was offering me a float.
Especially given the events of the past two days.
Did she want me to spit it out all over the counter? Was she having a quiet day or something and felt the need to clean up a mess of spat-up float?
Since I hesitate, she can sense I’m puzzled. She laughs a little and says quietly, so just I can hear her, “No, no, Miss Gwennie Golden doesn’t like floats, does she? But floating, that’s a different story.”
I snap my head up and look her right in the eye. My face must look really dark and angry, because she raises her eyebrows and whistles.
“Don’t get mad, girl. Just come see me when you need me. I’ll be here.”
Honestly, that’s just about the most confusing thing she could say to me. Why would I need to talk to the local candy store owner? What does she know about me? She clearly said “floating.”
I want to talk to her then and there. But at that very moment Jez, Christine, and Christopher all come up to me. I could tell the twins to go look at something so I can talk more to Mrs. Forest, but I can’t get rid of Jez, too. I’ll just have to wait to ask her what she meant.
Floating. It’s pretty clear that she knows more about me than I do. Just like Mr. McGillies this morning. What’s going on with the grownups in this town? She smiles at me and rings up the candy. I pay for everything, and we leave the store. But not before Mrs. Forest calls out to us, “Remember, Gwendolyn. I’m right here.”
I nod but frown. I don’t say anything, but I’m thinking a lot of things.
Mostly: Okay, Mrs. Forest. You’re right there. You’ve always been right there, as long as I can remember. What’s so important about you being right there now?
We’re all the way home before I realize I’m the only one who didn’t buy any candy. It’s the first time ever that I left that store empty-handed, but I’m starting to think maybe I’m getting a little old for candy.
FIFTEEN
I have a hard time getting to sleep.
Earlier, I looked everywhere for Mr. McGillies, but it was like he disappeared or something. After I fed them tinned tomato soup, I took the twins and Cassie on her leash, all through our neighbourhood, calling for him. We even went down to the shack by the fields where he lives. It’s a place we aren’t supposed to go, but it was daytime and this was important.
We walked through our neighbourhood for so long that the Chrissies started to complain. They were tired. They were bored. Why were we looking for dumb old Mr. McGillies anyway? What’s so important about him? Cassie liked it, though, she needed a long walk.
But you get the picture.
He just wasn’t anywhere, and eventually I had to take the twins home. We sat and watched TV until Mom came home around eight-thirty.
As soon as she came in, I went to bed. To think. Sometimes I have to put the twins to bed, but tonight I just didn’t want to. Mom didn’t make me.
I read. I toss and turn. I worry. I call Jez but she’s asleep and her mom doesn’t want to wake her up. I chew my nails.
Finally, just when I think I’ll never get to sleep …
… I wake up.
It’s really late. It’s so late that it’s actually probably early the next day. It’s bright in my room, because the moon is glowing outside. But that’s not what’s really important. No, what’s more pressing is the fact that my head is gently bump-bumping against my bedroom window.
I wake up floating face down, bumping into my window, like a boat gently bumping into a dock. A float boat.
It’s not all that comfortable bumping head first into the window, actually.
I try rolling over, but my body is quite determined. I’m lying on my stomach, banging into the window like a bee trying its darnedest to get out. My body is getting a little more insistent, and the bumping starts to get more forceful.
So I have no choice but to open the window. The glass banging against my head is hurting me, so I think the screen will be better to bang against.
It is, but only a little. It doesn’t hurt to bang into the screen, but it’s torture of a different kind. I can smell the beautiful spring night. It’s warm and smells like new grass and warming dirt. I hear small creatures rustling around out there. The trees are gently waving in the breeze, calling my name.
My body and soul want out the window. My mind isn’t so convinced. A force is tugging me outside, a force I can’t see, but I sure can feel it. My head starts bulging against the screen and I feel the screen give and tear, just a little. Suddenly I worry that I’m going to break through it, which wouldn’t be good.
Panicky. I don’t want to go soaring outside. Who knows what could happen? I don’t want to fly off into outer space.
I say out loud, “I’ll die if I go out there.”
Then a voice outside my window says clearly, “No. You won’t die, missy.”
I know that voice.
It’s Mr. McGillies.
SIXTEEN
What is Mr. McGillies doing outside my window at four o’clock in the morning, or whatever time it is?
“Hell … hello?” I stammer.
“It’s me, missy. McGovern McGillies.”
His first name is McGovern? Who on earth would give their child a first name that started with “Mc” if that was what their last name started with? It was like calling a kid Willie Williams or Robbie Roberts or something. I shake my head.
“Mr. McGillies, what are you doing outside my window?” I call quietly.
“Keeping watch,” he says. His voice is coming from below me, on the ground.
Keeping watch? Over what? Are there bad guys out there or something?
“Excuse me, Mr. McGillies, but what are you keeping watch for?” I speak a little louder this time, matching his voice.
“I’ve been asked by the local authorities to keep watch.”
Local authorities? Now, Mr. McGillies isn’t exactly a friend to the police. They were always chasing him away from people’s garbage and escorting him out of the local restaurants when he got too cranky. They were never mean to him, but not everybody wanted Mr. McGillies and his bottles around, if you know what I mean.
So I ask, “By local authorities, do you mean the police, Mr. McGillies?”
He actually hoots with laughter. “No! My word, missy! Not the police! You know me better than that! Have you ever seen me cozy up to the police in this town?”
My body is actually forcing its way into the window screen now, which is starting to bulge
