” When she held it up and let it dangle from the wire hanger, sunlight sparkled and flashed off the glass.
“Evelyn,” he said in a hesitant voice, “do you think you’ll ever change your mind about men who serve in the army?”
She lowered her hand, the hummingbird still cradled within. It hurt to look at the anticipation on his face, for Clyde was such a good friend, and disappointing him felt awful. She turned away, still leaning against the side of the cart but gazing out over the softly swaying barley. It would be so easy to imagine herself alongside Clyde. The idea of living with him, laughing with him, curling up with him every night—it was the most tantalizing daydream she’d ever toyed with. But it was only a fantasy. If she aligned herself with Clyde, she would end up rattling around an empty house like Aunt Bess.
She lowered her head, still cradling the hummingbird. “No, Clyde. I’m not sure what my life has in store for me, but I want more than what Aunt Bess has.”
“Then reach out and grab it!” His voice startled a pair ofblackbirds from a nearby tree, but it brimmed with hope and excitement. He grasped her arms and turned her to face him. “I’m going to be an engineer someday. We live at a time when everything is changing so fast, and it’s going to be the most thrilling ride in history. Ten years ago, no one had ever even heard of a lightbulb, and
And that was the extent of the welcome Evelyn received. Clyde carried the bags down the first-floor hallway to the room where Evelyn would be staying. Their footsteps echoed on the hardwood floors in the eerily quiet house.
“Is she the only person who lives here?” he whispered, wondering if his voice carried.
“For now. Her daughters are both married, and her husband is in Texas. There is an army post there.”
It seemed such a desolate place to leave someone as vibrant and curious as Evelyn. There were a few other houses several acres away, but here there was only a disinterested woman and a field of barley to keep Evelyn company. And even the barley would be gone soon.
“Come on,” he urged, “let’s go for a walk. I’ve brought you a present.”
Given the way her face lit up, Romulus had been right about her love of gifts. It seemed Aunt Bess wouldn’t be much of a chaperone, for she barely glanced up from her vat of pickles when Evelyn asked permission.
Evelyn clasped her hands as Clyde lifted something wrapped in tissue paper from the box in the back of the wagon. It was no larger than a baseball and barely weighed anything. She loved presents. It was embarrassing and silly to be so thrilled with this unexpected gift, but she wanted to savor this moment.
“Be careful,” he said as he placed the tissue-wrapped gift in her hands. “It’s breakable.”
“What is it?” she asked.
“Open it and find out.”
She wanted to draw this out as long as possible. Leaning against the side of the cart, she cradled the present gently and then, with exquisite care, peeled back the first layer of tissue paper, trying to guess what could possibly be so light. She sniffed it. No smell, so it couldn’t be food. Only after peeling back several layers of plain white tissue paper did she see a flash of purple inside. She caught her breath. In her palm was a hand-blown piece of purple glass, shaped into a tiny hummingbird.
“It’s just a little something to help you remember this summer,” Clyde mumbled. “You can hang it on a Christmas tree. Or set it on a window ledge.”
“Oh, it’s perfect,” she said softly, a little tremble in her voice. “Thank you! I won’t need any help remembering this past summer, but I will love this forever.” When she held it up and let it dangle from the wire hanger, sunlight sparkled and flashed off the glass.
“Evelyn,” he said in a hesitant voice, “do you think you’ll ever change your mind about men who serve in the army?”
She lowered her hand, the hummingbird still cradled within. It hurt to look at the anticipation on his face, for Clyde was such a good friend, and disappointing him felt awful. She turned away, still leaning against the side of the cart but gazing out over the softly swaying barley. It would be so easy to imagine herself alongside Clyde. The idea of living with him, laughing with him, curling up with him every night—it was the most tantalizing daydream she’d ever toyed with. But it was only a fantasy. If she aligned herself with Clyde, she would end up rattling around an empty house like Aunt Bess.
She lowered her head, still cradling the hummingbird. “No, Clyde. I’m not sure what my life has in store for me, but I want more than what Aunt Bess has.”
“Then reach out and grab it!” His voice startled a pair ofblackbirds from a nearby tree, but it brimmed with hope and excitement. He grasped her arms and turned her to face him. “I’m going to be an engineer someday. We live at a time when everything is changing so fast, and it’s going to be the most thrilling ride in history. Ten years ago, no one had ever even heard of a lightbulb, and
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