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front of a boy I’ve just met. Even if I—” The look on Joshua’s face made her stop midsentence. “I mean, I can’t—”
    â€œHardly know me? Becky Lee, what’s gotten into you? We’ve known each other since we was babies.”
    â€œWell, sure we have, it’s just that—Well, you’ve never seen me...?”
    â€œSeen you what?” Joshua looked into Allison’s eyes, and she turned away, blushing. “No, of course not! It ain’t proper. I wasn’t suggesting we walk around neck-ed. Look!”
    Joshua ran to the waterfall and vanished behind it. A few seconds later, he returned carrying two rolled-up blankets.
    â€œBlankets! Wow, where’d you—?” Allison stopped before she made yet another blunder. “I mean, this is great. We can get undressed and wrap up in blankets.”
    â€œAnd eat.” Joshua drew a knife from his pocket. “Go into the trees and get undressed while I gut the fish. I’ll get them roasting.”
    By the time Allison returned, wearing the blanket like a sarong wrapped under her armpits and carrying her wet clothes, Joshua had already spread out his clothes to dry. His blanket was wrapped around his waist like a skirt, and he was kneeling in front of the fire, hanging the gutted fish on thin green branches above the flames. He had propped open the sides of the fish with short sticks.
    Feeling self-conscious again, Allison tiptoed to the fire and spread out the calico dress, bloomers, and camisole on soft pine needles. When she was done, she knelt in front of Joshua.
    â€œAnything I can do?”
    â€œNo, I’m just about done,” he said, hanging the fourth fish on a branch above the fire and poking the other end of the stick into the ground. “Just settle in. The fish don’t take but a few—” Joshua looked up and his eyes opened wide. He stared at Allison’s bruised shoulder and arm. “Becky Lee, what on Earth?”
    He was at her side in an instant. “It was
her,
wasn’t it?” Joshua examined the bruised arm. His touch was butterfly soft. When he looked back up, his eyes had lost their laughter.
    â€œWasn’t it?” he insisted.
    Allison shrugged her good shoulder. “I’m not sure ... I guess so.”
    â€œWhat do you mean, you’re not sure? You couldn’t have slept through a beating like this.”
    â€œI just don’t know.” Allison turned away. How could she explain?
    Joshua’s eyes narrowed. “You been having any more of them spells you was telling me about?”
    â€œSpells?”
    â€œYou don’t have to be afraid to tell me, Becky. Anyway, I know it was your mama. It’s always your mama.” Joshua continued to stare at her arm as if the mere act of looking could mend it. “Can you lift it?”
    Allison lifted the arm and winced. “But it’s not as bad as it was this morning. I doubt it’s sprained. Just bruised.”
    â€œI swear, Becky Lee”—Joshua’s voice quivered—“if Sadie Thompson hurts you once more, I’ll kill her. I swear I will.”
    Allison shivered. “Don’t say that! Anyway, she’ll never have another chance to touch me.”
    â€œNow what are you talking about? Why won’t she?”
    â€œBecause”—Allison turned and looked into Joshua’s eyes—“I’m never going back there, that’s why.”

Chapter 8
    Allison leaned against a boulder and licked her greasy fingers. “That had to be the best fish I’ve ever eaten.”
    Joshua chuckled. “You always say that.”
    â€œOh ... I guess I would—I mean do—I guess I do.”
    Joshua gave her a strange look and shook his head. “You were late again, today. Didn’t think you’d make it.”
    â€œYou were waiting for me?”
So I did do what Becky was supposed to do.
    â€œWe always meet