Page 126 - Reason To Sing by Kelita Haverland

Reason To Sing

Chapter Twenty-Two

Western James Dean

It is a day like any other. I arrive home from school surprised
to find Mike in the kitchen. He is home early, with a rather
bewildered look on his face. My stepmother must still be at
work.
“I need to speak to you and your sister. Go and get Vian.
She’s in her room.” He is pacing around the kitchen, refusing
to look at me.
“Is something wrong?” The butterflies have already invaded
my stomach. What the heck did we do now?
“Just go and get your sister.” He is staring out the kitchen
window and he doesn’t sound mad. This is all unusual and very
confusing.
I fetch Vian and we sit demurely at the table. Neither of us
wants trouble. And we don’t even know what trouble we might
have caused. My heart is racing as Mike sits at the head of the
table. His voice is icy calm as he finally meets our anxious gazes.
“I got a call about your brother, Jim.” His voice is surprisingly
soft as he takes a deep breath and continues. “He died of a drug
overdose this morning.”
He looks at us as if he just told us he sold another cow.
Vian and I are speechless. “I don’t really know anything else,” he
continues flatly. “I’ll let you know when I hear more.”
Vian and I just stare at each other, terror flooding our faces.
“Okay, girls?” Mike is sounding impatient. Exasperated.
My little sister and I are literally stunned into silence. I don’t
think we are even breathing.

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