If You Would Only Believe

The Secret Out

 I didn't reply as I went to the door. I slipped my shoes back on and left. Aunt Sandy wasn't expecting me back until five-thirty! I would be able to see Adam and Emily. I wouldn't be able to bring any antiseptic or food because if Aunt Sandy saw me that would put an end to all of it. I wasn't going to get anything from Mrs. Lane. I turned from the road into the woods. I hid my bike in a thicket and started towards the hut. It took a lot longer than it normally did but I reached the hut without any trouble.

 I heard crying coming from the hut and I ran in. Emily was in Adam's lap holding her finger. The cut looked inflamed and red. "McKenna! Did you bring the medicine?" Adam asked when he saw me. I shook my head. "I'm grounded from coming outside because I came home late. I sneaked out here but I wasn't able to take anything." I answered. "I think it's getting infected." Adam said as he stroked Emily's head. She sobbed and hiccuped and looked at me with her big blue eyes. "Thank you for being nice." She managed to say. I smiled faintly at the little girl and took her into my arms. "Adam, take my handkerchief and dip it in cold water. Then take my knife and find an oak tree. Slice off a chunk of bark and bring it here." Adam did it as quickly as he could. When he came back with the wet cloth and bark I gave him my clay pot and told him to get some water from the creek. While he was getting it I gently massaged Emily's finger with the wet cloth. She

cried and gripped my arm but didn't pull her hand away. When Adam came with the bowl of water I dipped the bark in it and started to rub the underside of it. It began to get sudsy and soon I had Emily's hand soaking in a nice bowl of suds. "Build up the fire." I told Adam. A few minutes later I carried Emily outside and let the bowl of water heat up. Meanwhile I wrapped her finger in my handkerchief and held her in my lap. Her crying had subsided a bit and she leaned her head against my shoulder. Adam had remained silent while I worked and ever so often he would give me a grateful glance. When the water was warm I let Emily's hand soak in it for awhile. When that was done and she was sleeping peacefully in the hut I came back out and sat next to Adam who was sitting by the creek.

 "Penny for your thoughts?" I asked him as I put a hand on his shoulder. Adam sighed. "What do I do, McKenna? You'll admit as do I that I'm stuck here. If I'm caught I'll go back to my parents or most likely be separated from Emily. Plus I'll have a kidnapping charge." He said. "You're only trying to protect Emily." I said. "Am I?" Adam asked as he turned to look at me. "Having her here in the woods, isolated from the rest of the world, an infected finger, and I can't get her help because I'm afraid of being caught myself. I'm protecting her?" I didn't say anything. My mind was busy thinking about everything. Am I wrong? Is Mrs. Lane right after all? I remembered when I came into the hut earlier that afternoon. Emily had a world of things to complain about but instead she'd thanked me for being nice. Adam could stay here and be safe from his parents and the rest of the world but he sounds like he would give himself up to help Emily. I thought about how much Aunt Sandy and Uncle Abe had done for me. Instead of being thankful I had shut the world out and moped in my own little world. There's more to life than self-pity and an isolated place in the woods. Was I just a self-centered teenager? I got up abruptly and started back to my bike. "I'll try to come tomorrow." I called to Adam. He looked after me with a look of total bewilderment. He looked how I felt.

When I got home later on I went up to my room to do some thinking. I could still see Adam's worried face when he looked at his sister. I could hear Emily saying "Thank you for being so nice." I could still feel uncomfortable when I thought of Mrs. Lane saying "your guardians love you as their own daughter and you're too blind to see it!" Love? I thought I didn't believe in that. Friendship, trust, responsibility, diligence, purpose; I thought I didn't believe in any of that. That's how I've been living and I'm completely miserable. Come to think of it I have never told Aunt Sandy or Uncle Abe that I loved them. If they were gone tomorrow would I care? I thought about it and decided that I would. A lot.