Shades of Red Read Free

tired from taking the steps so quickly, and rolled over to look out the low window. The elderly oak standing guard over her bedroom was bare of leaves now, the snow that had fallen on Boxing Day still clinging to its branches. Snow was uncommon in a VancouverDecember, but this year had been cold, and the snow had fallen and stayed and fallen again. A few traces remained, mostly in frozen lumps under bushes.
    That year had been snowy, too. It had fallen on Christmas Day, but she hadn’t seen it. The medication she had been given had done its job after doctors removed forever the troublesome joint that had once been her right ankle. But nothing could block out the pain of the loss of her father — and so she slept most of that Christmas, away from snow and presents and anything that brought the memory of his smile to her heart.
    The front door slammed again, and another blast of cold air swirled up the stairs to announce the arrival of Uncle Frank. Darrell sat up on her bed and hurriedly yanked off her prosthesis. Sure enough, within minutes she could hear pounding feet on the stairs. Her door shot open and the cheerful, heavily moustached face of her uncle peered inside.
    â€œDon’t you ever knock? What if I’d been getting dressed?”
    He chuckled. “Hey, the number of times I looked at your bare bum when I changed your diapers makes me think I wouldn’t be seeing anything new.”
    Darrell raised her eyebrow skeptically. “Uh, I
am
fourteen, you know, Uncle Frank.”
    â€œI know. And I’m supposed to treat you like an adult now, right? All the more reason for you to be downstairsbeing nice to your mom’s friend.” He wagged an admonishing finger. “Your mom’s really nervous about this, you know. She wants you to like this guy. So what are you doing up here?”
    Darrell glanced away uneasily and touched her prosthesis. “It’s — uh — it’s only that my new leg is bugging me for some reason. I need to adjust it or something.”
    â€œReally?” Frank shot a sideways glance at his niece and reached down for the prosthesis. “Okay, let’s have a look.”
    Darrell pointedly gazed out the window into the dark night as Frank examined the leg in his calloused hands. “Very cool machine you’ve got here, Darrell. What’s this one do?”
    She shrugged. “It’s pretty much the same as my old one. Just bigger, because I’ve grown again, and this one is better for running. It’s made of titanium so it’s lighter and supposed to have really good cushioning. Still hurts a bit when I run up the stairs, though.”
    Frank sat down on the bed beside Darrell and gently placed the leg in her hands.
    â€œI think you just need some time to get used to it. And maybe you gotta quit taking the stairs three at a time.” He squeezed her shoulder. “Baby girl, I hate that you have to wear that thing with all my heart,” he said softly. “But sometimes I think you forget howlucky you are to have so many people working to help you to walk and run and swim.”
    He stared at her for a long, quiet moment.
    â€œAnd ski,” Darrell added ruefully, at last. She rubbed a crease in her forehead and met her uncle’s eyes. “I have a special leg for skiing, too.”
    Frank reached an arm around her. “That’s my girl,” he said. “I knew you couldn’t stay mad at me for long.”
    He slipped a book onto Darrell’s lap. “Look. I brought you something for your birthday.”
    Darrell took the book but didn’t glance at it. “You know I’m not mad at you, Uncle Frank. I just can’t believe Mom is bringing this guy over to our house. I mean, it’s stupid to have a boyfriend when you’re her age. And what does she need anyone else for, anyway? She’s got me to keep her company.”
    Frank laughed. “Well, don’t forget, this