Cutler 1 - Dawn

by V. C. Andrews

  Then I turned to look out at the ocean as we came down the driveway. The sun had turned the water into a bright aqua. The little sailboats looked painted against the blue horizon. It was beautiful here, picture perfect, I thought. My heart was full. I was off to do something I had always dreamt of doing, Jimmy sounded happier, and Daddy would soon be freed from prison.

  The hotel limousine turned, and we were off toward the airport.

  I couldn't help but remember the games Daddy and I used to play when I was very little and we were in the car and off to a new home.

  "Come on, Dawn," he would say. "Let's pretend. Where do you want to be this time? Alaska? The desert? On a ship? In an airplane?"

  "Oh, let her sleep, Ormand. It's late," Momma would say.

  "You tired, Dawn?"

  "No, Daddy," I would say, even though I could barely keep my eyes open.

  Jimmy was asleep on his side of the car.

  "So? Where shall it be this time?" Daddy asked again.

  "I think . . . an airplane," I said. "Soaring above the clouds."

  "And so it will be. Feel the lift-off," he said and laughed.

  A short while later I really was soaring above the clouds.

  Sometimes, when we dream hard enough, those dreams come true, I thought.

  And I looked ahead toward the long stretch of blue sky and dreamt of thousands of people in an audience listening to me sing.

  Table of Contents

  ANOTHER NEW PLACE

  FERN

  ALWAYS A STRANGER

  A KISS

  MY BROTHER'S KEEPER

  OPENING NIGHT

  TWINKLE, TWINKLE LITTLE STAR

  DADDY . . . A KIDNAPPER?

  MY NEW LIFE

  A NEW BROTHER, A LOST LOVE

  BETRAYED

  ANSWERED PRAYERS

  A PIECE OF THE PAST

  VIOLATIONS

  SECRETS REVEALED

  PRIVATE COVERSATIONS

  EPILOGUE