Free Looking at the Moon by Kit Pearson Page B

Canada theirlikenesses would still be hanging here, as if they were really part of the family.
    All of the Drummonds, dead and alive, stared at Norah, until she suddenly felt oppressed and fled out to the sunshine.
    Now she lifted her head from her towel and watched Andrew and Uncle Gerald race to Little Island and back. When Andrew won, she lowered her face to hide her proud grin. He climbed out and stood over her, puffing and dripping. Norah stiffened and stared at his feet. His long toes were as elegant as his fingers. He dived back into the lake without speaking to her.
    Norah flipped over and sighed. It wasn’t enough . She was no longer content with simply watching Andrew. Now she wished he would talk to her as easily as he had that day in the boat, but her shyness had made him stop paying attention to her. She had to do something to get that attention back.
    â€œWatch me, Norah!” cried Janet. She was poised on the balcony of the boathouse. Then she cannon-balled into the lake; the aunts shrieked in mock alarm as they got splashed.
    Norah ran up the stairs to the dorm and climbed out the window to the balcony. For a few seconds she balanced on the railing, curling her toes around it and trying to will Andrew to look at her. She called down to Janet. “Watch me ! I’m going to dive!”
    She had never dived before. It was safe enough—the water was so deep, there was no danger of hitting bottom.But the lake was an awfully long way below. When Andrew finally glanced up, Norah crouched and sprang.
    The lake rushed up at her, then roared in her ears as she shot into its green depths. She struggled up through the watery silence, whooshed out the air from her aching lungs and struck out for the dock. She’d done it!
    The family applauded. “Did you see my sister ?” Gavin asked Ross.
    â€œYou’re so brave!” said Janet, helping her up the ladder. “I’ll never get up the nerve to dive.”
    â€œGood for you, Norah,” smiled Andrew. “I was much older the first time I did that.” His praise rang in her ears for the rest of the day.
    T HEN NORAH had a much more daring idea than diving off the boathouse. The next morning, after rehearsing the whole scene several times in her head, she walked casually by Andrew’s cabin when she knew he was still there. Then she stumbled deliberately. “Ow!”
    Andrew rushed out. “What’s the matter?”
    â€œMy ankle,” moaned Norah. “I think I twisted it or something. I was just on my way to visit Aunt Anne,” she added quickly, so he wouldn’t wonder what she’d been doing outside his cabin.
    â€œLet me see.” Andrew took Norah’s ankle in his hand. He turned it gently in different directions. “Does this hurt?”
    â€œA little—not too much.” Norah’s cheeks flamed. This presence was working too easily; there was something shameful about it.
    â€œCan you stand?” Andrew helped her up and Norah was so overcome with the thrill of having his arms around her that she trembled convincingly.
    â€œIt’s—it’s all right now. I think I can walk on it.” She pretended to limp a few steps.
    â€œCome in and rest it for a few minutes. If it doesn’t get any better I’ll go up and get Aunt Dorothy—she used to be a nurse, you know.”
    Go in, to Andrew’s own place? Norah grimaced, not with pain but with excitement, as Andrew helped her through the door and onto a couch.
    â€œDo you want some tea? I’ve been making my own breakfast in here. It’s more peaceful than having it with the Elders. All of them first thing in the morning are too much to take. And Hanny usually gives me leftovers, anyway.”
    Andrew calling the grown-ups the Elders, as he had in the boat, made Norah feel slightly more at ease. She accepted his offer of tea gratefully; she hadn’t had any for ages. Even though children over