Lily of the Springs Read Free Page B

this one bit.”
    “It’ll be fine,” I said firmly, and closed the door in her face, feeling only a little ashamed of myself. But Lord Almighty, I was a grown-up now. When was people going to start treating me like one?
    I turned to Norry with a sigh of relief, then stiffened at the stricken look on her face. “Oh, honey…”
    She stared back at me, eyes wide with fear. “What do you think is wrong with Charles Alton, Lil? Is he going to be okay?”
    I crossed the room and took her into my arms. “He’s going to be just fine, honey,” I murmured, stroking her dark curls. “You’ll see. Them big city doctors are going to fix him right up. Before you know it, he’ll be home playing Peek-a-Boo with us, fit as a fiddle.”
    Norry lifted her head. “You promise?”
    I nodded firmly. “Cross my heart and hope to die.” Relief settled onto Norry’s face, and I hoped desperately I’d spoken the truth.

 

     
     

CHAPTER THREE
     
    “ I don’t believe it,” I moaned to my best friend, Daisy, over the sound of Eddy Howard singing “(It’s No) Sin” on Katydid’s record player. My eyes scanned the crowd in the Wilkes’s large basement recreation room. “Why isn’t he here?”
    Daisy pursed her ruby-red lips and took a sip of the Coca-Cola her pudgy-faced boyfriend, Lawless, had just brought her. He hulked at her side, watching her every move, trying, I supposed, to anticipate her slightest whim. I’d always thought Daisy could do better than Lawless Russell.
    Drinking my cola, I caught a tender glance exchanged between the couple, and it reminded me of what Chad had said last night about our friends going all the way. But surely not Daisy and Lawless! Daisy would’ve told me. Wouldn’t she have?
    The thought of Daisy and Lawless doing it just made my stomach curdle. Trying to erase the image from my mind, I looked away and took a gulp of my Coca-Cola. Where the dickens was Chad?
    “Well, looky who’s here,” said a male voice behind me. “Recent graduates from Russell Springs High, acting all high and mighty because they finally got themselves high school diplomas.”
    I turned to see a tall, lanky boy with his arm wrapped snugly around a petite, auburn-haired girl who barely came to his shoulders. Malcolm and Mardelle, looking, as always, like they were joined at the hip.
    I smiled. “Well, look who’s talking? I seem to recall you going up on that stage this morning and getting yourself a diploma, too.”
    “Yes, ma’am,” Malcolm said with a wide, easy grin. “And I’m heading off to UK in the fall to play for the Wildcats. Just got the telegram this afternoon.”
    A chorus of excited congratulations rang out. I studied Mardelle’s heart-shaped face as Malcolm accepted handshakes and pats on the back from all the guys. Despite the smile on her face, sadness glimmered deep in her doe-like brown eyes. Oblivious to his girlfriend, Malcolm laughed and joked around with the boys. I felt a wrench in my heart.
    Everything was changing. This would be the last summer we’d all be together. These people, most of whom I’d started grade school with 12 years ago, would be going off on their own paths, some to college or trade school, some—the unlucky ones, I thought—going back to the family farm to raise pigs and cows, to plow fields and plant corn and tobacco. But whatever they did, life would forever be different. Never again would we experience these carefree days of high school. That had all ended yesterday. Well, not really. But it would end with autumn.
    My eyes met Mardelle’s, and for a moment, we shared a brief communication. I sensed the petite cheerleader was feeling the same bittersweetness of the moment. “Quite the bash, huh?” boomed a deep voice on my left.
    It was Lonnie, who’d been in front of me at graduation this morning. He made his way through the crowd, hand in hand with Jinx who was flashing a 100-watt smile. The couple was even more inseparable than Malcolm and