Grace by Richard Paul Evans Read Free Book Online

put it?”
    â€œJust outside the door, around the corner.”
    I looked out. The platter was still there, but the meat and cheese were gone, and Saran Wrap littered the snow.
    â€œLooks like they got it. I should get you a bucket or something. You could fill it with snow, like a refrigerator. That’s how they used to keep things cold.” I looked at her. “So I was thinking today we could go exploring.”
    â€œWhere?”
    â€œJust out back.”
    â€œAre you sure no one will see me?”
    â€œMy dad’s still in bed. Mom and Joel won’t be home for a few hours.”
    â€œLet’s go.” She climbed out of the sleeping bag and put on her coat and gloves. When we were outside she asked, “Does your family always go to church?”
    â€œMy mom always does. My dad goes sometimes. But most of the time she just takes me and Joel.”
    Grace thought about this. “I wish my family went to church.”
    This surprised me. I didn’t see her as the churchgoing type.
    We crossed the crusted snow of the backyard to the south end of the property.
    â€œDid you know it snows in Hawaii?” Grace asked.
    â€œReally?”
    â€œYeah. Not like this though. Just at the tops of the volcanoes.”
    â€œI’d like to see a volcano in real life, “I said. “So how come they start school later in Hawaii?”
    â€œI don’t know. They just do.” She put her hands in her coat pockets.
    â€œWhen’s your birthday?”
    â€œIt was in May.”
    â€œWhat did you do for it?”
    â€œI got that radio in the clubhouse, a couple of airplane models, and some socks. Nothing special.”
    â€œDid you do anything fun?”
    â€œWell, my dad was just out of the hospital and we were getting ready to move, so my mom took Joel and me to Shakey’s Pizza. They play banjos and organ music. It was pretty fun.”
    â€œGroovy.”
    I wished I could say groovy as naturally as she did. We walked up over a small bridge that crossed the creek and connected the street in front of our house to our next-door neighbor’s place, which was set back at least fifty yards from the end of our dead-end street. The house as usual was dark and looked deserted.
    â€œWho lives there?”
    â€œI don’t know. Some old guy with a big dog. He’s pretty creepy.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œHe never comes out. But one time Joel saw him watching us through a telescope.”
    â€œThat is creepy.”
    The creek below the bridge was a wide path of ice lined on both sides by rows of river willow.
    â€œIt’s kind of pretty,” she said. “The way it all froze up like that. Is it safe to walk on?”
    â€œThe ice is like a foot thick. Joel and I tried to break it with a hammer but couldn’t.”
    I walked down the side of the steep bank, slipped once on the snow but quickly regained my footing. Grace stood at the top of the bank. “I’m going to fall.”
    â€œI’ll help you.” I walked halfway back up and held out my hand. She took it and followed my steps down to the side of the creek. I stepped onto the ice. “See. It’s like concrete.”
    She followed after me. “It feels solid.”
    She slipped and I reached out for her. Grace grabbed on to me, laughing. “It’s okay. I’m just clumsy.” She didn’t let go of my arm, which I didn’t mind. We walked down the creek toward the backyard, completely hidden to the world by the willows that grew on both sides creating an arched corridor.
    â€œHave you ever tried skating on this?”
    â€œI don’t know how to skate.”
    â€œI do. It’s fun.” She slid across on one leg, the other out behind her, her arms spread wide. “Look, I’m Sonja Henie.”
    â€œI like hockey,” I said. I reached in my pocket and took out a bottle cap, then dropped it on the ice and kicked it with the side