Free I Wish by Elizabeth Langston Page B

and checked through her messages. “I have two texts from him today.”
    “Are you going to call him back?”
    She nodded. “He’s in Norfolk this week. He’s been asked to design an amphitheater for an art museum.” Her lips curved a tiny bit, like she wanted to smile but couldn’t quite go all the way. “He likes to work on projects involving nature.”
    “Norfolk’s not very far. You should visit him.”
    Kimberley shrugged. “Are you ready to go home?”
    “Sure. Are you taking me?”
    “I decided long ago that I shouldn’t get a license. Mom will have to drive.”

Status Report #7
Thursday’s Wish: Plumbing
    Dear Boss,
    The plumbing is like new.
    I repaired all leaks and added insulation to the pipes. The utility bills should yield an improvement.
    There was an infestation of insects under the house. Since I didn’t care to share the crawl space with them, I persuaded them to find other accommodations.
    Henry helped me. He confessed to a phobia about confined spaces. I am proud to report he triumphed over his fears and joined me for part of the time, primarily in a supervisory capacity.
    I walked with him to his soccer practice. On the way, he discussed his father. As I was unsure if he expected me to respond, I chose to remain silent. It was a relief when he didn’t press me for comments.
    Mrs. Jones didn’t sleep well last night. I could detect the scent of exhaustion on her skin. I offered to cook supper, and she accepted. The lack of variety in their pantry limited me to pasta with tomato sauce.
    Afterwards, she and I sat on the deck, watching Henry kick a ball around. He was delighted to show off for an audience. She shared stories from his childhood, but none from Chief’s. It was a pleasant yet puzzling hour.
    The needs of this family are great. I struggle to remain detached from them.
    Humbly submitted,
Grant

8
Shiny Eyes
    C hirping birds awakened me on Saturday morning. Strange. Shouldn’t the alarm have gone off already?
    I opened an eye, checked the clock, and rocketed into a sitting position. Quarter past nine.
    The game had started at nine. Henry’s first game.
    I jammed my legs into a pair of shorts, yanked my hair into a limp brown ponytail, and ran down the stairs. The house was quiet. I ran into the kitchen and skidded to a stop. Mom huddled in her sour bathrobe, sipping coffee and staring glassy-eyed out the kitchen window.
    “Where’s Henry?”
    “Soccer.”
    “How’d he get there?”
    “On his bike.”
    Yesterday had been Repairing Bikes Day, which meant Henry’s was in good shape, but the soccer field was a mile away across major roads. “Mom. You can’t let Henry go that far by himself. It’s insane.”
    Her head turned slightly, her gaze brushing mine. “He didn’t go by himself.”
    “Who went with him?”
    “Grant.” She stood, tightened the belt on her robe, and pushed past me. “I’m not that far gone, Lacey,” she bit out.
    Grant took my brother?
    Henry was our responsibility. I didn’t want Mom to pass him off on others. It was wrong, especially when the other person was Mr. I’ll Be Gone In A Month .
    Why hadn’t anyone gotten me up?
    I threw on a pair of sneakers and jogged to the soccer field. My BSB leaned against a tree, partially obscured by the shadows, separated from the crowd.
    I approached him in his spot in the shade. “Hey,” I said.
    “Hello.” He didn’t look my way.
    “You can go now.”
    “No, thank you.”
    It took a real gift to make a polite phrase sound so incredibly insulting. “I insist.”
    He turned toward me and stared down his nose. “Is it worth a wish to you?”
    No, it was not worth a wish. I gritted my teeth and focused on the game.
    The field was bathed in hot, bright sunshine, but the players didn’t seem to care. They charged back and forth, kicking the ball, running into each other, and moving on. Since I didn’t know anything about soccer, I couldn’t tell how much longer they had to go.
    When the