The Winner's Game(86)

“Uh-huh. I thought the kids would enjoy it too, so we’ll all go.” He turns back to Cade and Bree. “It’s down the beach a ways, but I thought we could walk there. We’ll probably need to leave by about five, so you two make sure Ann knows, so she’s ready to go.”





              Chapter 33





Cade




YOU CAN’T JUST leave by yourself,” I tell Bree after my parents are gone. She’s heading out the back door in her flip-flops.

“Sure I can. Just watch me.” She opens the door and walks onto the deck without slowing down.

I run out after her. “But what about Ann?”

“She’s your problem until Mom and Dad get back. I’m not staying inside all day when I don’t have to.” I continue watching for a minute longer as she tiptoes across the lawn, onto the sand, and starts walking north up the beach.

“Great,” I mumble as I go back inside. “Now I’m stuck.” It’s my own fault, though. If I hadn’t opened my big mouth about Tanner, Ann wouldn’t be upstairs crying, and I wouldn’t be here babysitting her. I do feel bad about it. I mean…I wasn’t trying to be a jerk.

After a while I go up to Ann’s room to talk to her about what I said, but she’s locked me out. All she says to me through the door is, “Go away, Cade, I’m not in the mood to talk.”

So I try again a little later.

And then again.

“Fine,” I tell her on the fourth attempt, “but don’t say I didn’t try. Oh yeah, and I left your meds outside the door. Mom says you haven’t taken them in a couple days. Just because you’re mad at Tanner doesn’t mean you can stop taking your medicine. And Dad says you need to be ready to walk to the Stephanie Inn for dinner by five. You can’t wear shorts, but pants and flip-flops are OK. And in case you’re wondering, I really am sorry about what I said.”

At two o’clock Bree finally returns.

My parents don’t get home until after four o’clock. I consider telling them about Bree, but I decide not to so I can give myself a point for not tattling. Ann still hasn’t come out of her room. In fact, she doesn’t come down until Dad calls for her a few minutes before five o’clock.

“How are you feeling?” asks Mom when she sees her coming down the stairs.

“I’m fine.” She doesn’t look fine.

“See, she’s fine,” says Bree, sounding impatient. “Can we get going now?”

“Lead the way,” Dad tells her. “You and Cade.”

As we walk toward the Stephanie Inn, Mom and Ann stay a few steps behind the rest of us.

“Is it just my imagination,” Mom asks Ann, “or have I seen you grimacing in pain a couple times this week? Is there something you’re not telling us?”

“It’s nothing.”

“Earlier today, when Cade said…what he said, was it more than just his words that hurt? I could have sworn you winced.”

“I had a little gas or heartburn or something.”

“In your chest?”

“Yeah, but…it’s not serious. It went away. Besides, the doctors said I might have pains.”

“Yeah, as your condition gets worse! Ann, you need to keep us in the loop on these things. Maybe you’re doing too much.”

“I’m not doing anything, other than reading books on the beach, watching TV, and going for walks.”

“And horse rides.”

“Fine, yes, horse rides too. But if that’s too much, then—”

I turn around to see why she’s stopped talking. Ann is watching an old man and woman coming toward us, both of them grinning suspiciously. The man is holding a long-stemmed red rose. The rest of my family sees the couple too, and we all sort of slow down together to see what is going on.

When he is just a few feet away, the man holds out the rose to Ann. “I believe this belongs to you,” he says, and then he and the woman continue walking.

“Wait,” calls Ann. “What’s this for?”

The man turns around and winks, but keeps walking.

Everyone huddles around Ann excitedly. “Why did he give you that?” I ask.

“Probably just an old creeper,” remarks Bree. “Likes to flatter girls.”

Dad looks worried. He still has an eye on the old couple as they walk away.

Mom is the first to notice a small string tied to the stem, just below the petals. The string has a tiny piece of paper attached to it, like a tag, no bigger than my pinky fingernail. “What’s that?”

Ann flips the paper over. “It says, N.” She passes it around so everyone can see for themselves.