Free Rain by Michael Mcdowel Page A

Miriam lost no time in beginning the task of getting Lilah away from her father and her grandmother.
    Christmas of 1960 was held at Gavin Pond Farm in order to celebrate the new facade that had been raised against the old farmhouse, a feature that obliterated the last vestiges of the original humble old house. The house now had high tall windows and a wide front porch with soaring columns and brick flooring. There was a triangular pediment over the double doors. Grace built a new addition every year or so, and by the time that Lucille had succeeded in properly furnishing and decorating the new rooms, Grace was planning the next enlargement.
    Now, one whole room was filled with the Christmas tree and gifts, and the Caskeys had to sit on chairs in the hallway and in the dining room in order to open their presents. Most family members gave each of the others about five gifts—even if Elinor had to buy and wrap all of Oscar's presents from him to her, the gifts were still there.
    From Miriam to Lilah, however, there was but a single gift, a small box, hidden away near the base of the tree, and this was brought out at the last. Lilah, expecting scarcely anything of consequence from her aunt, who was known for the inappro-priateness of her gifts, was astonished to find inside a brooch of diamonds surrounding a ruby that must have been of at least two karats.
    "Is this real?" Lilah exclaimed, holding the bauble high in the air for everyone to see. "Miriam," she cried, looking at the tag to make certain that it was indeed from her aunt, "is this real?"
    "It is," said Miriam.
    "That cost a fortune," exclaimed Queenie. "Or is that just one of yours?"
    "I bought it in New York last month," pronounced Miriam. "Especially for Lilah."
    "You're too young to wear a thing like that," said Elinor.
    "But it's mine," said Lilah, closing both hands around it and pressing those closed fists happily against her breast.
    "Open a safety-deposit box for yourself," said Miriam. "By the time I was your age, I was already on my second. You've got some catching up to do."
    "I am not going to spend good money on jewels for that child that she will never wear," said Elinor pointedly.
    Miriam laughed. "You cain't insult me, Elinor. And you cain't stop me from giving Lilah more when I want to."
    "No, I can't," said Elinor. "You want to give gifts away like that, go right ahead."
    Afterward, at the dinner table, Lilah contrived to sit next to her aunt. "Why did you give me this?" Lilah asked, still clutching the brooch. "I love it."
    Miriam answered in a voice that was meant to be heard by all the table, "I gave it to you because I want you to move next door with Malcolm and me."
    Lilah's mouth fell open. She turned her head and looked, not to her father, but to her grandmother, seated at the head of the table. Grace and Lucille had happily relinquished their usual places to Elinor and Oscar, as heads of the family.
    Elinor said nothing.
    "Close your mouth, Lilah," said Grace dryly. "You'll catch flies."
    Lilah shut her mouth.
    "Malcolm and I are lonesome," said Miriam. "Aren't we, Malcolm?"
    "We sure are," said Malcolm obediently from his forgotten corner of the long table.
    "You've had Lilah for thirteen years, Elinor. You ought to let me have her for a little while."
    "Lilah belongs to Billy," Oscar pointed out from the end of the table opposite his wife.
    "Lilah does what she wants," sighed Billy, bowing out. "Or what Elinor wants."
    "Lilah," said Queenie, "what do you want?"
    "I don't know," said Lilah thoughtfully. "I'd just be moving next door, wouldn't I?"
    No one bothered to answer that question.
    "Lilah?" said her grandmother. Nothing in Elinor's tone gave the child any clue what she wanted to hear.
    "Maybe if I just stayed for a few weeks... until spring vacation or something, so Miriam and Malcolm wouldn't be so lonely. Then I could come back."
    The Caskeys all looked at one another, each with complete knowledge. Elinor had allowed Lilah to speak,