The Cloud Reader

A Return Trip

Brian was sitting on the step outside wearing a face a foot long. I climbed up and sat beside him, waiting for him to unload. It only took a moment.

"Mom says I can't stay over at Billy's 'cause she can't take me over and pick me up, she's going to the hospital and she doesn't have time. It's not fair."

"What about Billy's parents?"

"His dad's away and his mom can't leave the baby and she won't bring it with her. It's not fair."

I patted his back and went into the house to find mom. She was leaning over the sink preparing beans for dinner. "I'll cut those, mom," I said, moving next to her and slipping the scissors out of her hand. "You okay?"

She sighed sadly and ruffled my hair. "Sure. Thanks, Hon."

"Mom," I started. "I could walk Brian over to Billy's house you know. It's not that far, and I could bring him home tomorrow. You don't have to worry about anything, we'd be fine."

Mom shook her head. "I don't want you coming home alone in the dark."

"I could take him earlier, Mrs. Kingsley wouldn't mind. She'd be glad to have Billy playing with someone instead of bugging her while she's minding the baby." Out of the corner of my eye I could see Brian crawling down the hall toward the kitchen door, eager to hear his fate. "You could make him promise something you know. He'd be happy to agree to almost anything if he could go." Brian stopped and his head came up and he glared ferociously at me.

Mom carried plates to the table and arranged the settings. "Maybe we could do it that way, you kids have been short-changed in the attention department lately. Don't think I'm relenting over that stunt you pulled though, young lady." I shook my head and kept my most serious face. Brian had positioned himself out of sight against the hall wall, arms tightly folded over his chest and an angry but hopeful look on his face. "Call your brother in and we'll see what kind of deal he wants to make."

I dropped the scissors and ran to the kitchen doorway and bent down, yelling Brian's name right in his ear. He scowled at me and made a fist then waited a few seconds before wandering into the room, the picture of innocence. "Dinner ready?" His voice was filled with defeat and dejection.

"Your sister has very generously offered to take you over to Billy's and bring you home again tomorrow. She even offered to take you early so I could go down and see dad sooner." We both exchanged glances at the modified reason. "You will have to provide a very good reason why she should do this for us." I felt pretty good when mom included herself in my offer.

Brian slouched over to his place at the table and flopped down, frowning. "I promise I'll be good."

Mom snorted a laugh and looked at me. "I'm afraid that goes without saying, young man. You'll have to do better than that." She slipped on her oven mitts and peeked inside the oven, shifting her casserole on the rack and adjusting the heat. "How about a major cleaning of that bedroom and getting rid of all those old comic books you cut the pictures out of?"

"Aww Mo-om!"

"Up to you, Billy." Things were quiet for a while and then mom opened the oven again and removed the casserole, setting it on the counter board. "Hand me that spoon would you, Molly, please."

"Can't I just put them away?" Brian tried, suddenly.

"Can't I just say, no, to Billy's?"

I smiled and made a face at Brian. "Okay, mom. I'll do it." He turned and sat properly, waiting for his dinner to be served.

"And that would be when you get home tomorrow or there will never be another overnight either way." Mom dished the food onto our plates and we sat quietly together eating and thinking.

Brian and I did the dishes while mom phoned Billy's mom and got ready to go to the hospital. He managed to dig me in the back several times accidentally on purpose. When we were done, she helped Brian pack his stuff for staying the night at his friends and then she gave me the serious, responsibility instruction and watched us until we reached the corner and were out of sight.

"You're gonna get yours, Molly."

"What did I do? If it wasn't for me you'd be at home right now instead of heading to Billy's." I gave him a shove.

"It's 'cause of you I have to get rid of my books. It's not fair." He tried to push back but I dodged out of the way.

"Those ratty things aren't worth keeping anyway. Besides, it'll make room for new ones." I punched him on the arm and ran on ahead, running just fast enough to keep him interested. Just before Billy's house I slowed down and let him catch up. He stopped and stood, uncertainly looking at the ground.

"What's up?"

"Do you think dad's gonna die, Molly?"

The question scared me so much my eyes started to water. I walked over and put my arm on his shoulder. "You can't think about things like that, Brian. Nobody really knows the answer to that."

"I heard you and mom talking about that man that tells fortunes in the sky or something. Couldn't you ask him?"

"Brian that's nonsense. You can't tell the future reading the clouds." Her dismissal felt shallow as the faint possibility of such a thing being possible tugged at her chest. "You go on now and have a good time. Don't worry and behave yourself. Do what Mrs. Kingsley tells you."

"It wouldn't hurt to ask him you know, and stop sounding like mom." He darted up the front walk and banged loudly on the door, giving me a quick wave as Billy hauled him inside.

It wouldn't hurt to ask him.

I turned and headed back to our house, the voices of Kenny, Carrie and Brian all urging me to speak to Hector and ask him about dad. I started to run, the tears were making everything blurry and as I rounded the corner a pair of strong hands grabbed me by the arms and spun me around to a stop. I started to yell then saw that it was Hector Nublado; his dark eyes studied me with amused curiosity.

"Molly Howe. You nearly ran me over. I know I'm not very big." He chuckled and lifted my chin with a rough, leathery finger. "Tears, Molly Howe? Has something happened?"

Hector walked with me all the way home while I blurted out everything that was happening in our family and the many things that were on my mind. When we reached the house I could see that mom was gone and I was reluctant to say goodbye to him. "Would you like to sit on our steps for a bit? I could make some lemonade or something?"

"I would like that very much, Molly Howe, but I don't think it would be proper, your family does not know me and the neighbours are probably already watching with concerned curiosity." I glanced across at the windows and saw curtains moving in two of the houses. How rude, I thought. "I should just say good night and be on my way. Any time you care to come to my house, we could talk some more-maybe about your father."

His voice sounded eerie and mysterious and I felt a shiver cross my shoulder blades. I said good night and hurried inside, watching from the window, along with the neighbours watching me, as Hector made his way with stately grace down the block and suddenly out of sight. It never occurred to me to ask what he was doing around my area anyway.