Moonpenny Island by Tricia Springstubb Page A

still remembers how soft his hair felt. Soft as milkweed down.
    Does Perry still remember that? A sudden smile lights up his face, like something buried rising into the light. A rare pleated shell, poking through the surface of a rock.
    This is why Sylvie loves him so. For a heartbeat, Flor loves him too.
    What!
    â€œYou better call your sister right away,” she says, her knees wobbling. “Like yesterday, you hear me? She really wants to talk to you.”
    â€œGot it, chief.” He nods, then juts his chin towardthe house. “Hey. Sorry about what’s going on.”
    The door slams, the pickup roars away. Why does he have to drive so fast?
    Going on?
    Flor streaks across the grass. The second she steps inside, her whole family boils up around her, hugging and scolding.
    Wait. Not her whole family.
    â€œWhere’s Mama?”
    â€œDid someone drop you off?” Cecilia parts the curtain. “Did I hear a pickup?”
    â€œI drove all over creation looking for you,” says Dad. “I didn’t even get to clean my gun.”
    â€œWe can’t find the phone.” Cecilia turns from the window. “I used my cell to call everyone, but nobody had seen you.”
    â€œEverything happened so fast,” says Dad.
    â€œWhat happened? Where’s Mama?”
    â€œYou ran away.” Thomas is sucking Snowball’s ear. “I said don’t go, but you still did.”
    â€œI’d never run away! I . . .”
    â€œAll of a sudden, it’s an emergency,” says Dad. He runs his hand through his hair. “Just like that, everything’s changed.”
    â€œSomebody better tell me where Mama is!” Flor shouts. “Right now!”
    Quiet.
    â€œLita’s sick.” Dad puts his big arm around her. His voice turns gentle. “That cold of hers got worse and the aunts finally made her go to the doctor. It’s bronchitis. She’ll be all right, don’t worry.”
    â€œBut where’s Mama?”
    Dad’s arm slides off her shoulder. He runs his hand across his head again. His hair stands up, petrified.
    â€œShe’d be beside herself staying here, Flor. She needs to be with her family.”
    The three of them stand around him in a little circle, like they’re about to join hands and play a game. We’re her family. Flor can’t be the only one thinking that.
    â€œIt’s just for a little while,” Dad goes on. “A few days, tops. We’ll all pitch in. It’ll be an adventure!” He picks up Thomas and spins him around. “You ready for an adventure, old buddy?”
    One of you should go. Should go. Go.
    Cecilia pries Flor’s backpack out of her arms.
    â€œShe really wanted to say good-bye to you. She said to tell you she’ll call tomorrow.”
    Without the backpack, Flor’s arms feel unbearably empty. They flop around. Cecilia tucks Flor’s hair behind her ear. She smells like soap and something else.
    â€œHey,” Cecilia says. “You know what? It might be good she went.”
    What Perry just said about Sylvie! Something inside Flor gives a hard, painful twist.
    â€œMaybe,” Flor says. “If Lita gets better and she comes right back.”
    But Cecilia means something else. She hangs the backpack on a hook and turns to Flor. Her eye makeup is smudged. It makes her look even older and more beautiful, like in a movie when the star just gets out of bed.
    â€œYou were right. What you said this afternoon? Maybe Mama going—it’s the right thing. Maybe it’s the only way things can change around here.”
    â€œI never said that. What’s that supposed to mean?”
    But Cecilia’s black hair swings across her face as she turns away. So much for her changing. So much for her behaving like she and Flor actually have something in common besides the same name and parentsand living in the same house!
    Later, Flor’s in bed, not falling