Kin by Lesley Crewe Read Free Book Online Page B

flu, but she’s heartsick.”
    â€œWhat does that mean?”
    â€œYou know that she’s not a very strong little girl.”
    Annie nodded.
    â€œWell, everything that has happened to her in the last few months has been more than she can bear. She has no father or siblings. She lost her mother and her home. She came to live with Mrs. Butts, who shouldn’t be allowed to have a dog, much less a child, and to top it all off, she’s deathly afraid of her teacher. When she tore up her book and ran blindly into the snow, that’s because she couldn’t take anymore. She broke down. She’s so tired and sad and missing her mother.”
    Annie stood up. “That’s why she needs to live with us! You can be her mother and I can be her sister and Davy can be her brother. Then she’ll be happy. Oh, please!”
    â€œI’m not finished. Sit down.”
    Annie didn’t want to sit down, but she did what she was told.
    â€œYour father and I have given this a great deal of thought. I know you’d like to have Lila live with us. We all love her. We do. But I don’t think Lila can handle going back to school here.”
    â€œShe’ll have a new teacher next year. Then it won’t be so bad.”
    â€œLila doesn’t have the strength to cope with it. I asked her.”
    â€œThat’s not fair! Where is she going to go? You’re not sending her back to Mrs. Butts, are you?”
    â€œHeavens, no. Lila and I had a long talk today and she’s happy with what we’ve decided.”
    â€œWhat is it?”
    â€œYou know Mr. and Mrs. Johnson in Round Island.”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œWell, they’ve never been able to have children, and they’ve offered Lila a home with them. She and Boots will live with them in that wonderful bedroom at the top of the stairs and go to a very small school. That way Lila can have a new family, with her own bedroom and backyard to play in.”
    Annie’s lip quivered. “But we won’t be together.”
    â€œI know you will miss her terribly, but Lila deserves a second chance. It’s about what will make her happy, not you.”
    Annie turned her head away. She sat and stewed and her mother let her. They didn’t say anything for quite a while.
    â€œShe agreed right away, Annie. I didn’t talk her into it. And remember that you and Lila will be able to spend every summer together from now on.”
    She hadn’t thought of that; her best friend on the beach with her in Round Island.
    â€œI’d like that.”
    â€œI knew you would.”
    â€œBut what about Mrs. Butts?”
    â€œDon’t worry about her. Your father spoke to her this morning.”
    Lila went to live with the Johnsons two weeks later. It took her that long to recuperate, or so Mom said. She was probably right; Lila slept a lot. But then Annie thought maybe it was because Mom didn’t want to let her go. She ran out and bought Lila a few practical things, like underwear, socks, and pyjamas. Eunie Johnson told Mom that she’d bought enough to clothe two children and begged her not to go overboard. She said she and Joe had fixed up the bedroom and bought lots of toys. Annie wanted to see it.
    In the end, they all went with Lila on the journey to her new home. They borrowed Uncle Howard’s Ford again, and Mom made a picnic lunch for some reason. Dad didn’t think that was necessary, but Mom wouldn’t be swayed, because she thought Lila might get hungry before she got there.
    For the most part, it was a subdued drive. Lila held Boots and Annie rubbed the cat’s head to keep her still. David spent his time looking out the window. Annie was used to her father being quiet, but for her mother not to be gabbing away was strange.
    This time, when they pulled up into the Johnson driveway, it looked like a winter wonderland. There was snow on all the trees, which made them look like Christmas