Read Online The Other Child by Joanne Fluke - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Joanne Fluke
Ads: Link
Mike would be mad at her.
Several children stared at her when she reappeared, but no one spoke to her. Leslie calmly watched the game, fixing her face into a proper smile. If Mike wanted her to be a good sport, she’d do it, but she’d get even with Bud and Gary somehow. Maybe it wouldn’t be today, but she’d never forget how mean they’d been.
Leslie looked over to find that Bud and Gary were talking to Mike now—making up excuses, probably; she could tell from the relieved look on Mike’s face. All three of them headed her way. Leslie tried to duck into an opening in the crowd of children, but Mike put his hand on her arm.
“Leslie? Bud and Gary want to apologize for being so rough. They told me how sorry they are that you got hurt.”
Mike grinned down at the two boys. Then he tipped Leslie’s face up to look at him. “Now, what do you say, Leslie?”
All three of them were looking at her and Leslie felt hot and uncomfortable. Bud and Gary didn’t look sorry at all. They were almost smirking as they stared at her.
Mike was waiting. Leslie knew she was supposed to say something nice. The moment stretched, tense and silent, until she couldn’t stand it anymore.
“I . . . it’s all right,” Leslie managed to force out.
“Well, now that that’s settled”—Mike gave Leslie an approving nod—“let’s go get something to eat, guys. I think they’re bringing out the food right now.”
Leslie stood still and bit her lip. She was getting that bad feeling again. Mike was on their side and she just didn’t understand it. Somehow these Cold Spring kids had managed to fool Mike, but they didn’t fool her for one minute. They were still the meanest kids she’d ever met. It was just hidden underneath their phony party manners. And the girls were just as bad as the boys. She saw the way Taffy and Mary Ellen huddled on the edge of the games, looking at her. They’d poke Susie and whisper and then all three of them would giggle. All conversation stopped when she approached a group, and most of the kids, even the ones she didn’t know, looked uncomfortable. That proved they were all talking about her behind her back.
Leslie did her best to keep smiling, but her face felt as if it were cemented into place. Lunch was over quickly and it was time for the cake. Leslie swallowed nervously. She’d be the center of attention again and everyone would stare at her.
“Time for the birthday girl to blow out her candles!” Karen announced brightly, stepping out to the middle of the lawn with the cake. It was enormous, enough for seconds and even thirds, made of frosted ice cream in the shape of a clown.
Karen made her way through the crowd of whispering children and set the cake on the table draped with streamers. She was smiling gaily.
“Make a wish, darling, and blow out your candles. Then we can all have a piece of your yummy strawberry cake!”
Leslie made her way on stiff legs to the table. She felt hot and prickly all over and slightly dizzy. She knew everyone was watching her as she approached the huge cake and there was a smothered giggle from the children as she stumbled slightly on the uneven grass.
“Wish for something wonderful, honey,” Karen whispered in Leslie’s ear. “Birthday wishes always come true.”
The candles on the huge cake were flickering brightly and Leslie squinted as she took her place behind it. Moments before there hadn’t been a cloud in the sky, but suddenly the afternoon had turned overcast and gray. The pinpoints of flickering candlelight hurt her eyes and Leslie knew she had never felt so lonely. These kids didn’t want to be here at her birthday party. They didn’t like her at all. They had only come because their parents had told them to be polite.
“Shut your eyes and make a wish, honey!” Mike called out, his camera ready. “Everyone’s waiting.”
Leslie shut her eyes to block out the shimmering candles. Her mind was blank and she couldn’t think of
Several children stared at her when she reappeared, but no one spoke to her. Leslie calmly watched the game, fixing her face into a proper smile. If Mike wanted her to be a good sport, she’d do it, but she’d get even with Bud and Gary somehow. Maybe it wouldn’t be today, but she’d never forget how mean they’d been.
Leslie looked over to find that Bud and Gary were talking to Mike now—making up excuses, probably; she could tell from the relieved look on Mike’s face. All three of them headed her way. Leslie tried to duck into an opening in the crowd of children, but Mike put his hand on her arm.
“Leslie? Bud and Gary want to apologize for being so rough. They told me how sorry they are that you got hurt.”
Mike grinned down at the two boys. Then he tipped Leslie’s face up to look at him. “Now, what do you say, Leslie?”
All three of them were looking at her and Leslie felt hot and uncomfortable. Bud and Gary didn’t look sorry at all. They were almost smirking as they stared at her.
Mike was waiting. Leslie knew she was supposed to say something nice. The moment stretched, tense and silent, until she couldn’t stand it anymore.
“I . . . it’s all right,” Leslie managed to force out.
“Well, now that that’s settled”—Mike gave Leslie an approving nod—“let’s go get something to eat, guys. I think they’re bringing out the food right now.”
Leslie stood still and bit her lip. She was getting that bad feeling again. Mike was on their side and she just didn’t understand it. Somehow these Cold Spring kids had managed to fool Mike, but they didn’t fool her for one minute. They were still the meanest kids she’d ever met. It was just hidden underneath their phony party manners. And the girls were just as bad as the boys. She saw the way Taffy and Mary Ellen huddled on the edge of the games, looking at her. They’d poke Susie and whisper and then all three of them would giggle. All conversation stopped when she approached a group, and most of the kids, even the ones she didn’t know, looked uncomfortable. That proved they were all talking about her behind her back.
Leslie did her best to keep smiling, but her face felt as if it were cemented into place. Lunch was over quickly and it was time for the cake. Leslie swallowed nervously. She’d be the center of attention again and everyone would stare at her.
“Time for the birthday girl to blow out her candles!” Karen announced brightly, stepping out to the middle of the lawn with the cake. It was enormous, enough for seconds and even thirds, made of frosted ice cream in the shape of a clown.
Karen made her way through the crowd of whispering children and set the cake on the table draped with streamers. She was smiling gaily.
“Make a wish, darling, and blow out your candles. Then we can all have a piece of your yummy strawberry cake!”
Leslie made her way on stiff legs to the table. She felt hot and prickly all over and slightly dizzy. She knew everyone was watching her as she approached the huge cake and there was a smothered giggle from the children as she stumbled slightly on the uneven grass.
“Wish for something wonderful, honey,” Karen whispered in Leslie’s ear. “Birthday wishes always come true.”
The candles on the huge cake were flickering brightly and Leslie squinted as she took her place behind it. Moments before there hadn’t been a cloud in the sky, but suddenly the afternoon had turned overcast and gray. The pinpoints of flickering candlelight hurt her eyes and Leslie knew she had never felt so lonely. These kids didn’t want to be here at her birthday party. They didn’t like her at all. They had only come because their parents had told them to be polite.
“Shut your eyes and make a wish, honey!” Mike called out, his camera ready. “Everyone’s waiting.”
Leslie shut her eyes to block out the shimmering candles. Her mind was blank and she couldn’t think of
Similar Books
