Indian Summer Read Online Free PDF

that it is a bit embarrassing to ride in Dad’s car. Especially if he’s giving one of her friends a ride.
    “Alright, buddy. It’s time for you to get in bed. We’re leaving after lunch tomorrow for Mamaw and Poppy’s.”
    “Yippee!” says Drew and he starts skipping toward the house. Marcie and her dad follow more slowly behind him and Marcie slips her hand through her dad’s arm.

Four
    T HE DRIVE TO the cottage only takes about two hours. Just the perfect amount of time to read or take a nap, but not get totally bored. They leave right after lunch and get there with plenty of the day still to enjoy. As soon as the van stops they all pile out and stretch and there is Mamaw at the back door to greet them, her tall, angular frame filling the doorway. The sweet, vanilla smell of baking wafts past her from the kitchen.
    “Hello, Lilly,” says Dad giving her a kiss on the cheek. “What is that wonderful smell?”
    “Mamaw!” calls Drew, running over to her.
    “I bought some strawberries at the farmers’ market this morning, so I thought I’d make shortcake for dessert. Poppy is going to do a fish fry for dinner. He’s down at the pier now catching a few more fish–-we hope! He could probably use some help,” she says to the kids.
    A fish fry and Mamaw’s strawberry shortcake from scratch–-she always makes real whipped cream—Marcie’s mouth starts to water. “Hello Drew!” Mamaw bends overto give Drew a hug. Her short salt and pepper hair contrasts with his sandy blond hair. “We’re so glad you’re all here. You kids know where you’re sleeping. I cleaned out drawers for your stuff, but you can unpack later.” She hugs the rest of them and adds, “Aunt Lucy and Uncle Mark will be over later this afternoon when the little ones get up from their naps. Come see the garden, Jill.” She and Marcie’s mom start to walk away.
    “I’d love that, Mom,” says Mrs. Horton.
    “Hang on! Before you all rush off and leave me,” Dad holds up his hands, “everyone grab your bags and bring them to your room, and then you can go do your thing.”
    Eric grabs his stuff and bounds into the house with Drew close behind. Marcie follows more slowly. It feels good to be at the cottage. Like having a beautiful and familiar quilt wrap around you. Why didn’t she want to come? It all seems so unimportant now. Going in through the back door to the mud room, Marcie turns to her right and up the stairs to the kids’ sleeping loft. The house doesn’t really have a front and back door. What you would think of as the back of the house with the kitchen actually faces the street and the part of the house facing the lake is a big sunroom with windows all around to take advantage of the water views. At the top of the stairs, she pauses. Directly in front of her is the big arched window facing the lake with its window seat covered in faded cushions.The window seat is Marcie’s favorite place to read or be alone. She catches a glimpse of the water beyond and happiness floods through her. She’s at the cottage! George, the big black-and-white calico cat, is lying on the seat in the sun. He is easily twice as big as Speck and very lazy. He’s also fifteen years old. The boys drop off their suitcases by their usual beds and swing round the newel post at the top of the stairs on their way back downstairs. “We’re going fishing with Poppy. Want to come?” says Eric. He’s been nicer to her today after calling her a whiner at dinner last night.
    “Not right now,” she replies. She wants to unpack her things and settle in a bit before going downstairs.
    “Okay—later!”
    Once they’re gone, Marcie opens the drawers under her bunk and puts her things away. She always sleeps on the bottom bed of the single bunk along one side of the room. It’s “her” bed. The boys like the top beds of the other two bunks across the room, but Marcie thinks the bottom is more cozy. It feels like a cave. Her quilt is a multi-colored