Family Secrets Read Free

of the deep lake in a fast but awkward front crawl.
                I grew weak. The water was getting colder the further out I went. Struggling to stay afloat, I spun back around to see how far I’d swum. Grandpa stood on the very edge of the dock. Raising his cane, he slowly waved it at me--was he waving for me to come back, or just waving goodbye as I drowned? I was shocked at how small and distant he looked. I’d never been out so far before, even with a paddleboard or an inflatable rubber tube--and never all alone. As the remaining strength drained from my chilled limbs, I lost my grip on the surface of the lake and went under. The water was a dark murky-green beneath me, fading down and away into a depthless black. I started to panic and splutter, gulping water instead of air as I thrashed to regain control.
                "Hang on, Jill!"
                Robert was suddenly there like a miraculous vision, tossing me a life ring from the rowboat. I hugged it to my chest and rested my chin on it to keep from going back under. He threw me a rope then he and Tom towed me back toward the small sandy beach beside the dock. Tom stayed with the boat as Robert helped me walk to shore through the last few feet of water. My parents ran down the hill carrying towels and blankets, with Benny leading the charge, barking all the way. I was shaking and coughing so hard that I could barely stand upright. My teeth wouldn’t stop chattering as Mom draped a towel over my back and Benny jumped up and licked my face.
                “Oh honey--are you okay? What on earth happened, Robert?”
                “I don’t know. I didn’t see. Tom and I found her ‘way out in the middle of the lake.” Robert was pale and shaking quite a bit himself. Dad squeezed his shoulder.
                “Well, thanks kiddo--sure am glad you guys spotted her when you did.”
                As Mom rubbed me down with the towel, I managed to find my voice.
                “I wanna go home.”
                “Aw, sweetie. You’ve had a shock--it’s okay. It’s a long drive to start now. We’ll go first thing tomorrow morning.”
                My eyes burned and welled up, overflowing hot tears onto my cheeks.
                “No. I wanna go home now .”
                Mom cast a look at Dad. “What do you think, Dan?”
                He shrugged. “I don’t see why not. If we get going in the next hour, we can be back by ten or so. I think Jilly just wants to be in her own bed tonight, right hon?”
                I nodded. No way did I want to be sleeping next door to Grandpa again.
    “Poor Jilly,” said Dad. “Put your arms around my neck, honey. I’ll carry you back up to the cottage.”
    Benny stood stiff-legged on the log steps leading down to the dock, growling deep in his chest. As Dad lifted me, I shot a look back over his shoulder. Grandpa was slumped over snoring in the lawn chair… pretending that he hadn’t just caused me to nearly drown.
     
                Knowing no one would believe me, I didn’t tell my parents what I really thought had happened. I’d jumped. I hadn’t been pushed. How could I explain how I felt when I didn’t have any real proof or a witness? Luckily, I didn’t have to see Grandpa again that summer: I missed the August family visit to the cottage while I was away at camp. Thanksgiving was never a big deal for us as an extended clan. We’d all just have a turkey dinner with our immediate family and alternate hosting Grandpa so he wouldn’t end up on his own for the weekend. That year, turkey duty fell on Uncle Chuck… and that meant it was our turn to have everyone over for a big family Christmas dinner, and then Grandpa would stay for the holiday break. He’d be under our roof for at least a week and I didn’t see how I could manage to avoid him in such tight