Eviskar Island Read Online Free Page A

love with astronomy. 
    Books on the subject now lined the shelves in his room.  He subscribed to ‘Astronomy’ magazine and ‘Sky and Telescope,’ and on weekends he would often journey to the local planetarium, or drive to Cuyahoga Park on moonless nights where he could look up at the stars without interference from city lights.  Navigating through the heavens became as easy for Jack as driving through his neighborhood. In the back of his mind, though, he was tormented by a looming problem: should he be accepted at a university, would his father approve of his plans to leave the family business?
    Tonight, on this quiet evening in late March, Jack Malinowski had something else on his mind.  He sat and stared at Morgan Holloway’s offer to participate in that archeology dig up in Greenland.  Was this trip really such a good idea?  He was beginning to have second thoughts.  There wouldn’t be much to see in the night sky way up at that latitude, not in the summertime anyway.  And he wouldn’t be doing any climbing for a while.
    “Bah,” he muttered.
    Before he could talk himself out of it, Jack sealed the envelope containing his acceptance and slapped a stamp onto it.  He’d miss his folks and the hobbies he so much enjoyed during the months he’d be gone, but he needed to get away for a while.  He needed to go somewhere without distractions, to a place where he could contemplate his future and the direction his life was taking.  Eviskar Island, he decided, would be the perfect locale.
     
     
    Marcia van Wormer
     
    Marcia (Marcie) van Wormer slammed the door behind her and didn’t bother to wipe her feet before stomping across the kitchen in her muddy Nikes.  In the breakfast nook with its ornate bay window, her stepmother murmured a quick sign off into her cell phone and then calmly folded her arms across her chest.
    “Please don’t start with me, Marcie.  You know it’s not my decision.”  She made a show of regarding the footprints on what had previously been a clean floor, now corrupted by herring-bone tread marks composed of dirt, sand, road salt and melting snow.  Gail van Wormer was fussy about the cleanliness of her home, and the cleaning woman, who’d left only hours earlier, wouldn’t wash the floors again for another two weeks.  She glared at Marcie but refrained from yelling when she saw the hurt and anger in the girl’s eyes.  Instead she said calmly, “I wish you’d settle down.  You’re making too big a deal about this.”
    Marcie also fought back the urge to scream in return.  “Oh great, now Ms. Perfect sees fit to weigh in with the other team.  It’s so easy to just go along with dad.  I’ve got to hand it to you, Gail; you’ll score a lot of points with him this time.  Smart move on your part.  The only downside, of course, is that the opportunity of a lifetime will pass me by.  But, hey,” she smiled sardonically, “that’s a small price to pay for an approving nod from your hubby, right?  Know what?  You’re right.  It’s not your decision, so just butt out!”
    “Marcie, be reasonable about this…”  her words addressed empty space as her stepdaughter stormed down the hallway and up the stairs, leaving small patches of mud on the carpeting.
    Gail buried her face in her hands.  It had been another miserable day, both at work and now at home.  Although she’d grown up here in Albany, New York, and had lived here most of her life, the winters had always been difficult for her.  The only time she’d left New York’s capital city for any extended period had been during her college years at the University of Georgia.  March was always so full of promise down in Athens.  By this time the dogwoods, azaleas and rhododendrons would all have buds on them, and the longer days and brisk but mild temperatures carried with them the promise of a colorful spring.  It would be another six weeks of cold, wet overcast weather here in Albany before the