A Heartbeat Away by Eleanor Jones Read Free Book Online Page A

between fear and joy, and then I remembered his horse.
    â€œHave you brought the horse?” I asked him.
    He stepped inside and leaned down to look into my eyes.
    â€œNow, what horse would that be?” he inquired in a serious voice.
    â€œThe one that all your money went on,” I replied, clenching my hands to help contain my excitement.
    For a moment he eyed me curiously. His forehead puckered into lines and his eyes narrowed as he tapped his chin with one long forefinger. Then suddenly he raised his hands in the air and let out a great guffaw.
    â€œI’m afraid that particular horse galloped off a long time ago, princess,” he told me. “And it wasn’t to the winning post.”
    I felt tears well in my eyes, and my bottom lip started to tremble. I was so sure that one day my dad would bring the horse home, and now I would never be able to show it to Daniel. It wasn’t fair—
    â€œWho is it?”
    My mother’s voice floated through from the living room, thin and reedy as it always was nowadays. My dad took hold of my hand and led me through the door with determined strides.
    â€œHello, Mary,” he said. “Your old man’s here to see you on Christmas Eve.”
    My mom lifted herself slowly from her chair. She was trembling all over, and there was more emotion on her face than I had seen her show since before she went away, as if she had all of a sudden managed to shed her protective coat of apathy.
    â€œGet out!” she yelled. “Get out of my house.”
    My dad just grinned, unconcerned by her ferocity, and turned to me.
    â€œNot wearing your red shoes, princess?” he asked. I gazed up at him, confusion flooding my brain.
    â€œThey don’t fit,” I mumbled.
    He grabbed me beneath the armpits and swung me around and around, so that the blood rushed to my head. When he put me down, I felt sick and faint.
    â€œWell, in that case we’ll have to buy you others, won’t we,” he exclaimed.
    He was like that, my dad. First he made you sad and then he made you smile. But my mom wasn’t smiling. Her face was all white and her eyes were open very wide.
    â€œGet out!” she yelled again.
    My dad looked at her for a minute, then he turned to me.
    â€œLucy,” he said, pointing to the door. “Time for bed.”
    I stood my ground, setting my legs ready for a fight.
    â€œI’m hungry,” I cried, clutching my stomach.
    A dark shadow passed across his handsome features and he glanced around the room. Then his eyes brightened and he reached across to where a mound of multicolored fruits spilled from the bowl that Mrs. Brown had put together for us. His fingers paused above a yellow banana, plucked a purple grape and popped it into his mouth, then settled over a large red apple.
    â€œHere,” he said, handing the apple to me. “This’ll fill you up. Now, go to your bed.”
    I made a parting shot, anything that would keep me there for just a bit longer.
    â€œWe’re going to Homewood Farm for Christmas lunch tomorrow,” I announced, and when he scowled and turned back toward my mother, unimpressed by the information, I scuttled up the stairs, clutching my apple.
    I had been waiting forever for my dad to come home, but now that he was here, it didn’t feel right. I lay in my bed, trying to keep warm, nibbling on the apple and listening to the voices downstairs. At first I heard my mom shouting again, but then she went quiet and I thought I heard her cry. Then there was silence, and the next thing I knew it was pitch-dark. I sat up, fear coursing through me as a shadow rippled across the ceiling. When I remembered my dad had returned, I lay back down again, listening to the silence and wondering if I dared to go and find my mom.
    A clock ticked in the hallway, and I blinked in time with the sound until I heard an owl hooting in the darkness. Too wit, too woo, too wit, too woo, too wit, too woo,