The Long Ride Home Read Online Free Page B

kitchen.
    Skye glanced at her watch and sighed. Five after one. Millie said they’d be here around one. That could mean one thirty — or one forty five! She sipped a glass half full of warm lemonade, raked her fingers through her hair, and tapped her fingernails on the table. Where are they?
    The door to her right swung open and in came Millie, followed by a teen girl who could easily pass for Skye’s sister. Clutching her red wallet and keys, Millie had on her waitress uniform, minus the cap, and Emma wore anorange tank top and jean shorts. In Emma’s arms was a humongous book with a blue-flowered cloth and white lace cover. Her hair is exactly like mine, Skye thought. The same color and length and everything. This is too cool.
    Skye smiled and stood as both visitors smiled back and headed toward the center of the room.
    That big book’s gotta be a photo album, Skye surmised.
    Skye was never much into hugging, but she suddenly had a strange urge to do so. After all, this was her real family, and real families were supposed to hug. She chewed her bottom lip and contemplated what to do. They might not be into hugging either, she reasoned and, although she wanted to run into Millie’s arms, Skye held back and waited.
    “Skye, honey, how are you?” Millie blurted out and gave Skye a warm embrace. “Let me look at you,” she said as she moved Skye to arm’s length and their eyes met. “I still can’t believe you’re Jacy’s little girl, all grown up—and standing right before my very eyes.”
    “I’m fine—ah—Aunt Millie,” Skye said. Without warning, tears blurred her vision as she glanced at Emma. “Let me guess,” Skye joked. “Could this be Cousin Emma?”
    “Hi,” Emma said, her voice quivering with excitement. “I’ve heard so much about you, I feel like I already know you. I almost went nuts when Mom told me what happened at the diner Friday night. She’s been telling me about you and Uncle Jacy and Aunt Rita since I was this big.” Emma held her hand out to her side. “She called Denny at the Marine base right away and told him, and I could practically hear him yelling all the way from Norfolk. Seeing you again has made Mom happier than I’ve seen her in a long time. Thanks.”
    “I really didn’t do anything other than be at the right place at the right time—I guess,” Skye said. “This whole thing has me going crazy, too. I’ve wanted to learn about my parents ever since I can remember, and now—”
    “Would the camp folks mind if we’d sit here and chat a while?” Millie looked around the empty room.
    “Oh, no,” Skye said. “This is where the director said we should meet. Nobody will be in here again until five o’clock.”
    “That’s great,” Emma said. “Mom and I both work evening shifts, so we have lots of time to gab before we have to go.”
    Skye sat, and Millie and Emma joined her across the table. Skye wanted to start the conversation, but her exploding thoughts had her tongue all knotted up.
    Emma immediately opened the album to the first page. “Mom and I thought you’d like to see what we all looked like over the last ten years. One thing we’re not short on is family pictures.”
    “Skye,” Millie said, “after your mom destroyed all your family photos, I realized how important it was to have roots, so I started taking pictures like crazy. I have four more albums like this. Oh, here’s a copy of your picture that I promised.” Millie pulled out the photo from her apron pocket.
    “Thanks,” Skye said. She studied the picture and then slipped it into her back jean pocket. “And I’m sure glad you took all these other pictures of your kids. Now I can get to know you much better.”
    “This is so exciting, I can hardly stand it,” Emma said. “Denny said that he can’t wait to meet you, but that won’t be until his first leave at the end of the summer. Mom, how’s that gonna work if Skye’s in Pennsylvania?”
    “We’ll work something out,