Free Kin by Lesley Crewe Page B

enjoy the crackling fire, Boots spread out in front of the hearth, Aunt Eunie in her rocking chair crocheting trim for her pillow cases, Uncle Joe reading the Glace Bay Gazette in his leather armchair, and Lila curled up in one corner of the sofa, reading, with Freddy curled up in the other corner, keeping Lila’s feet warm. Sometimes they never said a word to each other, but their contentment was palpable.
    Lila made bargains with God that if things could just stay like this, she would be his true servant. She wasn’t exactly sure what she would do, but every Sunday the minister mentioned it so she assumed that being a servant was important.
    â€œDid any of the kids in school mention your short hair?” Aunt Eunie asked.
    â€œYes.”
    â€œWhat did they say?”
    â€œI don’t remember.”
    Aunt Eunie smiled over Lila’s head at Uncle Joe, who’d lowered his paper to exchange glances with her. “You must be a very old soul, Lila Jane, because you can’t seem to remember anything.”
    Lila grinned but stayed quiet. That was one of the things she loved most about these two people who’d taken her under their wing. They didn’t pry. They knew if Lila said she didn’t remember something, it meant that she didn’t want to talk about it.
    It had taken Annie a long time to catch on to that. She always pressed Lila for answers and sometimes Lila would get exasperated with her, but she had to admit, she did tell Annie things she’d never tell anyone else. She knew that Annie would keep her secrets, even from David.
    One evening the phone rang and Lila was the one closest to it, so she picked it up. “Hello?”
    â€œGuess what?” Annie said.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œWe’re moving!”
    Lila felt her stomach clench. “Where to?”
    â€œLouisbourg!”
    The relief was instant. “That’s not so far.”
    â€œDad is in charge of maintaining the ships that come in to the harbour. Now that the war is on, it’s really busy.”
    â€œWon’t you be sad to leave your old house?”
    â€œI’ll miss it, but it’s exciting to be in a new place.”
    Lila couldn’t fathom that concept. She was a little envious of Annie, always being able to adapt to change. Sometimes Lila wished she was like her. Annie never worried about anything, and Lila never stopped.
    â€œThe house we’re going to is right on the edge of town and it’s pretty big. You’ll be able to stay for weekends.”
    â€œOr you could come here.”
    â€œLila, there’s nothing to do in Round Island, in the winter anyway. There’s so much more to do in town. I met my next-door neighbour Erna Jean and she’s really nice. I think you’d like her. She was telling me that on Monday nights there’s Girl Guides and Tuesday there’s Junior Orange Lodge, Wednesday is choir practice, Thursday night is Young People’s Fellowship and Friday night is party night.”
    For the first time, Lila realized that Annie wasn’t exclusively hers.
    â€œIt sounds very busy. You’re giving me a headache.”
    Annie laughed. “Oh Lila, you never change.”
    Lila didn’t say anything, because she became aware of a cuckoo clock ticking in the background. “I know you’re listening, Mrs. Thomas.” There was a soft click and the ticking was gone. “That woman listens in on everything.”
    â€œThen I’ll call you tomorrow and we’ll make plans to run away and say we’re going to steal money from our parents and hop on the next train out of town.”
    â€œAnnie, you never change either.”
    Lila did go to spend the weekend with Annie late in February. Louisbourg had an outdoor rink that had real sides and a clubhouse with a pot-belly stove and music to skate by. Lila knew that Annie couldn’t wait to show it to her.
    Annie’s parents were so pleased to see her.