Tied to the Tracks by Sara Donati

Author:Sara Donati
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Random House Australia
Published: 2006-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

Miss Maddie stood at the end of the table, fists on hips and her head cocked at a thoughtful angle. Her apron fluttered a little in the breeze from the fan, and Angie wondered why it was that she had ended up yet again in one of the few unair-conditioned houses in Ogilvie on an afternoon as hot as this one.

“You girls are going to have the best picnic baskets,” she said in an approving tone. “Wait and see if one of you don’t walk away with the blue ribbon.”

“Auntie,” said Anthea. “The year you get knocked off the Basket Girls throne, hell has long since froze over and been sold for Popsicles.”

“And when that day comes, it will surely be Caroline who takes your place,” said Marilee.

There was a long discussion about Caroline’s sweet-potato pie, followed by a debate on the proper packing of a picnic basket. By late afternoon Miss Maddie wasn’t trying to hide her worry about her sister anymore. “I can’t understand what is keeping them. Caroline has always been here when we start to put the baskets together, always.”

Marilee said, “Most likely Miss Junie wanted them to stay for dinner, Auntie.” But right then they heard Louie galloping down the hall toward them. Harriet said, “There, you see?”

Miss Zula stood in the kitchen doorway, smiling at her sister. “No need to get all flustered, Maddie, here I am. Louie, you are making a mess of that water bowl. Remember your manners.”

She looked weary and more drawn than Angie had ever seen her, but Angie knew that her own expression had to be less than composed. She had the almost irresistible urge to jump up and ask about Caroline, who was nowhere in sight. She wondered if that was good news, or bad, and most of all she wondered how she could ask even the most innocent of the questions she wanted to ask. Rivera looked as jumpy as Angie felt.

Miss Zula didn’t seem to take note. She let her sister fuss about her while she greeted each of them, spending the longest time with Harriet and holding both her hands in her own.

“Junie is just right as rain,” she told Harriet. “Your mama is not the kind to fall into the faint at the first sign of trouble, and didn’t I say so? Your Uncle Bruce is going this evening to fetch her down for the Jubilee, and I expect she’ll spend most of the day at Tab’s bedside.”

“That’s good news,” said Harriet. “Because I’m going to be busy running the children’s games. What did keep you so long? We expected you hours ago.”

Miss Zula cast a glance at Angie, and smiled. A small, quiet smile but a smile, nonetheless, and what did that mean? Was it sympathy, or support, or nothing but good manners?

“Didn’t you bring Caroline back with you, Auntie?” Anthea asked, and Angie thought, Thank you.

“Caroline is why we took so long,” Miss Zula said. She took a sip from the wineglass her sister had pressed into her hand.

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