The Key in the Attic Read Online Free PDF

home.”
    “That’s not much like Joanna. Wasn’t she having fun?”
    “Until the clown came.”
    “Oh, dear. I know she doesn’t like those. Was she OK?”
    “She ran into the house and told Mommy she wanted to go home right then. But she didn’t cry this time. Mommy said she was doing better.”
    “What did you think of the clown?”
    “He smelled funny. Mommy said it probably was the kind of makeup he used. He made balloon animals, and those were cool, but besides that he was pretty lame.”
    Annie turned a laugh into a slight cough, wondering which of the “big kids” her grandson picked up his newest slang words from. “That’s too bad. But I’m glad the party wasn’t lame.”
    “Mom said when you come back home, and we have my birthday, we can have a pony again too.”
    “Well, that’ll be fun.”
    “When are you coming home, Grammy? I mean really coming home and not just visiting?”
    “Now, sweetie, you know I live up here now. My Grandma Betsy loved this house, and now I’m loving it for her too. You don’t think she’d want me to let somebody else live in her house, do you?”
    “No, I guess not,” John said grudgingly. “Did she want you to leave us forever?”
    “Now, honey, you know I haven’t left you forever. I come see you all the time, don’t I?”
    “But you don’t live here close to us like you used to. Mommy says it’s like losing Grandpa all over again.”
    Annie felt a pain deep in her heart. After her husband Wayne’s sudden death, her daughter LeeAnn had told her in so many words that she wasn’t needed to help with the children anymore. Coming from Texas to Maine to see to Gram’s estate had been a wonderful distraction, a chance to get away and establish herself as her own person, not just someone’s mother or someone’s grandmother. Now she was at home here in Stony Point, even though she knew LeeAnn and the kids would love to have her back.
    “Sweetie,” she said softly, “can you ask Mommy to come to the telephone?”
    “Moooooooooom! It’s Grammy!”
    Annie held the phone away from her ear until she heard her daughter’s voice.
    “Mom. Hi.”
    LeeAnn’s voice sounded thick, a little sleepy. She hadn’t been up long.
    “I’m sorry, honey. I wasn’t thinking about the time when I asked John to speak with you. I sometimes forget it’s an hour earlier down there than it is up here. I didn’t wake you, did I?”
    “No, it’s all right. I have to get going this morning anyway. I just hope John didn’t wake you up. I’ve told him a hundred times—”
    “No, no,” Annie assured her, laughing. “You know me. I’m usually up with the sun.”
    “Yeah,” LeeAnn deadpanned. “I remember.”
    “You’re like your daddy. Some mornings he had to be pried out of bed.”
    “But he’d stay up half the night and watch movies with me.” LeeAnn sighed. “I sure miss him.”
    Annie felt her throat tighten. Did it ever get any easier?
    “I know you miss him, honey. I do too.”
    For a moment, there was only silence on the line. Then LeeAnn cleared her throat.
    “So, how are you?”
    “I’m all right, LeeAnn. I’m a little concerned about the kids.”
    “Really? Why?”
    “John was asking me about coming back there for his birthday, and of course, I will. But I get the feeling he’s upset because it will be just a visit.”
    “Well, I guess we’re all getting used to you living up there now.”
    “Before I came up here, you told me you didn’t need me anymore, didn’t you?”
    “I just meant you shouldn’t feel tied down. I didn’t mean we didn’t want you.” Again there were sudden tears in LeeAnn’s voice. “And I didn’t mean I didn’t need you.”
    “I know, honey. Anyway, what’s so bad about having a place that you and Herb and the kids can come visit when it’s a hundred and ten in the shade down there in Texas?”
    LeeAnn laughed. “Nothing at all.”
    “Now, you have to let me tell you about this key I found up in the