Free August (The Year of The Change Book 2) by Kathryn Gilmore Page A

into it. I couldn’t help but do the happy dance. The Petersons are going to Lake Louise Saturday and right before they left this evening, Emma invited my family to join them.
    Swimming!
    I would get to swim! Just the thought made me want to dance again so I popped in a Three Dog Night CD and danced around my room to 'Celebrate'.

August 6 th – Wednesday
    Visiting the Elderly
    Huh? It happened again. My eyes opened to the morning light streaming through the doorway. What was going on? I sat up and looked around. Everything was as it should be, except for the fact that I sat amid my shoes in the huge walk-in closet. Still a little stiff from the hike four days ago, I struggled to my knees. Or maybe the pain was from sleeping on the hard wood, I wasn't sure. The drapes on the back window were shoved to the side and light spilled across the floor.
    Today, the painters would finish up. They were a day behind because of what I did to Zach. I’ll be so glad when they’re done and out of my life forever.
    Yesterday, I watched from Destiny’s room as they spray painted the side of the house. There weren’t as many windows, so it went fairly quickly. They moved the scaffolding to the back yard. I made sure the back window was securely closed and latched three times last night before I could relax and get comfortable in bed. For almost an hour I stared at my new canopy. Dad brought home a small box fan for when the windows had to be closed. It made a light breeze that rippled the sheers ever so slightly, just enough to move the sequins and they glittered from the light of the small lamp by my bed.
    I never knew it could be fun rummaging through old stuff. Yesterday at the thrift stores was an eye opener.  Sue would never do something like that. I was surprised she even let us bring used sheers into the house. It had been fun turning them into a canopy for my bed. I now itched to try my hand at another project. But what? The Petersons would have some good ideas.
    The backside of the house wouldn’t take very long, but there was always the possibility The Change would leak through the window and someone, or many someones, would become affected. It was best I be driven from my sanctuary.
    From the side of my bed, where I put on my shoes, I could see my Eli wall and wished I had someone like him to share my beautiful canopy with. By the time I did find someone, I wouldn’t be living here. Tam would probably have them hanging over her bed, if Sue didn’t throw them away first. Crossing to Eli's wall, I reached out and touched the picture I drew of him last night. I still didn't understand the yearning for him that was growing and twisting inside me. It was like the quick, growing vine weed that had rushed each summer to take over Gramps’ tool shed. I'd seen Eli, for real, only once, but there was something about him. I wanted that something. Maybe he had a younger brother.
     
     
    The front yard was clear of guys, so I made a dash for the neighbor’s porch. As I reached their front door, a utility truck with two men pulled up. The first guy who got out was short with sandy hair. He unloaded a metal detector. The other guy, much taller and lanky, meandered to the back of the truck, and reminded me of a walking scarecrow as he pulled out a handful of little flags. The short one waved the detector over the ground and the taller one stuck a flag wherever the first pointed.
    “Ah, shoot.” Destiny stared over my shoulder at the men. “They’re too old.”
    Cara peered around Destiny and smiled. Her eyes trailed after the shorter one when he veered away from the other one. She looked him up and down with a sigh.
    Destiny may have been disappointed the flaggers weren’t young, but Cara smiled. It was weird to think of someone as old as her mom ogling some man. It was almost creepy. Old people shouldn’t do that. Although, he was kind of cute in an ancient sort of way.
    Unlike Destiny, I didn’t mind they weren’t young. I was