Rorey's Secret by Leisha Kelly Read Free Book Online Page B

so tight it hurt, but I didn’t even know when she’d grabbed me again. Willy and Frank and Sam Hammond were all running over by the barn, running around the back side because the crashed-in front was all on fire. Robert broke away from Mr. Hammond and went running over there too.
    Right then I thought I was going to die. I thought of Mom at home, and I thought I was going to die. Rorey turned and looked at me, her face like a ghost’s in the crazy light of the fire. I met her eyes for just a minute, the pounding in my head seeming like it could come clear through my skull, but I had to turn away. She wasn’t even helping. She wasn’t doing anything at all. And it was all her fault.
    “Here!” Franky started yelling. “Here!”
    I leaped and ran, barely aware of leaving Emmie and her father behind me.
    Around the back, just past the only barn door still standing, Berty lay on the ground in a crumpled heap. Willy stayed by him, but Robert and Franky and Sam were all inside the doorway, working furiously throwing back splintered boards and pulling at a pair of arms sticking out from what looked like part of the loft that must have fell when the other section came down.
    “Daddy!”
    I knew they were in danger. Every one of them was in danger. The smoke was awful bad, and the flames were spreading toward them now. Willy moved Berty farther away. But I stood frozen.
    Finally they had Dad unpinned. They dragged him out to the grass, and he was so still I thought I’d choke inside.
    “Dad!” Robert was shaking him. “Dad!”
    “You dumb fool!” Sam Hammond yelled over at Berty. “What’d you go in for?”
    Berty just coughed and coughed. He didn’t even try to talk.
    Then Daddy coughed too. And I busted apart and cried. I ran up and hugged at him and cried. He was alive. Thank you, God!
    “Get off him.” Robert pulled at me. “Get off him, Sarah. He’s bad hurt.”
    I sat up, staring down at my father, somehow expecting him to get up and say that Robert was wrong, that he was really fine. But he just lay there, looking gray and black and broken.
    I’d blamed Rorey. But I should never have made such a stupid promise. If I’d told on her, if I’d only had the sense to do something about it right away, maybe none of this would’ve happened. Maybe Daddy would be okay.
    It was really my fault.

5
    Julia
    Thelma was frantic not knowing what was taking place at the other farm. I could scarcely keep her in bed. She wanted so badly to get up and go over there, to find out if everybody was okay. I had to tell her two or three times how little sense that made. She shouldn’t be going anywhere.
    Little Rosemary was lying there so peaceful, but Georgie was fussy in Katie’s arms so I started singing, trying to calm my own nerves and settle him back toward sleep. Finally Thelma was trying to relax again too.
    “I wish I had your faith,” she said.
    There wasn’t much I could say to that. So many times I’d wished for more faith. Like Emma Graham had known; she’d been so amazing. Or like Samuel, who’d changed so much since we’d come here. He was a saintly man, true, and all the neighbors knew it. They came to him for help with things, knowing he wouldn’t ever turn them away.
    Rosemary still wasn’t sucking much, but she did a little, and went to sleep in her mommy’s arms. Katie took Georgie back upstairs for me. And I made Thelma a cup of shepherd’s purse tea with a little red raspberry mixed in. That would be good for her right now. But I wanted coffee. Strong and black.
    I was sitting in the kitchen alone for a minute, just sipping the coffee and thinking, when I finally heard a vehicle coming up the lane. My first feeling was wild relief. Fire must not have been bad for them to have it under control already. I jumped to my feet, expecting my family and Sam Hammond to come straight in the door.
    I’d heard the vehicle stopping. But now I was sure I was hearing it move right on again. Who in the world