Chapter 4

Evan sat down at the table, still mad.

"Maisie doesn't care about anything. She heard us come home and she's still holed up in there.

"Sleep, sleep, sleep. Sleeps like a rock. One of these days she'll sleep herself to death and never notice.

"All she does is get into trouble, and she can't even learn to count."

I did learn. I floated up in front of him and pointed at the pile of empty bottles.

"I counted every single one. Check it if you don't believe me. Bad Evan.

"I'm never speaking to you again."

I huffed and floated over to sit on top of the casket.

Grandma kept reaching for the fish, so I hurried back over.

"Grandma, you can't eat the fish. There are bones in it."

And like she'd heard me, she mumbled, "No. No. Fish is for Maisie."

Molly put plenty of the other dishes on her plate and spoke up close to her ear. "Ruth, Evan set a plate aside for Maisie. Go ahead and eat."

Grandma nodded, and only then did she pick up her fork.

I looked around, and sure enough there was an untouched plate sitting in the kitchen. So Evan was still thinking about me after all. I'm the bigger person. I forgave him.

After dinner, he carried the plate to my door.

"Maisie, Molly and I are going out. Lock the door and stay with Grandma.

"When we get back, I want you to give Molly a real apology.

"You were in the wrong here. A girl who owns her mistakes is the sister I want."

But Evan, I was already asleep.

I floated around the yard and watched the two of them load all the scrap into the pickup. They were making plans to go down to the river afterward and look at the stars.

I watched them get smaller down the street, then looked at the gate. Nobody had locked it.

I sighed. Looked like guarding Grandma was on me.

She was rocking in her chair out in the yard, eyes bright, watching the moon.

"Maisie..."

I'd been nodding off beside her, and her voice snapped my head up.

"What is it, Grandma?"

"Maisie. Maisie..."

She said my name like it hurt, one hand out, closing on nothing.

"Grandma, I'm right here!"

I didn't know whether she could see me, and I circled around her, frantic. Then I thought of something. I floated up under the eaves and set the wind chime going.

Chime. Chime.

Like I was answering her. Grandma heard it, and she fell asleep out in the yard, peaceful as anything.

She'd catch cold sleeping out here. I stuck out my lip and hauled at the blanket over her legs, and after what felt like an hour of it I finally got her covered.

Good night, Grandma.

I floated beside her and kept my eyes hard on the gate. I was scared some fool of a burglar would wander in. Though I was probably worrying over nothing — looking around at how bare our place was, I couldn't think what anybody would take.

The sun came up slow, warm on my back, and Evan and Molly came through the gate holding hands.

Their faces changed the second it swung open.

"Why isn't this locked?"

They both rushed in, and only when they saw Grandma was fine did they let out a breath.

"Maisie... Maisie!"

Grandma jerked awake and grabbed Evan's hand.

"Nobody talk me out of it today," he said. "Maisie Callahan is going to understand how serious this is.

"She can't even handle watching the house. She's useless."

He pushed his sleeves up and started for my room. Grandma caught his sleeve, her eyes fixed on the casket across the yard, and her voice broke.

"Maisie... Maisie's gone."