Time for Andrew by Mary Downing Hahn Read Free Book Online

Andrew
will be his old self in no time. Look at this as a brief respite from his mischief."

    Mrs. Tyler followed Dr. Fulton downstairs. Left to myself, I wondered what they'd think if I were to tell them they were right—I wasn't the same boy, I was a totally different boy. I'd never seen them before, they'd never seen me. In fact, I didn't even exist yet. They'd never believe me, they'd think I'd lost my mind like poor George Foster.
    From somewhere outside, a dog barked. A rooster crowed, hens cackled, birds sang. As quietly as I could, I eased out of bed and tiptoed to the window. The hills, fields, and woods hadn't changed much, but a narrow dirt road ran past the house instead of a four-lane highway. The front lawn was smooth and green, the bushes trimmed, the trees smaller.
    Just below my window, the doctor was climbing onto a buggy seat. Hannah and her mother stood side by side, their backs to me, watching him prepare to depart. Their long white dresses billowed in the breeze. Over their heads, the leaves stirred and rustled, mottling them with shadows.
    Dr. Fulton flicked a whip. The buggy creaked as the horse began to move. When he was out of sight, Mrs. Tyler walked slowly toward the house, but Hannah ran down the hill, calling to a big black dog. Picking up a stick, she flung it across the grass.
    "Fetch, Buster," she called. "Fetch."
    I watched the dog pounce on the stick and carry it back.
    Hannah held out her hand. "Give it to me, sir."
    Buster shook his head and wagged his tail. He wasn't going to surrender the stick. Nothing could make him open his mouth.
    Hannah laughed. "Silly old thing. Just wait till Andrew's well enough to play. He'll make you obey!"
    I didn't like the sound of that. Would I be expected to order Buster around? He was at least twice the size of Binky. And his teeth—they must be enormous, as sharp as a wolfs. If he wanted a stick, I wasn't going to take it away from him. Just looking at him scared me.

    But not Hannah. Dropping to her knees, she put her arms around the monster's neck and hugged him. "I expect you've missed your master as much as I have."
    While Hannah played with the dog, I pondered the predicament I'd gotten myself into. As soon as Mrs. Tyler thought I was strong enough, she'd haul me out of bed. I'd be expected to act like Andrew, to know the things he knew, love what he loved, hate what he hated. Do what he did. Laugh, talk.
Be
Andrew.
    It would be like acting a part in a play I hadn't read. I had the right face and the right wardrobe, but I didn't know my lines. I'd have to make them up as I went along, taking cues from the others, fumbling and bumbling, making stupid mistakes, looking like a fool.
    Leaving Hannah and Buster to their game, I crept back to bed. My head ached, my body felt heavy. Weighed down with worries, I stared at the ceiling and tormented myself with new and terrifying possibilities. What if the switch worked only once? What if Andrew died after all? I'd be trapped in his life for the rest of
my
life. I'd never see Mom and Dad again, never return to Chicago, never play with my friends.
    Even the possibility of escaping forever from my old enemy Martin wasn't enough to console me. I didn't want to be Andrew. I wanted to be me—Drew.

Chapter 8
    Late in the afternoon, I woke to see a tall man standing beside the bed. He wore a rumpled white suit. His hair was thick and dark, his bearded face stern.

    Forgetting where I was, I cowered under the quilt. "Who are you?" I cried. "What do you want?"
    The man drew back in surprise. "Who the Sam Hill do you think I am?"
    Hannah leapt from the rocking chair and ran to the bed. Clasping my hands, she said, "Don't be frightened, Andrew. It's Papa, just Papa."
    "Papa," I repeated, "Papa." My heart was pounding so loud I thought everyone would hear it.
    "He was sound asleep," Hannah said to her father. "You startled him."
    While Hannah searched for ways to explain my behavior, I tried to breathe normally.