Free Scattered Leaves by V. C. Andrews Page B

said.
"Hey."
"Ain't it time for you to get back to your cage?" she asked him.
"Oh, you're so smart," he said. He looked at me and then he shrugged. "What's the difference? I don't care. I don't want to be in any kindergarten class," he added, looking at me. "I'll see you tomorrow,"
"Maybe," Alanis said. "I'll have to check my schedule and see if I can fit you in."
"Yeah, right," he said and left.
"Timers up on him," Alanis said after he was gone, "Timers up?"
"Yeah. I put love into boys like people put coins in a parking meter. He's expired," she said. "Go on, sit down. You don't look as young as you say you are. Your parents tall?"
"Yes."
I sat on the big, soft chair. The pillow was so worn that I sank until I felt something hard beneath me. She flopped back on the sofa.
"Look, girl," she said with great forcefulness. "I'm no fool. hear? I know you're no seven-year-old," she said, her eyes narrow. 'Are you lying for some reason? Trying to keep being left back a secret or something? I know girls did that."
"No. I'm seven. That's the truth."
"Look at you. You're bigger than me upstairs. I didn't have any sign of boobs until I was almost fourteen." she said. "And certainly not as far along as you are at seven." she added. nodding.
"How old are you?" I asked.
"I'm sixteen going on thirty. That's what my grandfather says. Mr. Marshall." She laughed. "So you're going to school here then?"
"Uh-huh. I got my packet."
"Packet?"
"Papers in an envelope telling about the bus, where my class is, my teacher's name."
"Who's your teacher?"
"Mrs. Morgan."
"Well, you'll be in the third grade. You're telling the truth about that. I had her. She's all right when her husband's home. When he's not, she's cranky."
"Why isn't her husband home?"
"He's some kind of salesman. Sells dental stuff. You know why she's happy when he's home. right?"
I nodded. by wouldn't she be happy to have her husband home?
"I don't think you do," Alanis said. "Never mind for now. You here by yourself?"
"Yes."
"I guess you don't have no brother or sister. huh?"
"I have a brother named Ian."
"Where's he?"
"In an institution," I said.
"Institution? What institution?"
"I don't know the name of it."
"Well, why's he there? Is it a military school or something?"
"No. He had to go because of what he did to Miss Harper."
"Who's Miss Harper? A teacher?"
"She was our minder."
"What's a minder?"
"After my parents got into their accident, she came to live with us and take care of us. She was in charge, but she was very mean to Ian and he put rat poison in her glass of water. She kept a glass by her bed.."
"Rat poison! Holy crap."
She sat up as if she had a spring in her spine. Her eyes grew narrow, suspicious.
"You ain't just having fun with me, are you?"
I shook my head.
"Are you telling me the truth, because if you're lying to me..."
"I don't lie. My grandmother Emma says people who lie are afraid and weak."
She stared at me and then relaxed again.
"Okay. Your brother put rat poison in Miss Harper's glass of water. So what happened to her?"
"She died."
"You're sitting there and telling me your brother murdered her? I never heard such a story about any March. Didn't your great- aunt know?"
'No. She doesn't remember Ian, and she doesn't know where he is now or what he did. I haven't told her yet. She doesn't like to hear about bad things, unhappy things."
Alanis sat back and stared at me a moment. Then she shook her head.
"I know what you're saying. If something like that really happened. I can believe they wouldn't care about telling your great-aunt. She's on another planet."
She stared at me, then nodded, leaning forward.
"But I'll tell you something, girl. You look older than you say you are. Your parents were in a bad accident. You say your brother poisoned some witchy woman and he's now in an institution, and you're here to live with Miss Piggy?"
"You shouldn't call her that. It's not nice."
"Well, you seen how she lives."
"I'm going to help with the housework." I said. "It's not