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"I haven't told him. I'm not going to. He'll probably be happy to see me go anyway. Especially now," he added.

"I won't,"

"I know and that's why I'm here."

"Why?"

"I want you to come with me, just for the visit," he said. "I'll need your opinion about everything and there's no one I trust more than I trust you," he added.

"Daddy would never let me." I said.

"You'll do what I'm going to do," he replied. "You'll leave a note and just go. Will you?" Before I could even think of an answer he followed with. "It means everything to me."

It was as if someone had poured ice water over me and then threw me into an oven.

"I need you to be with me for this," he whispered.

He said it with such desperation in his voice. I couldn't refuse him any more than I could refuse to breathe.

Impulsively, perhaps, perhaps madly. I said."I'Il go."

After he had left, my thunderous heart kept me up almost the remainder of the night.

What had I promised? What would I do?

10

The Open Road

.

Late in the morning. Harley stopped by to tell

me he was going to the bank to withdraw traveling money. "I've put in most of my paycheck every week for college money," he explained.

"Then you shouldn't take it out. Harley."

"This is far more important to me. Summer, Besides. I heard your father and Roy talking about my mother's life insurance. There's money coming to me to be placed in a trust for my college expenses or whatever. I wish I never had to touch it," he added. "I'd like that money to be there until I have children of my own and they get it. If things work out with my real father..."

His voice drifted off along with his dream. In the bottom of my heart, I felt the icy trickle of warning. To put all your hopes in anyone or any one thing was always dangerous. Mommy had taught me that a long time ago. but I was afraid to say anything discouraging. Harley had emerged from his terrible sorrow and depression because of his discovery. It would be cruel to do anything to stop his climb back into the world of hope and happiness.

"Roy goes to bed about eleven-fifteen. I'll leave about eleven- thirty." he continued. "and Ill walk my cycle up to the garage where I'll wait for you. We'll walk it down to the road and then start it so there's no danger of anyone hearing us go.

"Bring one soft overnight bag of clothing and necessities. okay. We'll get anything else we need later. I should have enough money."

"I have some money in my room." I told him. "I've been throwing loose change and dollars in a drawer. I bet it's more than two hundred dollars,"

"Terrific." Harley said. Then he looked at me, his face close to crumbling with happiness. "You're the nicest person I know, Summer. To be willing to do this with me, to be willing to risk everyone's anger, too, is much more than I deserve or should ask of you."

"I'm doing it because I want to do it. Harley."

"I know." He nodded. "Thanks," he said and left for the bank.

Mommy used to tell me I had a face like a storefront window. Anyone could take a good long look at me and see every thought on display, every feeling revealed. I wasn't good at deception; lies in my mouth were like fish out of water. Knowing that, I tried to avoid both her and Mrs. Geary most of the day. Fortunately, it was a day for a piano lesson, so that took up a good deal of time. Then I went up to my room and practiced my clarinet. Daddy had a great deal to do at the office and called to say he would be late for supper. Even with all I had to do and with all that was happening, the passage of time was like thick syrup being poured from a narrow bottle. Every time I looked at the clock, it seemed the hands were stuck in place.

Mommy made only one comment when she saw me going from one thing to another.

"You're fidgety today. Summer. Anything wrong?" she asked. "No. Just trying to keep myself occupied," I told her.