Luanne Rice Read Online Free PDF Page A

is
she?”
    “She’s in
the square, by the stone fisherman,” Jessica said, and she started to cry, but
Lily couldn’t stay to comfort her as she ran out of her store as fast as she
could.
     
    Rose sat on
the wall, leaning against the fisherman statue. The effort to hold her head up
was too much, so she rested her forehead on her knees. Her chest felt tight,
and every breath made her lungs burn, as if she were drawing air through a
straw. Even before Jessica’s footsteps faded, Rose heard someone big running
over, and staring down at the ground, she could tell by the big heavy boots
that it wasn’t her mother.
    “Rose, your
mother’s on the way. Your friend just ran to get her.”
    It was the
oceanographer, Dr. Neill; his boots were glittery with fish scales. The
sunlight made them look like bits of broken crystal, all bright fire and
rainbows. He crouched down, and Rose felt his hand on the back of her head.
“You’re safe, your mother’s on the way. Just relax and try to breathe, okay,
sweetheart?”
    Rose nodded
and opened her mouth, taking in air. She knew the moment would pass, and she
would be fine; she always was, but it was alarming when it happened. Her mind
raced ahead to what would happen next. She pictured doctors, Boston, the ER.
Yes, her day in the ER was coming again, it was. She wasn’t even nine yet, but
she could almost write her own medical chart.
    Dr. Neill
touched her forehead. She closed her eyes. His hand felt cool. Now she felt his
hand move down to her wrist; she knew he was taking her pulse. Maybe he was
scared by what he felt. Rose knew that some people were. She looked up at him.
People were scared of him too. They had that in common. He wasn’t smiling, but
then, this wasn’t something to smile about.
    Once a
teacher had pushed her down so hard, making her lie down even though all Rose
needed to do was wait where she was. Another time a girl’s mother had panicked
and driven her all the way to the clinic in Telford, no matter that Rose told
her she shouldn’t go there. The oceanographer didn’t do any of those things. He
seemed very calm, as if he knew that some things couldn’t be fixed so easily.
    He sat on
his heels and held her hand.
    She stayed
calm. Their eyes stared into each other as she breathed. She didn’t even want
to blink, but just keep looking into his deep blue eyes. Sharks swam in water
as dark as his eyes, but she wasn’t scared. He blinked once, twice, but he
didn’t smile.
    “Don’t go
away,” she said.
    “I never
would,” he said.
    “I want my
mommy.”
    “She’s on
the way. Just another minute …”
    “I want
Nanny.”
    “We all
love Nanny,” Liam said. “And she’s coming. She gave me a ring this morning, to
let me know she’s on the way.”
    “For my birthday?”
    Dr. Neill
gave a start, and his eyes flashed at the mention of her birthday. His family
owned the boats, and in spite of the fact that the party was going to be all
girls, Rose wanted him to be aboard. She knew that he didn’t usually run the
whale-watch boats, but maybe he could make an exception. She wanted to ask him,
but she felt too weak.
    “Yes, Rose. For your birthday. Just keep your head down. That’s my
girl. Just breathe.”
    There were
so many things Rose wanted to say; she wanted to invite him to her party,
wanted to ask him if it hurt when he lost his arm, wanted to tell him she was
sorry he had had to go to the hospital and have surgeries, the way she did. But
she couldn’t do it … .
    Now her
mother came—Rose could feel her presence even before she heard or saw her. Her
mother came across the square and suddenly was right there—Rose knew before she
said a word. The oceanographer kept holding her hand. When he let go, he gave a
slight squeeze. Rose squeezed back.
    “I’m here,
Rose,” her mother said.
    Rose felt
her arms around her shoulders and knew, in a different way, that everything was
going to be fine.
    “We walked
home,” Rose said. Her mother