Beating Heart Read Online Free PDF Page B

Enjoy it while it lasts.”
    Libby grabs his hand and tugs him to the door. “Come on! Come on!”
    In her room across the hall, she digs through her junk and collects a motley armful of dolls and accessories, which she brings to Evan.
    â€œWhat do I have to do?” he asks her, not touching anything.
    Libby already has a plan. “I’ll have Lucinda,” she tells him, “and you have Winnebago.” She hands him a worse-for-wear doll with long straight hair.
    Evan sits on Libby’s bed, looking at the doll as if he’s never seen one before. “Winnebago?”
    â€œThat’s her name.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œBecause it’s pretty. Now.” She starts distributing doll clothes. “They’re going to go to the ball. Here. Put this on her.”
    â€œOn Winnebago.”
    â€œRight.”
    Evan sticks the doll’s legs into the dress and starts working it up the plastic body. Then he stops. “Promise you’ll never tell anybody I did this with you.”
    â€œOkay,” Libby says offhandedly. She’s busy dressing Lucinda.
    Evan awkwardly gets the dress on Winnebago and fastened. When he’s done, he holds her up for inspection.
    â€œGood!” Libby says with satisfaction. “Now. They’re going to go to a party. Lucinda’s going to wear this .” She pulls out another outfit and lays it aside on the bed. “And Winnebago’s going to wear this .” She hands Evan another dress.
    â€œWhat about the ball?” Evan asks.
    â€œThey already went.”
    â€œYou mean we just sit here and change their clothes over and over?”
    Libby’s intent on Lucinda’s party wear. She doesn’t look at him. “We can fix their hair if you want,” she offers.
    â€œNo. Clothes are fine.” Evan starts stripping off Winnebago’s ball gown. “Hey, Lib. You know that girl you saw—you know you just imagined her, right?”
    â€œNo.” Libby says it matter-of-factly, while she’s dressing her doll. “I saw her. She was standing in thehall outside your room.”
    â€œMaybe she likes the view of the river, huh?”
    â€œI guess.” She gives it some more thought. “I don’t think she has any friends. She’s very lonely.”
    Evan looks up at that. The doll lies half-dressed in his hand. “What makes you say that? That she’s lonely?”
    â€œShe looked sad,” Libby answers. “Hey, Evan. Can I have that picture of Dad and you?”
    Evan looks down at the doll in his hand. He’s thinking, Libby is the one who’s lonely; Libby is the one who’s sad. “Why do you want it?” he asks.
    â€œYou’re not dressing Winnebago,” Libby points out, and Evan pulls the doll’s dress around its shoulders, then fastens the Velcro. “’Cause I like to look at it,” she tells him.
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œI dunno. I just do.”
    â€œLet me think about it.” Evan holds out a re-dressed Winnebago. “Here we go. Ready for the party.”
    Libby runs a practiced eye up and down his work. “Okay,” she says, satisfied. “Now Lucinda’s going to get married. Winnebago can wear this.” She hands Evan adoll-sized denim pantsuit.
    â€œShe’s not a bridesmaid, huh?”
    â€œNo, she’s in the audience.”
    â€œSo old Lucinda gets all the glory.”
    â€œThere’s only one bride dress,” Libby informs him. She sets to work on Lucinda, which takes a little work because the bridal gown has long sleeves, and although Lucinda’s arms are very skinny, her hands are rather large. Evan takes his time with Winnebago. He considers making her moon Libby, but thinks better of it.
    â€œDo you think,” Libby asks, “that if Dad had liked me better, he would have taken a picture with me?”
    â€œHe did like you, Libby. He still does. He’s just…busy