Home Free by Sharon Jennings Page A

it much because it was full of old papers. Mrs. McMillan showed me a letter. It was old and it was signed L.M. Montgomery. What was this?!
    Mrs. McMillan told me that years ago, L.M. Montgomery’s husband, who was a minister, spent a couple of weeks at our church in the summer when the regular minister was on holiday. She told me that L.M. Montgomery sat right there – and she pointed right there – for two Sundays in the pew saved for the minister’s family.
    I couldn’t believe this. L.M. Montgomery in my church! I got all shivery, but this time I knew why.
    I walked over to the minister’s pew and sat down. I pretended I was L.M. Montgomery. I looked around me and pretended I was a famous author. I wondered what she had thought about. I wondered if she had paid attention to every word her husband said. But then I remembered that Anne Shirley liked to look out the window at the beautiful trees and flowers when the minister was talking, so I figured L.M. Montgomery was a lot like me and could make herself sit still by making up stories in her head.
    I wondered if I sat there long enough, would I make upstories like her? Then I realized that my bum was sitting right where L.M. Montgomery’s bum had been. I wondered if she thought the pew was as hard as I did.
    I wanted to tell Cassandra Jovanovich all about all this. So as soon as I got home, I ran next door.
    â€œCassie can’t play with you today, Lee,” said Mrs. Fergus.
    â€œWhy not? Where is she? Did she go to Kath –“
    â€œNot that it is any of your business, Miss Mets, but Cassie has been sent to her room. She has behaved inappropriately.”
    Well! I knew all about that sort of thing!
    So I went home. I helped my mother make supper (we always have a whole chicken for Sunday supper), and I waited and watched for Cassandra Jovanovich to come outside.
    And when I saw Mr. and Mrs. Fergus drive away (they always play bridge on Sunday night), I snuck out.

Chapter 14
    I didn’t go to the front door. Somebody’s mother would surely see me and tell. I went into my backyard and climbed over the fence and snuck up to Cassandra Jovanovich’s bedroom window. It was open, but I didn’t want to call out, so I threw a pebble at it.
    Cassandra came right away. “Go away,” she whispered. “Why? What happened?”
    â€œGo away.”
    I didn’t want to go away. “Come outside. Mr. and Mrs. Fergus will be gone a long time. They always are. My mother says it’s not right they’re out so late on a Sunday, so I know.”
    Cassandra didn’t answer me for a long time.
    â€œCassandra?” I called, but not loud.
    Then I heard the side door open.
    â€œIf I’m caught … “ she shook her head. “I’d better go back in.” She turned to go, but I could see she looked really scared.
    â€œWhat happened?” I asked again. “Did she spank you?”
    Cassandra suddenly looked really mad. “I wish she had!” she said. And she spat it out like she did with her mother’s name. “I wish she’d hit me. Then I would have hit her back! I would have hit her and hit her and …”
    I know I just stared at her.
    â€œI have to go back inside,” she said.
    But I grabbed her hand. “Don’t go. I want to show you something.” She looked back at the door, but she came with me.
    We climbed over the fence into my backyard, then we snuck through the shadows to the far corner.
    â€œThis is my very special place,” I told her. “No one knows about it.” And I pulled her in under the bushes. My Sanctuary isn’t very big, but I thought the two of us could scrunch in together if we huddled close. I lay down on the old leaves and Cassandra tried to sit.
    â€œYou have to lie down. It’s important,” I told her.
    Cassandra made an angry noise, but she rolled over to her side.
    â€œOn your back. So you can look