Dark Days at Saddle Creek. Shelley Peterson

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СКАЧАТЬ manicured hand in Bird’s direction. “You’d only cause trouble, and you know it.”

      Bird jumped up from her chair. Her heart was pounding. She wanted nothing more than to break something over Eva’s smug, over-painted head. Instead, she looked at Hannah and said, “Can I move back in with you? Not just for a few days but forever?”

      “Bird!” said Eva sharply. “What a hurtful thing to say!”

      “Hurtful?” Bird stopped trying to control herself. “You ignore me, exclude me, say I’ll cause trouble, and you call me hurtful?”

      “It was better when you couldn’t talk!”

      Hannah tried to intervene. “Enough! Look, folks. If I could make a suggestion —”

      “Hannah, my daughter and I will work things out our own way. Can she stay here or do I have to find a sitter or leave her alone at home?” Eva looked pointedly at her wristwatch.

      “Of course she can stay.” Hannah’s face was flushed. “I love having her here. You don’t have to ask. It’s not a favour.”

      Bird was ready to explode. “I was unacceptable when I couldn’t talk, remember? That’s why you sent me here last summer. You wouldn’t even admit to being my mother! And now you have the absolute nerve to say that it was better then? Well, now I can talk! And I’ll say whatever I want to say! I hate you! I wish you weren’t my mother! And you can just … go! … just go! … to Muskoka or wherever you want. Because … I … don’t … care!”

      Bird ran outside, letting the screen door slam. She clambered over the rail fence and raced across Sunny’s field, only stopping when she’d climbed the fence on the other side. She flopped down in the soft grass and closed her eyes. Hot teardrops warmed her face. She hadn’t felt this miserable in a very long time.

      Her mother was utterly foreign to her, that much she knew. Lucky for her that she had Aunt Hannah. Otherwise, who knew where she might end up? Maybe on the streets. Or foraging in the woods like her Uncle Tanbark, Hannah’s half-brother, before he’d gotten help earlier in the summer.

      And then there was her father. She’d just found out two rather large pieces of information. One, he was an Aboriginal, and two, he was dead. She would never be able to meet him. She would never be able to ask him about her family. Never be able to ask him why he’d left her before she was born. And why he had never even tried to meet her before he died. Not once. She really wished Alec were here to talk to. He always understood.

       Bird girl.

      Bird opened her eyes. Cody!

      The small coyote stood close by, his head tilted. You make water from your eyes. Are you in distress?

       Yes, but not in danger.

       I will help you.

       Thanks, Cody. There is nothing you can do.

      Call on me. Cody disappeared from view.

      I have my animals, thought Bird. What do I need Eva for, anyway? She doesn’t understand anything about me.

      A revelation hit Bird — she really didn’t understand anything about her mother, either. Eva was a complete mystery.

       Bird sat up and looked across the field at the Saddle Creek farmhouse. She watched as Eva rushed Julia from the house. Eva was full of energy, and even from across the field Bird could see that she was happy, now that she’d gotten her way. She ushered the limp, resistant Julia into the car, closed the door with a flourish, and spun girlishly to wave goodbye. Hannah stood at the kitchen door. She waved absently as the car drove down the driveway to the road.

       Once the car was gone, Bird stood and brushed the grass off her jeans. Her anger had dissipated, but she still felt the sting of her mother’s rejection.

       While Bird had been watching the house, Sunny had strolled over. Now he stood at the fence looking at her. Hey, Bird.

       Hey, Sunny.

       Don’t be sad.

      Bird patted his soft nose. I’ll be fine. Really.

       People confuse me. You were happy before you went in your house, and sad when you came out. Is something bad in there?

       No, Sunny. My mother made me sad. I’ll get over it.

       Good.

      Sunny bent his neck and resumed grazing. Bird rubbed behind his ears and breathed deeply. She was starting to feel better already.

      FOR DINNER, HANNAH MADE her special dessert, rhubarb and cream cheese pie. It was Paul’s favourite, and he had two pieces.

      “I love your cooking, Hannah,” he sighed as he leaned back in his chair.

      “I love cooking for you,” replied Hannah. “You’re so appreciative!”

      “I’m appreciative, too,” said Bird. “I just don’t gush as much.”

      Hannah chuckled. “You don’t need to. I saw how you ate every bite and asked for more.”

      I like Hannah’s cooking, too. Lucky thumped his tail under the table.

       You like anybody’s cooking.

       I do. I do.

      “You made an extra pie,” noticed Bird. “Is that for tomorrow?”

      “No, that’s for the Piersons.” Hannah filled Paul in on her conversation with Laura. “Pete is under the weather, and he really likes this kind of pie.”

      Paul rubbed his belly. “Can you blame him? It’s amazing.”

      “Do you have time to run it over to them, Paul?” Hannah asked with a smile as they cleared the table. “Do you mind?”

      “Anything for you,” he answered, and kissed her on the cheek.

      “Why don’t I go instead?” Bird asked. “I haven’t seen them for a while. I could ride Sunny, and leave you two alone to get mushy with each other.”

      “One day you’ll understand.” Hannah grinned as she began wrapping the pie.

      “I understand already. I’m the three in the ‘two’s company and three’s a crowd’ rule.”

      “Never!” exclaimed Hannah.

      “I want to ride over and see the Piersons anyway, if it’s okay with you.”

      Paul looked at Hannah, who nodded. “Great,” she said. “Just be home before dark, okay?”

      “Okay.”

       Can I come? Can I come?

      “Can СКАЧАТЬ