Whistler's Hollow by Debbie Dadey

Author:Debbie Dadey
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: 2013-09-17T04:00:00+00:00

8

Paul

There were no flipping flapjacks the next morning. Only a bowl of warm oatmeal left on the table. After I ate the oatmeal, I cleaned up the dishes and swept the kitchen floor. I wandered outside and ended up sniffing the faded roses. I looked up at the roof to see if I could see the loose shingles Uncle Dallas had mentioned. As far as I could see, they were all nailed down tight.

The front screen door flew open and I flinched. Uncle Dallas stood on the front porch, his white hair waving wildly around his head. His eyes were red and he looked upset. “Lillie Mae, ride into town. Get the doctor, quick. Esther has taken a turn for the worse.”

I didn’t ask questions. I ran to the barn and grabbed Buster. At least I knew how to ride bareback from the time Mrs. Comer had brought her bay to school. I raced off in the direction of town. Aunt Esther had been so full of life last night when we’d danced. How could she be sick? Unless that was the reason, maybe she shouldn’t have danced. If I hadn’t been there, she wouldn’t have danced. Maybe I was the reason she’d taken a turn for the worse. I tried to get Buster to go faster. By the time I neared the first house, I realized I didn’t know where the doctor lived.

I hesitated for a second at the gate. What if one of the mean girls from school lived here? I had no choice but to jump off Buster and ask for help. The house needed painting worse than Whistler’s Hollow, but the yard was trimmed and neat. The porch creaked when I stepped across it. Holding my breath I rapped on the door.

After a few minutes a lady about my mama’s age opened the door. She was dressed in black and very pale, but smiled when she saw me. “Welcome,” she said. “You must be Lillie Mae.”

She surprised me by knowing my name. “Yes, ma’am,” I said.

The lady pointed back down toward Whistler’s Hollow. “My son Paul works in the mornings for a farmer down the road a piece, before he goes to school. Paul and I think a lot of Esther and Dallas.”

Paul! I couldn’t believe my closest neighbor was Paul. I nodded, realizing we were wasting precious time. “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Garrett. Could you tell me where the doctor lives? Uncle Dallas said for me to fetch him quick.”

Mrs. Garrett’s smile faded. She was all business. “Go to the first brick house you see. That’s the doctor’s.”

I nodded my thanks and rushed out to the dirt road. A big black car slowed down as it passed me. I didn’t pay it any mind, I just pulled myself back up on Buster. My chest was heaving along with Buster’s by the time I saw a brick house. I pounded on the door.

There was no answer. What if the doctor was gone? What was I supposed to do? I pounded again.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.