Indian Summer Read Online Free PDF Page B

plaid this time, faded from frequent washing, and smelling of fresh air and sunshine from drying on the clothesline. She puts her books on the shelves beside her bed, stows her suitcase in the closet, and sits next to George on the window seat. A deep, rumbling emanates from his chest and he stretches luxuriously.
    The windows are open and the fan suspended from the vaulted ceiling is turned on so there is a nice breeze. She can smell the water—clean, fresh, alive. Marcie always thinks of the color green when she smells the lake. It’s how she imagines green would smell. The sun glinting on the surface of the water seems to be calling to her. She decides to go for a swim. She changes into her suit and grabs a towel from under the sink. Can’t forget the sunscreen—she grabs that, too. Her mom’s an absolute fanatic about using sunscreen—fair skin and freckles do tend to burn.
    On her way to the pier, she passes her dad already napping in the hammock slung between two oak trees in the garden and hears a familiar bark behind her. She smiles to herself and turns to see their elderly neighbor, Al, and his dog Pansy ambling toward her. “Hi, Al!” she says. Pansy is so happy to see Marcie that her whole body is wagging, but she sits and waits for Marcie to come over and pet her. “Hello, good girl, how are you?” Marcie ruffles her ears and is rewarded with a big, wet kiss. Pansy’s fur is brown tipped with black and the light brown markings on her face are in the shape of a pansy, like two big petals around her eyes. Her mouth curls up in the back so she always looks like she’s grinning at you.
    “I heard the commotion and thought I would find you Hortons down here,” says Al. “Actually, it was Pansy whocouldn’t wait. I was having a nap, but she insisted I get up and bring her out to say Hello.” He pats her head fondly. Al is the unofficial mayor of the neighborhood, and Marcie could have predicted that he’d be over right away to welcome them to the lake. He knows everything going on around the cove and checks in with everyone regularly. He’s been a friend of the family for as long as she can remember. When she and Eric were little they would toddle over to his house to sit with him on his porch swing or to play darts or checkers. Actually, they still go over to visit with him. The fact that he has a tin full of candy at the ready for visiting children isn’t the only reason they want to go. He is always happy to see them and spend time visiting.
    The boys see Al and wave. “Catch anything?” he calls to them.
    “Drew caught two, but I haven’t had a bite!” replies Eric. Marcie and Al have almost reached the pier.
    “Would you three like to go to James Bay with me to fish tomorrow?” asks Al.
    “Yes! You bet! Oh, Yeah!” they shout at the same time.
    “Maybe we can go in the morning and pack a picnic lunch. How does that sound?”
    “Great!” they all answer. James Bay is their special place. It’s quiet by the shore and the marshy waters are filled with birds, turtles, and otters. It’s a great fishing spot.
    “Have a seat, Al.” says Poppy indicating a lawn chair.
    “Don’t mind if I do.” Al ambles to the chair, easing himself onto the seat, and Pansy sits beside him. Turning to Marcie, Poppy says, “Hey, you! I wondered when you’d be down.” He sees her towel and bathing suit. “Going swimming? The water’s perfect—nice and warm.” He nods toward the green-blue water with his ever present baseball cap, which covers his almost completely bald scalp.
    Marcie gets a big inner tube from the shed and slides into it from the dock. Floating out in the channel she feels the water relaxing her body. It is so great not having to be anywhere or do anything in particular, she thinks. No homework, no after school activities, nothing. Eventually, Drew and Eric join her and they spend the afternoon zipping down the slide, doing silly jumps off the diving board, and floating on the