Learning Not to Drown Read Free Page A

early; I have a good job lined up and will be renting a house across the street from you, so you’ll always know what I’m doing, and I’ve met a nice Catholic girl to marry and start a family with.” HA! Like that would ever happen.
    My cell phone buzzes in my pocket. A text from Drea: “Still on?”
    â€œAs planned,” I text back, and toss my phone onto my bed. If Mom had said yes to the trip, I wouldn’t have risked losing that opportunity by sneaking out tonight. Now . . . forget it. I’m going.
    Only five hours. Five hours until I’m out of here. I hate this house and I hate my mom and I hate Lukefor calling at the wrong time. Wrong place at the wrong time. Luke is always in the wrong place at the wrong time. My fingers tap on my knees, little spikes of angry energy. Even watching my fish tranquilly swimming circles in my aquarium isn’t doing anything to calm me down.
    To quiet my hands I grab a half-knitted beanie from my bedside table and squeeze the skein of mohair yarn. Snow white to contrast with Skye’s black hair. I loop the yarn over the needle and start a new row of stitches. I’ll be done with hers by tonight, which leaves just Drea’s and Omar’s to go. It’s weird, knitting hats when it’s so hot, with Beanie Day so many months off. But I need to get them done now, so I can knit blankets with the leftover yarn for the kids at the shelter before the temperature drops.
    The needles make a quiet click as each stitch slips off, reminding me of Granny sitting in her rocking chair when Papa was in one of his moods. Clicking and rocking—a little island of calm making something beautiful.
    Click. Click. Click. I cast off the final stitches, then go to my bookcase and grab the Knit Slouchy Beanies magazine I picked up at a yard sale for the pattern I’m sure Drea will love. And there was one in there that Luke might like too.
    Luke. Luke will not be coming home immediately. Disappointment instantly swirls, overtaking any anger I had left. It’s been so long since I’ve seen him. Close to four years. Couldn’t he at least come home for a visit? Just a quick one? Then start his new job?
    I know I’m being selfish. If Luke came home, hecould lose his opportunity. He’s twenty-nine years old. He’ll need to make money. Need the structure of a schedule, as my father always says.
    Any job is important, but with the right job maybe he’ll stay out of prison, Skeleton will go away, the whispers will stop, and my favorite memories of Luke will snap together perfectly with the present, making a picture I can see and understand. It sounds impossible, but I have to hope.
    With the right job, this time it could be different.

Chapter 4:
Wins and Losses
THEN: Age Six
    Luke didn’t have to work anymore, so we stayed at the lake late, wading into the water after the lifeguard had gone home. He carefully led me by the hand toward the forbidden side, the swamp.
    â€œMommy doesn’t want me to go over here,” I said, clutching Luke’s hand tighter, feeling my toes sinking deep into the mud. “And neither do the lifeguards. They blow their whistles whenever anyone gets too close.”
    â€œDo you know why they don’t want us over here?” Luke bent down, his nose touching mine.
    â€œBecause we’ll drown,” I told him, looking down at the water, embarrassed. “I still can’t swim.” Most of my friends could at least dog-paddle.
    â€œYou can’t?” Luke asked. His mouth dropped open, like he was shocked by this information. “Well, wanna learn right now?”
    â€œIn the swamp?” I crinkled my nose. “Yuck.”
    â€œOkay. Later. But quit worrying. I won’t let you drown.” Luke gave my hand an extra squeeze.
    â€œThe truth is”—Luke led me farther into the swamp—“the best frogs are on this side of the lake. If you