The Summer Hideaway - Lakeshore Chronicles 07 by Susan Wiggs

Author:Susan Wiggs
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: American Light Romantic Fiction, Fiction - Romance, Romance: Modern, Family Life, General, Romance, Romance - Contemporary, Fiction, Contemporary
Publisher: Mira
Published: 2010-02-23T05:00:00+00:00

Thirteen

Jane embraced her mission. She was relentless when it came to George Bellamy. Coaxing him out of his shell of anger and despair became her personal quest. Of course, she had her chores around the camp, which were many now that she was older and her mother was away. But the rest of the time was devoted to George.

She could usually find him on the porch of the Bellamys’ lakefront cottage. Pa had installed a ramp so George could be wheeled up and down. Each day, she thought up a reason to coax him out. “There’s a nest of robins that just hatched” was today’s suggestion.

“No, thanks.” He clung to glum hopelessness.

“Mr. Jacoby said we could come and see his worm farm. Ever seen a worm farm?”

“No, and I don’t want to.”

“What’s wrong with you?” Charles asked, coming out on the porch. “Who doesn’t want to see a worm farm?” He stomped away in disgust.

Jane felt torn between the two brothers. She really did want to show them her neighbor’s worm farm. On the other hand, she wanted to stick with George and see if there was anything she could do to make him feel better.

“How about this?” she asked. “How about you tell me what you want to do, and we’ll do it.”

“I don’t want to do anything.”

“Even doing nothing is doing something. Just sitting here is something, but it’s not very interesting. You have to pick.”

“Who says?”

“I say.”

“Who are you to boss me around?” He jutted up his chin, glaring straight ahead.

“I’m the daughter of the owner of this camp, that’s who,” she said. “Now, pick something, or I’ll do the picking.”

He turned his furious eyes on her. Finally, with utmost reluctance, he said, “I’m supposed to learn how to maneuver this thing by myself.”

“Then why don’t you?”

“Because it’s impossible.”

“No, you’re impossible. I think moving the chair is just hard. That’s different from impossible.”

“Easy to say when you’re not the one doing it.”

“You’re not doing it, either.”

“Because I can’t.”

“Because you won’t. And won’t is different from can’t.”

“You’re just a dumb girl.”

“You’re just a lazy boy. I’ll make you a wager. I wager if you can get yourself down the ramp to the path, I’ll make it worth your while.”

“In what way?”

“You’ll see, after you get down the ramp. I promise it will be worth it.”

“It’ll be the bee’s knees,” said Charles, coming back to join them.

“What do you know?” George asked.

“I know when something is worth seeing.”

In the end, his curiosity won out. He puffed and strained and grew red in the face with the effort, but he made it down the ramp without tumbling over. Jane didn’t congratulate him; she sensed that making a big production of his progress might only make him shut down again.

“This way,” she said. “It’s not far.” She led the way to the barn. It was near her house, through a boundary marked Employees Only. Going into a restricted area was irresistible to the boys, she could tell.

“All right,” George said, his temples running with sweat.

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