Free Ann Brashares - The Last Summer (of You and Me) by Ann Brashares

her old quilt of primary colors that had grown fragile with age. She could hardly think of another time that Riley stayed indoors while the sun shone. She put her hand on Riley's arm and then on her forehead. "You're hot."

    "Thanks."

    "I can't believe you are in bed." Riley had no respect for illness, especially her own. She 'd swim in an icy September ocean, get a head cold, and do the same thing the next day.

    "Well." Alice could see that that one syllable took effort.

    � 65 � Ann Brashares

    "Have you taken anything yet? I'll get you an Advil and some juice," Alice proposed.

    "Juice would be good," Riley said.

    Riley never took anything. Alice suspected she didn't like swal lowing pills.

    When Alice came back with the orange juice, Riley's quilt was tucked tighter around her neck.

    "The warm feeling is not so bad," Riley said, her freckles stand ing out on her skin. "I'm having a lot of dreams."

    "Nice ones?"

    "Some. All kinds. I don't think I could divide out nice."

    "Do you want me to stay with you?" If it were Alice, she would have wanted Riley to stay home with her or for her mom to be there making her tea, but Riley never took pleasure in being babied.

    "No. I'm fine. I'll be back out by tomorrow."

    "You think? No calling Dr. Bob?"

    "No to Dr. Bob."

    "How about toast?"

    "No thanks."

    "Bowl of Rice Krispies?"

    "No."

    "Tomato soup?"

    "Alice, would you go away now?"

    When Alice went back to check on her after babysitting the Cohen kids through lunchtime, Riley was not in her bed, which made her feel relieved. Riley was no doubt back in the lifeguard chair. Alice went to Paul's house the back way.

    "Hello?"

    � 66 � The Last Summer (of You and Me)

    "Come on up," he called from his bedroom.

    He was at his desk with his notes spread out and his laptop sleeping. She noticed a strand of his hair she'd left too long, but she didn't offer to fix it.

    "Do you want to walk to the lighthouse?" she asked him.

    He shook his head.

    "Do you want to go get a salami sandwich?"

    "That's tempting, but no. I have to finish this."

    Sometimes she felt she was always offering people things they didn't want. "What page are you on?"

    "Last night I was on page seven. Now I'm on page three."

    "I think you are going in the wrong direction."

    "I erased it because it was bad."

    "No sandwich for you, then."

    "Will you bring me one?"

    She looked at him, insulted.

    "Right. Never mind."

    She looked out the window at the gray water and noticed a fig ure on the beach wrapped up in a blanket. Then she realized it was Riley's faded quilt and that the figure must be Riley.

    She walked out of Paul's room and down to the beach. When she got close to her sister, she saw Riley curled up on the dune, face pointed to the water, but her eyes were closed and it gave Alice a scare at first. But Riley's eyes opened and she smiled.

    "How are you feeling?" Alice asked.

    "Good." She sat up, keeping her quilt tight around her.

    Alice could tell by her eyes and her cheeks that she was still feverish. "Are you sure?"

    � 67 � Ann Brashares

    She looked around her. "These dreams I am having sure are nice."

    u

    "So, Paul, how's California?" Judy asked eagerly.

    Alice chopped tomatoes for her mother's customary Saturday- night salad and felt a bit sorry for Paul.

    "I left."

    "For good?"

    "I think so," he said.

    "Really?"

    "I think so."

    The price of tonight's dinner was parental inquisition, but in a way, Alice was kind of enjoying it. These were questions Alice wouldn't ask but whose answers she wanted to hear. Just as in high school she'd never ask a friend where he was applying to college, even if she was curious. Alice felt bad letting her mother do the dirty work.

    "Riley said you were working on a farm."

    Paul gave a bemused smile. "Many farms."

    "Oh?"

    "I was working on a project--it had to do with a state referendum--but it didn't end up getting on the ballot."

    "I'm sorry to hear that. We really