Read Online Winter's Tide by Lisa Williams Kline - Free Book Online Page B

was going to die. The very thought made me feel panicked and made my heart start to skitter along faster. She was my rock. What would I do without her?
Dear God
, I thought to myself.
Please don’t let Grammy die
.
    I wanted God to answer me, and in the quiet of the elevator I listened, holding my breath. All I heard was the ding as we arrived at our floor. But why should God answer my prayers, anyway? I only remembered to pray when I wanted something. When things were going well, I forgot all about him. I’m sure he could see right through me. I caught my breath, and tears began running down my cheeks. I was glad it was dark and no one could see.
    Once we were back in the car, on our way to Grammy’s apartment, Daddy and Lynn started talking about when Grammy’s surgery might be and how long we may stay here.
    â€œI can’t wait to meet Jelly,” Diana said.
    I stared out the window on my side of the car anddidn’t answer. As the darkness passed by outside, I could feel myself getting mad at Diana. All she could think about was the dog. She didn’t act worried about Grammy at all. Plus, how could she have called her dad about going for a visit while our whole family was so upset about Grammy? Why did Diana always make everything about herself? Why did she always make such a scene? I was so tired of it.
    Diana and I rode in silence the whole way, until Daddy pulled into Grammy’s driveway beside her golf cart.
    â€œGrammy has a golf cart?” Diana suddenly said, looking over at it.
    â€œYeah, most people in the development have one for driving around the neighborhood and going down to the beach,” Daddy said.
    â€œThat’s cool!” Diana said. I could tell the visit to Grammy’s had just become more interesting to her. She was supposed to take driver’s training next semester, and she couldn’t wait. She wanted to be able to drive herself to the barn.
    Grammy’s front porch light was on, illuminating a bush with dark shiny leaves and round pink flowers by her front door. Daddy let us in, and we set our bags on the floor in Grammy’s small kitchen. A sunflower dish towel was folded neatly over the stove handle.Grammy had a sunflower theme in her kitchen. She also collected Chihuahua figurines and pictures. The walls of her apartment were a cheerful yellow. On her screened back porch, she kept a shell collection. When I visited, we went shell-hunting almost every day. I loved looking through and running my fingers over the conch shells, sand dollars, Scotch bonnets, and skate egg cases, and listening to the musical clinking noise they made when I sifted them together. I’d brought a sketch pad on my last visit and had tried drawing them. While drawing shells, it was easy to see the amazing patterns of nature. Maybe there would be a chance for a walk on the beach tomorrow, so I could find a shell to bring Grammy. That might cheer her up.
    Jelly’s empty dog bed was nestled in the corner of the kitchen beside the light oak table. Grammy kept a basket of toys beside the bed. A yellow, stuffed puppy with a chewed nose lay on top.
    â€œLook,” I said. “Jelly loves to chew noses.”
    â€œI’ll go next door and get him,” Daddy said. “Get ready!” He went out the front door.
    Lynn headed to Grammy’s bedroom, and I rolled my suitcase back to the spare bedroom where Diana and I would be sleeping. In here were two twin beds with green, white, and yellow flowered bedspreads and a bookcase where Grammy kept games for hergrandchildren. She had Chinese checkers, regular checkers, Connect Four, and Jenga. She’d gotten them all used at flea markets. Her Chinese checkers board had a drawing of a Chinese dragon on it that I had always loved to look at. Once I’d tried to paint a picture of it.
    Diana stood in the doorway. I didn’t ask her which bed she wanted. I just put my suitcase on the one closest to the door,