The Moment Keeper Read Online Free Page A

one wanted to dress like me. Grandma made all of my clothes and, even though I thought they were beautiful, they didn’t quite compare with the store-bought ones. Grandma thought the newer styles were too grown-up for a little girl just learning to print her name. So she used older patterns that she felt were more appropriate.
    The teacher didn’t know I didn’t have a partner. She thought Marybeth was my partner. But Marybeth decided that she wanted to dress like Melissa and Kristin, who always wore the latest fashions. So instead of twins they were triplets. When I told Grandma that I didn’t have a partner and that I didn’t want to go to school that day, she said she would make a dress for my doll and that I could take her. So, that’s what I did.
    I loved that red dress with the white trim and big red bow and I loved that doll. Most of all, I loved Grandma.
    “What’s it now?” Tom asks.
    “103. The pediatrician said there’s a bug going around and that high fevers are a part of it.”
    “So she doesn’t want to see her?”
    “If Libby’s not feeling better by tomorrow and she still has a high fever, the doctor said to bring her in.”
    “Do you want me to sleep in her room tonight?” Tom asks.
    “No,” Elizabeth says. “You have to get up for work tomorrow. Can you pump up the air mattress, though?”
    Tom gets the air mattress from the basement and pumps it up while Elizabeth rocks Olivia and sings her a lullaby.
    When I was sick, Grandma took care of me. She’d rock me and hold me and soothe me.
    “It’s OK, Sarah. It’s OK,” Grandma said as she tucked two-year-old me in her bed. “The medicine should work soon. Shh, baby girl. Shh.”
    Grandma crawled in bed beside me and wrapped her arm around me and pulled me closer. “These darn ear infections. Hopefully the surgery will help.”
    Tom peeks in the nursery. Olivia is asleep beside Elizabeth on the air mattress. “Liz,” he whispers, trying not to wake up Olivia.
    Elizabeth stirs.
    “How’s the fever? Do you need me to take off work?”
    “No,” Elizabeth says. “Fever finally broke.”
    “Well, if you need me, call me.”
    Elizabeth nods.
    “I love you. Tell Libby I love her, too.’
    “What do you mean she has to have surgery?” Matt asked Grandma.
    “Just what I said. The poor child has had one ear infection after another. The doctor says she needs to have tubes put in her ears.”
    “And how am I supposed to pay for it?” Matt asks. “That lousy insurance I have won’t beginto cover this.”
    “I worked out a payment plan with the doctor. I’ll pick up a couple more houses to clean and any extra alteration work at the bridal shop. Can you get any more hours at the factory?”
    “They’re cutting back, not adding hours.”
    “Well, if you give me the money you spend on beer each week that would help.”
    “Don’t start, Mom. It’s only a couple of beers a week.”
    “It’s more than a couple, Matt. Have you gone to any of those meetings yet?”
    Matt pushed out his chair and threw down his paper napkin. “No, and I don’t plan to either.”
    He left the house and it was just Grandma and me – again.

Chapter 6
    Olivia points to the three stick figures on her drawing. “That’s Daddy and Mommy and me.”
    Elizabeth picks up Olivia and hugs her. “I love your drawing. And I love that we’re all smiling.”
    Olivia nods.
    Elizabeth puts Olivia down. “Where should we put it?”
    They search the stainless-steel refrigerator for some open space, but Olivia’s artwork covers every inch of the appliance.
    “How about in the office?” Elizabeth says.
    Olivia follows Elizabeth into the office crowded with heavy oak furniture. The bulletin board behind the desk is covered with Olivia’s artwork but Elizabeth makes room by overlapping some pieces and puts the new picture right in the middle.
    “The perfect place for the perfect picture of the perfect family,” Elizabeth says.
    “Per-vect,” Olivia