Read Online The Summer of Letting Go by Gae Polisner - Free Book Online Page A

wonder what else Frankie’s grandpa paid for around here, especially since Mrs. Schyler doesn’t seem to have much of a job.
    â€œWhat about your grandma?” I ask.
    â€œDon’t gotted one of those.”
    â€œOh, I’m sorry.”
    â€œIs okay. I don’t need a grandma because I love Grandpa Harris lots and lots, even if he can’t fix me, either.” He lifts his feet so that he’s hanging by only his hands.
    â€œFrankie, do not do that!” I yell, my heart banging so frantically it hurts. He laughs but puts his feet down.
    â€œFrankie is ready to fly now, Frankie Snell. You said you will teach me.”
    â€œWait. Seriously, Frankie. I meant we would play. You can play-fly. You can’t really fly, only pretend. You need to get down now. And, anyway, fix you from what?”
    But he doesn’t answer because he’s let go of the branch, and his body is now hurtling through the air.
    I stand helplessly transfixed as he sails, arms outstretched like a bird.
    He stays airborne longer than I expect, and for one split second I have the ridiculous thought that maybe he can actually fly. But then he crashes to the ground and goes rolling down the hillside, finally stopping in a fetal position near the bottom.
    â€œFrankie!” Potato and I chase after him, the dog’s stubby tail wagging as if he thinks it’s a game. When he reaches Frankie, he jumps on him, but Frankie doesn’t move. Potato backs off, pawing gently at him, whimpering. Terror seizes my chest. How could I come here and let this happen? Potato nudges him with his nose, tail down, then looks at me as if to say, I think you’d better do something.
    I kneel down next to him. His eyes are open. He makes them bigger and lets out a laugh. “Ow, that hurted,” he says, trying to sit up, but Potato pounces on him, knocks him down again. “Stop it, Potato! Stop. It! Did you see how far I flied, Frankie Snell? Not pretend! Real! I flied really, really far!”
    Despite myself, I laugh. Potato starts licking me now. Frankie, then me, then Frankie again.
    â€œEw, quit it, Potato. No licking!” Frankie shoves the dog away and stands, leaning into me for protection. He bends his arm up for inspection, and I can see now that his elbow is bleeding. Other than that, he looks like he’s okay.
    â€œFrankie, seriously, you scared me. It’s not funny.You can’t do stuff like that anymore. You could’ve gotten seriously hurt.”
    â€œIs funny, and Frankie Sky never gets hurt.” He inspects the scrape some more and blows on it.
    â€œWell, what’s that, then?” I say. “You’re bleeding. That seems kind of hurt to me. And it could have been worse. I’m not kidding.” My voice is shaking now, the humor lost as the whole day catches up to me. I’m in way over my head. “You can’t just dive into pools and fly out of trees like you’re Superman. Do you understand? Not if you want me to come play with you. I mean it, Frankie. I’m serious. Okay?”
    He looks at me, his lower lip quivering. “Okay,” he says. “I want you to. I want you to stay and play. But you said you would teach me to fly.”
    â€œI know, Frankie, I know. I told you I’d help. But I meant from . . .” I turn and search around the yard. “Like, from the slide. Not from a freaking tree. That’s too high up. And you can’t really fly.” I sound mad, and his eyes fill with tears, his whole mouth collapsing in a frown. I feel bad that I’m making him sad, but I’m not about to have him killed on my watch. “Besides,” I say, trying to soften things, “I wasn’t ready yet. You needed to give me a warning.” I take his hand and start toward the house. “I’m glad you’re okay, but you can’t do that anymore. Come on now. We’ll go inside and wash that off and find you a