Caleb's Story Read Online Free Page B

know if I would have done that. I fell out of one of those trees once,” he said to me.
    Papa said nothing.
    â€œDo you like children?” asked Cassie, staring at Grandfather.
    Grandfather took a spoonful of soup.
    â€œDo you? Like children?” asked Cassie again.
    Sarah reached out her hand and put it on Cassie’s arm to stop her talk.
    â€œDon’t know many,” said Grandfather.
    â€œDo you like the ones you know?”
    â€œNo,” said Grandfather.
    Cassie was surprised at Grandfather’s answer. Her mouth fell open.
    â€œBut what about Papa?” asked Cassie. “Did you like Papa when he was little?”
    â€œCassie! Eat,” said Papa.
    â€œBut . . .”
    â€œHush,” said Sarah.
    Cassie was quiet for a moment. Then she looked at Grandfather.
    â€œYou are not a nice man,” she said.
    â€œNow, I told you that,” said Grandfather.
    No one spoke for the rest of the meal. Even Cassie was quiet. Lottie and Nick watched us, waiting for talk. But there was no talk.
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    â€œGood night, Grandfather.”
    I stood in the doorway of his bedroom. His oil lamp was burning. Grandfather stood by the window looking out.
    â€œThere’s a moon,” he said.
    I went over and saw the moonlight on the barn, the meadows, the road going to town.
    â€œI watched a lot of moons from this room,” said Grandfather.
    â€œYou must have missed the farm,” I said.
    Grandfather was silent.
    â€œYou can read Anna’s journals,” I said. “There on the table. You can read all about the farm. And about us. While you were gone.”
    Grandfather didn’t turn around.
    I picked up one of Anna’s journals and opened it. I began to read to Grandfather.
    â€œâ€˜Papa married Sarah on a summer day. There were no clouds in the sky, and Papa picked Sarah up in his arms and whirled her around and around, her white dress and veil surrounding them like the summer wind. Caleb was so excited and happy, he burst into tears.
    â€œâ€˜Everybody was happy.’”
    There was silence, but Grandfather was looking at me.
    â€œI did cry, I remember,” I said. “And I was happy.”
    â€œGood night, Caleb,” he said finally. “Close the door behind you.”
    Just before I closed the door, Seal crept into Grandfather’s room and jumped up onto his bed.
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    Grandfather hasn’t opened Anna’s journals. He hasn’t read mine. He doesn’t talk to Papa. Only to Sarah, who makes him talk to her. Sometimes to Cassie and me.
    I’m glad Grandfather came.
    But I don’t like the silence.

6
    I didn’t have to tell Sarah about Grandfather’s pills after all. It was the dogs, Lottie really, who showed her in the end, and Grandfather running after Lottie all over the house. All that noise. The dogs.
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    T here was no school for the next few days. The cold was hard for the horses and children. I would have liked it any other time, staying home. But not in this house. Not with Papa and Grandfather passing each other without talking, the only sounds in the house the clicking of Sarah’s knitting needles, Cassie’s chattering, Min batting a marble across the floor. Two times I heard Sarah and Papa’s voices, sharp and soft at the same time, behind their closed bedroom door. Once Papa had burst out of the room, brushing past me in the hallway. He had stayed in the barn most of the day.
    â€œWhy won’t they talk to each other?” I whispered to Sarah.
    â€œThey are stubborn, Caleb.”
    â€œBut they are family,” I said.
    â€œI know. That’s what makes it so hard.”
    â€œCan’t you do something? Can’t you make Papa—”
    â€œCaleb,” Sarah interrupted me. “Your papa has to do this himself.”
    â€œI don’t know, Sarah. Papa’s angry. Will he hurt Grandfather?”
    Sarah’s look changed and she put her arms around