Sisterhood Of Lake Alice Read Online Free Page B

meant that she did not have to deal with other boys asking her for a date.
    Most important was that SOLA all approved of Warren as well. They could always count on him to take them someplace or bring them along with Emily. They often teased that Warren was the unofficial fifth member of the SOLA. He drove all of them to rehearsals in his father’s large Cadillac, regardless of how far away it was. He was always in the front row, cheering them on at any competition they entered. He helped them celebrate their victories. Warren was just a nice guy.
    Warren longed to tell Emily how much he cared about her. It seemed that every time he worked up enough courage, they were interrupted. It was after Warren’s senior prom that he finally decided he could not hold back his feelings any longer. As they sat in his car after the dance, Warren turned to Emily and gave her a passionate kiss. He held her close and whispered in her ear, “Emily, I have loved you all of my life. There is no one else I can imagine being with. I hope someday when I am done with college that you will give me the honor of being my wife.”
    Tears came to Emily’s eyes as Warren held her. She knew deep in her heart that Warren would always be a big brother and never a lover. She also knew that night that she was going to lose a good friend. Slowly she turned to Warren and said, “Warren, I love you, too, but only as a big brother. I am sorry. I have never meant to hurt you or lead you on. Please, can’t we just keep being good friends?”
    Slowly Warren released her. Then he turned away from her as he opened his car door. He took her to the porch, where they had spent so many hours together. Then, without a word, he turned and walked away as the tears rolled down his face. Emily stood watching him walk out of her life as her heart was breaking for both of them.
    *
    Emily was combing her hair in the mirror wondering how to wear it for her graduation when there was a knock on her bedroom door. As she opened it, Isabel rushed into her room and planted herself on Emily’s bed.
    “I can’t believe it …” Isabel muttered and began sobbing into her hands. Emily put down her brush and went over to sit with Isabel on the bed. She put her arm around her caretaker, her helpmate, the only living creature that had ever listened to anything she had ever said.
    “What’s wrong?” Emily asked. “What has happened?”
    “I can’t believe …” Isabel moaned and sobbed again. Emily held her, stroking her hair.
    “My parents … my father … he’s dead.” Saying it out loud caused Isabel to burst into a fresh round of tears. Emily stared in disbelief, tears welling into her own eyes.
    “My mom, she’s in a coma. There was an accident. I have to go see to her.”
    “Oh, God, Isabel …” Emily was crying too. “That’s awful.”
    “I’m returning to Norway in the morning.” Isabel turned to take Emily’s hands. “I’m not sure if I’ll ever be back.”
    It was now Emily’s turn to bring comfort and support to Isabel. Within a day, all the arrangements were made for her flight to Norway. Dr. Larson drove Isabel and Emily to the airport in Minneapolis for Isabel’s long journey home. Emily clung to Isabel and found it unbearable to watch as she boarded the airplane. On the way home, Emily cried uncontrollably.
    Dr. Larson frowned as he told her that Isabel was simply an employee. He also informed her that he had given Isabel a large sum of money and told her it was not necessary for her to return. After all, Emily was now a grown woman and would be leaving for college in the fall. It was time that Emily stop being such a pampered child and grow up. She needed to know that much would be expected of her as the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Larson.
    For the next week, Emily spent all of her time alone in her princess palace, as they had named her bedroom. She had never felt so abandoned in her life. Isabel was truly the only person in her life who