The Other Half of My Heart Read Online Free Page A

read an entire book?”
    “In your whole life?”
    “In my whole life.”
    Now that Minni thought about it, she’d never seen Daddy with a book in his hands. Not even a magazine. “But didn’t you have to read to get your pilot’s license?”
    “I did like Keira and memorized the important words. Mostly I just listened to the instructors and the other guys in the program, and I watched carefully what they were doing. I learned by actually flying—first the simulators and then the real thing.”
    “Does Mama know?”
    “She does now—since we found out what Keira’s been dealing with. But I’d never told anyone before then. I was too embarrassed. Proud—and stubborn—like your sister. Your mom just figured I didn’t like reading because I’m more of a hands-on kind of guy.”
    Minni considered Daddy’s face—his sparkling sky-blue eyes under reddish blond eyebrows; his skin, pinkened from the sun and covered with so many freckles it looked as ifhe’d gone dune-buggy riding wearing goggles and everything except the circles around his eyes was dirt-speckled; his nose, long like Keira’s, except Daddy’s was bent from a break he’d suffered playing Rollerblade hockey; and his closed-lip smile, warm and kind. “Daddy? If I do the pageant…will you read a book?”
    Daddy’s eyebrows pulled together. “Hmmm. I’d have to think about that. I’m not sure I could hold up my end of the bargain.”
    “Me either. I
really
don’t like talking in front of people.”
    Daddy put his hand on her crossed arms. “But…I’m willing to try.”
    Minni pushed herself up, feeling suddenly excited. “I know! I could help you—like Keira wants me to do with her.” She grimaced, then quickly brightened again. “We could read it together!” She grinned.
    Now Daddy showed his straight, white teeth. He and Keira had the same perfect smile, while Minni had gotten Mama’s crooked teeth. She would probably be fitted with braces later this year, just as Mama had been as a girl. “Only if you pick the book.”
    Minni hugged Daddy’s tree-trunk middle.
    “But make it a good one. Maybe something with pirates, or airplanes. Not too many fairy princesses or silly, frilly, long dresses. Deal?”
    She squeezed him harder. “Deal.”
    “Love you,” Daddy said.
    “Love you,” Bessie Coleman twittered.
    “Love you, too,” Minni replied.

Chapter Four

    T he next day, Mama called Grandmother Johnson and told her Minni and Keira were coming. Grandmother Johnson would pay for the plane tickets as a birthday present and arrange the flights. They’d leave in a week and return approximately ten days later. Just like that, it was done.
    “Okay,” Mama said, after hanging up the phone. “Let’s see what we have to do to get you girls ready for this pageant.”
    The three of them went to Minni and Keira’s bedroom, where Keira had the Black Pearls of America Web site up in a matter of seconds.
    The pageant had grown since Mama’s day. They now had one contest for preteens aged eleven and twelve, another for girls thirteen to fifteen, and another for girls sixteen to eighteen, the age Mama had been when she had competed.
    The program was only open to active Black Pearls or “legacy members,” which was why Minni and Keira could be considered—because Mama had been a member. There were no state prelims, just the national contests. The applications served as the screening process, although Mama said anyone who met the membership criteria and put down the sponsorship money was basically guaranteed the opportunity to participate.
    “Here’s the application.” Keira clicked on a link and a document opened.
    Minni pointed to the screen. “This says the deadline has already passed.” She tried not to sound too happy.
    “What?” Keira cried. Apparently she hadn’t taken the time to read any details.
    “Mother assures me she’s gotten an extension from the director. She said to bring the completed forms with you and