Anna's Visions by Joy Redmond Page B

stood six-four and weighed over two hundred
pounds, but he was tenderhearted and Tori could see tears welling up. He
quickly reached for the camera and took a picture of her mother standing
between her and Jill, with her arms wrapped around their waists. Then her
mother took one of her dad doing exactly the same thing.
    After the picture taking, Daddy said, “Okay,
everybody, let’s roll. We don’t want to be late for the big night.”
    As they stepped out of the house, Rose and Cliff
appeared on their back porch. Daddy called out, “Jill is riding with us, Okay?
See you there.” He held the back car door open for the girls, as if they were
princesses being driven to the ball.
    When they arrived at the school, Jill’s dad pulled his
car beside Tori’s parents’ car. Tori and Jill jumped out just as Grammy and
Poppy pulled their pickup in on the other side.
    Tori laughed. “Hey, they just made a car-and-pickup
sandwich!” She grabbed Jill’s hand. “Hurry up! We’ve got to go in the side door
and get in line before the principal starts yelling.”
    As they started toward the school, Grammy called out
to them, “What’s the big rush? Do you two have to primp before you make your
grand entry?”
    “Something like that,” Tori
called over her shoulder. “We’ve got to hurry. We’ll see you inside.” She
stopped for a minute, turned back toward Grammy, and added, “We’ve got our bags
all packed. We’re going to stay with you and Poppy for a few days?”
    “That’s fine,” Grammy replied. “See you later,
alligator.”
    “After while, crocodile,” Tori answered.
    The commencement was short and simple. The principal
gave a brief speech, and then called names as each student walked across the
stage to receive their diplomas. When it was over, Tori hoped she could make it
down the three steps from the stage to the gym floor without falling, since all
the flashbulbs were blinding her. Tommy Hill was behind her, but she was
determined not to let him get close enough to touch her.
    After Tori had navigated the steps, she hurried to her
parents and gave them each a kiss. Jill kissed her parents, and then she and
Tori rushed toward Grammy and Poppy.
    “Okay, we’re ready to go as soon as we get our bags
out of the trunk,” Tori said, grabbing Jill’s hand and turning to head for the
car.
    Jill pulled her hand away. “Tori, ever since first
grade you’ve been dragging me around by the hand as if I don’t have sense
enough to know which way to go. Well, from now on I’ll have you know that I’m
not blind – and I’m not some ragdoll you can just drag around!”
    “Well, excuse me!” Tori said, her eyes widening and
her brow furring. Jill had never pulled away. Then Tori crossed her arms across
her chest and pouted.
    “Oh, come on,” Jill said with a laugh. “Let’s get out
of here!” She took Tori’s hand and this time Tori let Jill lead the way out to
the car. Her dad opened the trunk, took out their suitcases, and hoisted them
into the bed of the pickup. Tori and Jill kissed their parents again, and then
stepped onto the bumper, heaved themselves over the tailgate, and sat in the
truck bed. They kicked off their shoes and let their legs dangle over the side all
the way to the farm.
    A short time later, Poppy pulled the pickup into the
long driveway. Tori loved the sight of their two-story white house with its
concrete porch that went across the front, painted forest-green to match the
shutters. There was no place on earth like the Morgan farm, and it always gave
her a warm, fuzzy feeling. Winter or summer, it was a fun place to be.

 
    * * * *

 
    One day in mid August, Tori and Jill were sitting on
the porch swing after gathering eggs. Grammy came out of the house with two
glasses of lemonade and sat between them, drawing in a deep breath as if she
were more tired than usual.
    Then she gave each of them a sly look and said with a
chuckle, “Well, my goodness. You two girls have done