Red Thread Sisters (9781101591857) by Carol Antoinette Peacock Page B

chairs and the neighbor’s tall wooden fence. She pivoted twice before, like a twirling plate slowing down, she wobbled and fell.
    Wen lay still on the cold ground. Then, with both hands, she heaped piles of leaves over her body, burying herself. Leaf tips pricked her skin. The wet leaves smelled moldy and her back felt damp against the dirt.
    â€œWen!” her father shouted.
    â€œRichard,” Wen heard her mother say, her voice frantic, “where can she be?”
    She heard the back door open, followed by the sound of footsteps. Through the leaves, Wen saw a pair of brown boots. Then she felt her father’s hand reaching down to find hers.
    â€œHere you are, Wen! Come on, let me help you up.” Wen took his wrist and let him pull her up from the ground. Then, together, they went inside.
    Wen’s mother made room beside her on the sofa. “Sit.”
    â€œRug dirty now,” Wen said.
    Her mother smoothed Wen’s hair. “What’s wrong, Wen? Sad?” With her fingers, she made pretend tears along her own cheeks.
    â€œNot sad. OK.” Wen moved away from her mother.
    â€œYou can tell us, Wen,” her father said. “What is it?”
    Of course, Wen couldn’t say. Instead, she took her cell phone out of her pocket. “Hey, how far this phone make call?” she asked.
    â€œHow far? Anywhere in the United States, I guess,” her mother said.
    Wen wanted to ask
Can this cell phone reach China?
But of course it couldn’t. And besides, even if the phone did get China, maybe a call would cost too much money.
    If she just asked, would her parents think she was being greedy?
    â€œEven more far?” She had to know.
    Wen’s mother pushed her glasses on top of her head, as if something had just occurred to her. “Would you like to call the orphanage, Wen? You must be missing your friends there.”
    Wen gripped her cell phone. Call Shu Ling? Hear her voice again? “This I could do?” asked Wen.
    â€œI’ll ask Nancy to see if you can get permission,” said her mother. She got up to call from the landline hanging on the wall in the kitchen.
    Wen’s father held up his crossed fingers.
    â€œWhy you do this?” asked Wen.
    â€œMeans ‘make a wish,’” said her father.
    â€œWish for call.” Wen crossed her fingers too.
    Wen heard her mother speaking with someone in a low voice.
    â€œWen,” she said, “Nancy wants to talk with you.”
    Why would this adoption lady want to talk to her? Was there something wrong with calling the orphanage after you’d left? Did you get sent back for something like that?
    When Wen reached the kitchen, her mother handed her the phone.
    â€œHello?” Wen said.
    â€œHello, Wen, this is Nancy. I wanted to tell you how sorry I am that you are missing your friends at the orphanage. It’s very hard at first, Wen. I see this with the older kids. And I want you to know, if I can help in any way, you must call me.”
    The warmth in Nancy’s voice made Wen want to cry.
    â€œSo I can call today?” Wen asked. “It is OK?”
    â€œ
Shi de.
Yes!” Nancy said. “Director Feng allows calls at first. I gave your mother the phone number.”
    â€œThank you,” Wen said, almost singing. “Oh,
xie xie
! Thank you!” Then she hung up.
    She wanted to throw her arms around her mother and thank her for calling Nancy Lin. But when she thought of touching her mother, something inside her stirred and said
danger
.
    â€œI call now?” Wen asked.
    â€œWell, we’re about twelve hours behind China time right now. So if you call tonight at seven, it’ll be seven tomorrow morning at the orphanage,” said her mother.
    â€œWhat you say?” Wen asked. “Seven and seven?”
    Her mother tapped her wristwatch. “At seven here, we eat dinner. But China is on the other side of the world.” She waved her arms, as if