One True Way by Shannon Hitchcock

Author:Shannon Hitchcock
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Published: 2018-03-23T04:00:00+00:00

Our house was cold and lonely. Mom hadn’t moved, but the distance from the kitchen table to the den couch seemed as far away as New Jersey. I wished she’d yell or scream or something. The silence was the worst. She was disappointed in me.

I dragged myself off the couch and peered out the window. My wristwatch said it was only seven thirty, but it felt like midnight. Where was Sam? I considered talking to Dad. Surely he would understand because of Uncle Jeffrey, but maybe not. I had seriously underestimated Mom’s reaction. I called Reverend Walker instead.

It didn’t take long for her to arrive and join Mom at the kitchen table. I wanted to eavesdrop, but it would be humiliating to get caught. It already felt like I’d done something gross and awful just by liking Sam.

Mom’s voice rose and fell, but Reverend Walker’s was a slow, steady hum. I wished I were old enough to drive so I could look for Sam myself. Sometimes I hated being twelve. It meant depending on adults, and sometimes they only made things worse.

About an hour later, Coach and Miss Holt showed up at our front door. Alone. The haunted look in Coach’s eyes got to me the most. “Allie, can we come in?”

A part of me wanted to slam the door in their faces. I was afraid of bad news. Afraid they’d tell me something that could never be fixed. Like the night Eric died.

I stepped aside and followed Coach and Miss Holt to the kitchen. While I refilled the teakettle, Coach said, “Sam spent the afternoon playing Diplomacy with Webb, but nobody knows where she went after that.”

“Did you try Phoebe’s?” I asked.

“Yes. She was at Phoebe’s before Webb’s, and had lunch with Dwayne Williams and his family.”

“I bet she’s at Kelly Hutton’s house! Sometimes she goes to visit Jenny.”

“I tried calling there and nobody answered. I even drove by, and the house was dark.”

Sam was saying good-bye to all her friends. Once I had that thought, I knew it was true.

“The darkness is what worries me the most,” Coach said. “I’m afraid of a driver not seeing Penelope until it’s too late.”

An image flashed through my mind of a car hitting Penny. I imagined Sam lying cold and still—like Eric. I pushed those thoughts away, because they hurt too much.

“Somebody should call and give Sam’s parents an update,” Coach said, “and it probably shouldn’t be me.”

Reverend Walker drummed her fingers on the kitchen table. “Murph, you should be the one who calls. Mrs. Johnson needs to know how much you care about Sam.”

Coach’s side of the conversation drifted from the hall to the kitchen. She remained calm and professional, recounting all the places she’d looked for Sam. She asked if Mrs. Johnson knew of other places Sam might be.

Mom looked across the table at me. “I love you, Allie.”

I was too choked up to answer, but managed a nod. Deep down I’d known Mom wouldn’t stop loving me, but

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