Mercy by Sarah L. Thomson Read Free Book Online

sister. There had been another one, Patience. The year of her birth was printed neatly under her name. She’d been five years older than Mercy. She must have been the one who nursed her little sister through tuberculosis.
    Aunt Brown’s family tree had been kept meticulously up to date. There was Haley herself, down in the right-hand corner, and there was Eddie, too, their birth dates neatly printed in small, precise handwriting. Idly Haley ran her finger along the branching lines that connected her to Mercy. Funny how much information you could get from names and dates. Look at this Brown, Elijah. His first wife had died and he’d remarried, but he’d already had three children. How had they liked their newstepmother? Mercy’s father, George, had a sister and two brothers, so Mercy had an aunt and two uncles and—how many cousins? Haley went to count them up and her finger froze on the paper.
    Oh, no. Look what she’d done. So
stupid
. Haley’s eyes traveled back and forth between the family tree she’d written and the one Aunt Brown had lent her. Idiot. She’d skipped a whole generation. She’d linked up her great-grandfather directly with her great-great-great grandfather, who’d been Mercy’s cousin James.
    Now she’d have to do the whole thing over again. Haley crumpled up her family tree and threw it angrily at the wastebasket. What a waste of time. This whole stupid
project
was a waste of time, really. Look how long she’d been sitting here and she’d only managed to write down a third of a page on the symptoms of tuberculosis.
    Suddenly Haley’s backpack, on the floor next to her desk, blared out a bright tune. Haley jumped, tipping her chair back on two legs, before she recovered her balance and dug into the bag to find her phone under her math book. She glanced at the screen to see who was calling.
    â€œHey, Mel.”
    â€œHaley? You sound funny. Did you have to run for the phone?”
    â€œUh, no, I—” It was ridiculous, the way her heart was racing. “I was just—the phone startled me, I guess. What’s up?”
    â€œI’m in the car. We’re going to the mall, Jen and Elissa and me—”
    Haley could hear other voices. “Is she coming?” “Hey, I’m here too.” “Do you girls have your seat belts on?” “
Yes
, Dad!”
    â€œShut up, I’m asking her. Haley? My dad says he can pick you up too. You want to come?”
    On the one hand, she had to copy out the whole family tree again. And there was the algebra homework she hadn’t even started. On the other hand, she hadn’t been to the mall with Mel in—how long?
    â€œCome
on
, Haley,” Mel urged.
    Haley smothered a little spasm of irritation. Mel
knew
she’d been busy lately, she
knew
what was going on—
    â€”but still. The mall. A bright, normal, cheerful place, with stuff to eat and stuff to buy and lots of people and Mel and the other girls laughing and talking and sending texts back and forth to rate guys as they walked past—suddenly Haley wanted that, wanted it so much it hurt, a fierce grabbing pain in the back of her throat.
    She had to cough and clear her throat before she said
yes
to Mel.
    Then she stuffed the phone in her pocket as she ran downstairs. Her red jacket, her shoes. Where was her wallet? Oh, right, upstairs in her backpack. “Elaine?” Haley yelled. “I’m going to the mall. With Mel.”
    No answer. Her voice echoed lonesomely.
    Haley opened the door to the basement and stuck her head in. “Elaine?” The light was off; no sound came from the washer or the dryer. Why had she thought Elaine was doing laundry?
    She checked upstairs. No one in the bedrooms. And Eddie’s crib was empty. The mobile above it, with tiny dogs in goggles and scarves flying little planes, twirled in a silent breeze.
    Elaine must be out, and Eddie must be with