A Friend at Midnight Read Online Free PDF Page A

Dad. You stay on the line while I get my cell. You know what, Michael? Maybe on his way to the parking lot Dad had a fender bender. Because he didn’t mean for you to be alone, Michael. It was careless of him to drop you off, but he thought he’d be back in a second.”
    â€œHe’s not parking the car, Lily. He told me I’m not the son he had in mind. And then he drove away.”

    A hand landed on Michael’s shoulder. A voice said, “You okay?”
    Michael had been wholly absorbed by his sister’s voice and the background music of Nathaniel screaming his name. He’d pressed his face into the silvery chrome of the phone box, getting closer to Lily. So rarely had Michael cried in his life that for a moment he couldn’t figure out how his face had gotten all wet.
    The man bending over him must be a pilot; blue uniform with several insignia including wings. Michael wiped away the tears with the back of his hand. “Sure, I’m okay,” he said. “Just saying good-bye to my sister.”
    â€œAirports are all about saying good-bye,” agreed the pilot. “But who’s with you, son? I don’t see anybody in the whole room.”
    He was right. There were no longer kids playing, or parents watching, or a couple kissing by the window. Michael was alone. Post-9/11, airports hated anything unusual. Michael couldn’t stop being eight and he couldn’t stop being alone, but he could stop crying and he could fake a family. He dragged out the grandmother excuse again.
    â€œTell you what,” said the pilot. “I’ll just wait with you till she comes.”
    â€œWhat’s going on?” Lily demanded through the phone.
    â€œA pilot wants to sit with me until Grandma gets back from the bathroom,” said Michael.
    â€œLet me talk to him.”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œMichael, you can’t be alone in an airport.”
    â€œI am, though. Go get Nathaniel out of his crib. He’s crying too hard. He might choke.”
    â€œWe should be so lucky. Okay, I’m going upstairs to get Nate. But you stay on the line. I’m on the portable phone and I’m carrying you with me.”
    The pilot slouched against the wall as if he planned to stay for years.
    â€œYou remember your promise?” Michael asked her.
    â€œI remember.”
    â€œSay it back to me.”
    â€œI promise not to tell,” said Lily.
    I should never have told her anything, thought Michael. She knows what Dad said and what he did and she’ll tell. If she does, I’m going to tell everybody she’s making it up.
    I’m never going to repeat it to anybody again. I’m never going to have tears on my face again either. I’m going to grow up right now and get it over with.
    Michael took a long slow breath, had some long slow thoughts, and got it over with.
    â€œBye, Lily,” he said, hanging up on her. “There’s Grandma!” he said to the pilot. “Thanks for waiting with me!” He crossed the carpet, passed some flight monitors and arrived at the side of two elderly women, who weren’t together, just near each other. One woman was balancing a huge carry-on bag, a huge purse and a huge coat. “It’s summer,” Michael said to her. “Really hot out. How come you have such a heavy coat?”
    She beamed at him. “I’m going to Russia and Finland! Isn’t that exciting? And September in those countries might be cold.”
    Michael had only the vaguest idea where Russia and Finland might be. “I wish I could go too,” he said, which was certainly true.

    Sobbing until his nose and eyes were equally drippy, Nathaniel had gotten yuck all over his hands and face. His diaper was full. Lily handled him with grim efficiency. Then she put him in a fresh T-shirt and shorts that matched and even located the right socks, so he was bright blue with white trim and red sailboats. She yanked apart