Willa by Heart Read Free Page B

I’m like, ‘Duh, no, Willa’s home with a broken foot.’ And then I reminded Dr. Swammy about the tiebreaker, and he said, ‘Thank you, Tina,’ and he consulted the eleventh question tiebreaker list and announced, ‘Joseph Kennelly and Willa Havisham.’ And the girl in the mask turned and walked out of the room without saying a word. In fact, I don’t think I heard her say a word all night. It was really strange….”
    â€œTina, why didn’t you tell me?” I feel like I’m under water.
    â€œOh, Willa, you were so happy about the locket and kissing JFK and your private little prom in the barn that I didn’t want to spoil it for you. I knew you’d start worrying. You worry way too much, honey, and there’s no reason to. Joey Kennelly is obviously crazy about you….”
    â€œDescribe her to me, Tina. This Mariel.”
    â€œWell, you couldn’t really see her face because of the mask. But her skin was dark and beautiful, and she had this amazing black, ringlety hair….”

CHAPTER 4
My Town

    Very ordinary town, if you ask me…. But our young people here seem to like it well enough.
    â€”
Our Town
    My stomach is a tide pool swirling.
Why can’t anything stay perfect for two seconds?
On the way home from Tina’s, I stop at Mum’s. I always feel better when I talk to Mum.
    Sulamina Mum is the minister of Bramble United Community, “a home for every heart.” You don’t have to be any certain religion to belong. Mum says we’re all connected back to the very same one and only god and that the only prayer we need is two words, “thank you.”
    I love Mum. She’s like another mother to me. Except she’s my friend.
    â€œHello, Willa,” Mum calls, happy to see me. She’s sweeping her porch steps. “How’s it going?”
    â€œOkay.”
    Mum stops sweeping and looks at me, hard. She lowers herself down on the top step and pats the spot next to her. “Sit and spill, little sister, sit and spill.”
    I tell Mum about the masked mystery girl, Mariel, and how she was a perfect match for JFK at the Dream dance and how I have this awful suspicion that she was the girl I saw swimming in the fog this morning and what does that all mean … and on top of that, all of a sudden after fourteen years my mother has decided to have a baby and how embarrassing, since I’m a freshman in high school and …
    Mum listens without saying a word. I love that about Mum. She’s the best listener I know. When I finish, she takes a deep breath and lets it out slow. “Hmmmph. I agree. That sure is a lot to hold in your heart.”
    â€œWell, what should I do?”
    Mum takes another deep breath and lets it out more slowly than the last. “The way I see it, Willa, nothing much you can do, about either situation.”
    We sit there quiet for a minute. The wind chimes tinkle softly. A bee buzzes by.
    â€œSo, what’s your new cause going to be?” Mum says.
    â€œMy
new
cause?”
    â€œFor Community Service. You’re still the leader, right?”
    â€œRight.”
    â€œAnd you’re done saving the library, right?”
    â€œRight.” I see where this conversation is headed.
    â€œAnd it’s only, what, April first, and you’ve got nearly three months left of school … hmmmph …” Mum raises her eyebrows, shrugs, and then stares off straight ahead.
    I never knew a person who could say so much without saying a single word.
    â€œOkay, okay I get it.” I laugh. “We should find another good cause, another way to make a difference, right?” I stand up and shake my head. “Anybody ever told you you’d make a good spiritual director, Mum, like say a minister or something?”
    â€œSeems to me I’ve been told that once or twice in my lifetime.”
    Mum’s front door opens, and cane first, footsecond,