Waiting for Dusk Read Free Page B

to do everything I do. She
likes everything I like. Isn’t that right, Anna?” Lucinda continued
to badger her. “Not talking tonight?”
    Without saying a word, Anna got up and
left.
    “Lucinda!” Ruthie said. “Sometimes we have to
forgive those who we feel trespass against us.”
    Lucinda, her eyes still fiery, turned to
Ruthie. She grabbed a pillow and smacked Ruthie with it. “Pillow
fight!” she screamed.
    At that moment, there was a tap at the
window. The girls grew quiet and all turned toward the window. It
was nearing dusk and hard to see.
    “Probably some creature,” Ruthie said
casually.
    Then there was a tap, tap, tapping sound
again.
    “Unless it knows how to make a rhythmic
tapping sound, I don’t think it’s an animal. I’m going out there to
see,” said Katie.
    “Not a good idea!” Lucinda shouted after
her.
    By then Katie was down the hall and out the
door. The warm night air hit her face. It felt good to get out of
Lucinda’s room. It was closing in on her, especially after the
strange attack on Anna.
    Katie was deep in thought, when she heard a
sound. A footstep? She spun around to see Drew standing there. “Oh,
I didn’t mean to startle you, Miss Kathryn. You did say you were
staying at the boardinghouse and I thought I’d come to see if you
are comfortable. If you have everything you need.”
    That’s a good line, Katie thought. He
was so handsome in the moonlight she could have stayed in that spot
forever. Drew walked over to her. “I have never seen anyone as
beautiful as you.”
    “Lights out!” Mrs. Johansson called in the
distance.
    Katie couldn’t help it. It was her dream
after all. She fell into Drew’s arms and kissed him. He kissed her
back. They seemed to melt into each other as one. Right then and
there Katie wished that it was not a dream and that it would never
end.
     

Chapter Four
     
    “ Time to get up! Time
to get up!” Mrs. Johansson knocked on Katie’s door.
    Katie groaned and rolled over. Then she sat
up in bed. “Drew!” she said aloud to no one. She gasped.
    She was staring at a pale sky blue wall. That
was not the pine wall of the boardinghouse. It was definitely her
bedroom. The large 3-D butterflies her father helped mount on the
walls seem to flutter in the morning light. Her blue and yellow
floral quilt was kicked off the bed, lying on the floor. Her cream
color desk and dresser were in place. Even the black leather-bound
book was on the nightstand. It was all a dream.
    Katie put her head in her hands. It seemed
too real but she knew in her heart of hearts that’s all it was. She
slid out of bed and opened her door. There in the familiar hallway
stood Mrs. Johnson. “Oh, MiMi, it is you!”
    “Who do you think it would be, child? The
boogeyman?” Mrs. Johnson chuckled.
    “Well, what are you doing here, since I don’t
need a babysitter anymore?” Katie teased.
    “Your mother asked me to make sure you were
up and dressed by the time she got home. She has a surprise for
you.”
    “A surprise? What is it?”
    “It’s not a surprise if I tell you, is it?
Now get yourself dressed and come down and have something to
eat.”
    Katie went back into her room. Should I
tell MiMi about my dream? She’s good at analyzing dreams and always
makes me feel better.
    But it was different this time, it all felt
so real, she decided against telling her.
    When Katie got downstairs, she found Mrs.
Johnson in the kitchen. There was a bowl of cereal and a glass of
juice waiting for her.
    “Cereal? That’s all?” Mrs. Johnson was known
for her famous breakfasts and always made something special for
her.
    “You slept late and your mother wants you
ready to leave when she gets home. You’ll be eating again soon
enough.” Mrs. Johnson packed a picnic basket.
    What was going on? A picnic? That’s the
surprise?
    Katie’s mom walked in the door. “Thanks so
much, Maya. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
    “Oh, you won’t ever have to find out.”