Heavenstone 01 - The Heavenstone Secrets

to say I wouldn’t be there. She rattled on and on about the accident and how lucky we were. She told me Noel was hoping to go home in a day or so and that Eddie had been to the hospital to visit him. She said he really felt sorry. I knew she was saying that to reinforce their demand that I not contradict anyone else’s story of how it all happened.
    “He had to take a taxi. His father has taken away his driving privileges for a month even though it wasn’t his fault. Parents,” she said disgustedly. “They forget when they were our age.”
    “Maybe they don’t and that’s why they do what they do,” I said.
    “Huh? What’s that mean?”
    “Figure it out, Susie. I’m tired. Thanks for the call,” I said, and hung up.

    I ended up dozing off before returning to Mother’s room and then decided it was too late. I’d see her in the morning. Cassie must have risen at the crack of dawn, because by the time I awoke, she was already dressed to leave and had brought Mother her breakfast. I had to admit that Cassie looked prettier than ever. She had taken time with her hair and her makeup and wore one of her nicest dresses. In her high heels, she looked years older to me. She came charging into my room to wake me and be sure I chose the clothes she had suggested and did everything to make it appear that I was going.
    “Hurry up and dress. We have a lot to do today,” she told me. I was jealous of her excitement.
    When I went down to breakfast, I was surprised to learn that Daddy already had left hours ago. I had wanted to wish him luck.
    “I didn’t know he was going so early. I would have set my alarm clock,” I whined.
    “You can call him later,” Cassie suggested, “but don’t be upset if you can’t get to him quickly. He’ll be inundated with people requesting this and that, and he does have to make special preparations for the governor. Let’s both go up to get Mother’s tray and say our good-byes now. If you have trouble keeping to our story, just look at me, and I’ll help you. Okay, Semantha?”
    “Okay,” I said. My voice cracked. I was that close to tears.
    “Get hold of yourself,” Cassie ordered, her eyelids narrowing. “Don’t screw up this day for Daddy.”
    I took a deep breath, nodded, and followed herup the stairs. The first thing that struck me was that Mother had not eaten much of her breakfast, and she had not eaten much of her dinner the night before. She was lying there, looking up at the ceiling.
    “Mother,” Cassie said sharply, “we’re getting ready to leave for the gala.”
    She barely turned her head, but then, when she saw me, she smiled and looked more awake. “You look lovely, Semantha. You both do,” she said. “I’m very proud of the two of you.”
    “Thank you, Mother,” Cassie said.
    “Don’t you want to eat more of your breakfast, Mother?” I asked, going to the tray. “You hardly touched your eggs and didn’t eat much toast.”
    “No. I ate what I could this morning.”
    “But you haven’t eaten enough to get you through the time we’re gone,” I stressed.
    “I’ll bring her a sandwich wrapped in wax paper and something to drink,” Cassie said, looking at me and sounding as if she was trying to make me feel better rather than Mother.
    Mother said nothing. She reached out for me, and I took her hand. “You must do what you can to make your father happy, Semantha. He’s had a great disappointment. I’m sure he’ll be proud to have the two of you at his side today. Don’t think about me. Think about him,” she said. “Promise?”
    I pressed my lips together to keep myself from sobbing. My heart ached. All I could do was nod.
    Cassie moved quickly to my side.“I’ll make sure she does, Mother. You just eat what I bring you and rest. We’ll head back the moment the festivities end.”

    “Thank you, Cassie. I have always been proud of how strong you are and how dependable.”
    Cassie simply stared at her. I saw a struggle going on in her face, and for a moment, I thought, She’s going to tell the truth, she’s going to say something warm and loving, but she pulled back her shoulders and looked at me instead.
    “I’ll go get Mother’s lunch prepared,” she said, taking Mother’s tray. “You get those flyers I prepared with Daddy and bring them out to the car.”
    What flyers? I thought, and then realized she was making it up to get Mother to believe I was going. I didn’t say anything. I leaned down, kissed Mother on