Read Bird Lake Moon for Free Online Page B

suit on.” She pulled her T-shirt up, revealing a patch of her new bathing suit—orange, lime, and lemon slices in candy colors.
    Spencer fought hard to swallow back a comment about Lolly being a fruit. He did notice, and was grateful, that she wasn’t doing her voices this morning.
    He leaned into the half-opened window, chin on glass. The lake appeared between the trees, then disappeared, then appeared again. Here and there, the sun glinted on the surface of the water. Shards of pure light. It suddenly struck Spencer that simply gazing at a lake could make someone joyful or mournful. It just depended.
    They went to the general store both for breakfast and to get groceries. Breakfast was first. They ate on benches on a deck overlooking the lake so that Jasper could stay with them. Spencer was too excited to be hungry. He played with his food and snuck scraps of pancake and bacon to Jasper.
    Afterward they shopped. The general store was old-fashioned and rustic in a way that made Madison—home—seem like a big city. The wooden floors were so warped, the cart tended to veer from side to side, drawn to the rickety shelving as if by magnets. It cheered Spencer to watch his parents stock up on provisions. Judging by all they were buying, he was certain they’d be spending the entire week at Bird Lake. And there were items in the cart that rarely showed up at home: marshmallows, potato chips, and sugary breakfast cereal.
    Spencer’s mother drove on the way back to the house. “I want you to see some of my favorite places,” she said. “There’s the public beach. Oh, and look, Wing Rock. And the old bandstand.” She slowed the car to a crawl. “I loved to have my lunch there when I was young. I’d pretend it belonged to me. My own little cottage.”
    â€œDid you go there alone?” peeped Lolly.
    â€œNo, your grandfather would take me. We’d pick up lunch at the general store and then walk over to the bandstand to eat. I’d spread out my beach towel as a makeshift tablecloth.” She sighed.
    They meandered around the lake, taking the long route home, angling onto the gravel shoulder to let other cars pass. Spencer was glad that his mother was pointing things out. He thought it meant that she was having a good time.
    As the car approached the house, Lolly peeled off her clothes, squirming and contorting her body while managing to stay buckled in her seat belt. Before the engine had stopped running, Lolly’s T-shirt and shorts were in a loose bundle at her feet. She sprang from the car before everyone else and trotted around it, her bathing suit vivid as a banner at a carnival.
    â€œWait for me, Lolly,” said Spencer’s mother. She handed a set of keys to Spencer’s father over the hood of the car. “Peter, will you and Spencer take the groceries in? I’ll go down to the lake with Lolly.”
    â€œYou bet,” said Spencer’s father.
    Spencer saw a knowing look flit between his parents. He couldn’t believe what was happening. He wanted to go to the lake just as much as Lolly did. Probably more. He could feel his ears turn pink.
    â€œSpencer,” called his father, “go unlock the door. I’ll start unloading the groceries. Here—” He tossed the keys to Spencer. “It’s the gold one. Turn it to the right.”
    â€œJasper!” yelled Lolly. “Come, Jasper! Come swimming with me!” She slapped her thighs— whap-whap-whap, whap-whap-whap —and it felt to Spencer as if she were slapping him . Or sending him a message in Morse code: Ha, ha, ha. Ha, ha, ha.
    Jasper ran to Lolly.
    â€œNo!” It was Spencer. “You can’t have everything, Lolly,” he said scornfully. “Here, Jasper! Treat! Treat!”
    As far as Jasper was concerned, treat was the magic word. His head spun around and he doubled back, gamboling to Spencer like a lamb.
    Lolly didn’t seem to