by Karen Rispin
She nodded and grabbed my hand. We ran away from the path to find a place no one would hear, then I told Lisa what Sabrina had said.
"I bet she won't really tell," Lisa said.
I sighed and said, "But if I tell, she will hate me forever. Maybe she's just scared. I'm going to wait and see if she does. At least until tomorrow." I looked at Lisa and said, "Do you think her parents really don't love her? Her mom seemed nice when I met her at the hospital."
Lisa shrugged. "How am I supposed to know?"
We started walking again. As soon as we came through the hedge we could see that most of the kids were in a huddle outside the door.
Kristi saw us coming and whirled toward us, holding something in her hand. "Is this the wallet you found in your pocket, Anika?" she demanded, waving it at me.
I nodded, wondering what was coming next.
"Whose is it?" Kristi demanded.
"Amy's," I said, puzzled. What was Kristi getting at?
Kristi looked at Joan, who said, "It is not! It's Sabrina Oats'. I saw her with it yesterday."
"It's mine!" Amy said, sounding indignant. "See, I can prove it." She grabbed it away from Kristi and opened the money pocket. Holding it wide open toward us she said, "See, my dad put my name inside."
"I did see Sabrina with it!" Joan insisted. "I came out from the Jacksons' unbirthday party to use the washroom. Sabrina walked across the hall in front of me carrying that. I don't think she even saw me." Joan gasped and said, "I get it. She was going to put it in Anika's pocket. Sabrina really is the thief!"
"Where is she, anyway?" Kristi asked.
Nobody knew, so nobody answered.
"I don't care," Joan suddenly said. "I'm telling."
"No! Don't!" I said, grabbing at her as she pushed by me. She kept right on going. I went after her, begging, "Just wait, OK? Give her a chance. Wait, just until tomorrow."
By now we were outside the Jacksons' door. Joan stopped and stared at me. "Why should I?" she demanded with her chin in the air. "If Sabrina stole, she should get in trouble."
Suddenly the Jacksons' door opened. Mr. Jackson stood there with Sabrina. Joan took one look and blurted, "Sabrina's the thief, Mr. Jackson! I saw her. I saw her carrying Amy's wallet."
There was dead silence. Sabrina's face was swollen and blotchy from crying. She looked at me with wide, scared eyes.
"I didn't tell, Sabrina. Really I didn't," I said desperately.
Mr. Jackson said, "There's no need to get worked up. Sabrina has already told me what she's been doing. That took a lot of courage. She and I had a good talk. No one is missing any money." He looked at me. "Sabrina says that you two have already straightened out things between you?"
I nodded quickly.
"Then we will call this closed for now." He looked back at Sabrina. "I'll be calling your parents like I said. I think you have to work some things out with them."
Sabrina ducked her head.
Mrs. Jackson came up behind them in the doorway just then. She looked at all of us fiercely and said, "I don't want any more trouble about this from any of you! I'd like each of you to go quietly to your own beds. Read Galatians 6:1-2. Then think and pray about it."
Everybody went to their beds.
The verses in Galatians said, "Someone in your group might do something wrong. You who are spiritual should go to him and help make him right again. You should do this in a gentle way. But be careful! You might be tempted to sin, too. Help each other with your troubles. When you do this, you truly obey the law of Christ."
Hey, I thought, that's what I did. Then I frowned and thought, Well, at the end anyway. I remembered how I'd gotten mad and blamed Sabrina and stuff. That sure was right about me being tempted to sin, too.
"You done reading?" Lisa whispered.
I nodded, and she beckoned me to walk with her. The rest of the afternoon was odd. Sabrina stayed with the Jacksons. Kids walked around in clumps, talking about whether Sabrina would get kicked out. They kept asking me questions. Lisa and I tried to wait for Sabrina at supper. It turned out she was going to eat with the Jacksons.
At supper in the dining hall Mrs. Garwood announced that the same people as before won the election. She prayed for the government. I'd forgotten all about it being Election Day.
"I'm glad the election thing is over anyway," Lisa said on the way back to the dorm.
"Huh?" I said. "Oh yeah, I guess…"
"You still worried about Sabrina?" Lisa asked.
I nodded.
After supper Mr. Jackson came and said that Sabrina wanted to talk to me.
"Mr. Jackson," Kristi cut in, "the election is over, right? Was there any fighting, like, near where I live?"
"Sorry, Kristi, I haven't heard about your area specifically," Mr. Jackson said. "There was some violence, but much less than there could have been. I wouldn't worry too much. We probably would have heard if there was much fighting there."
Kristi ducked her head and said, "Can I phone home?"
He nodded and Kristi followed him out.
Sabrina was waiting for me around the far side of the Jacksons'. Her eyes looked big and dark in her pale face. We started walking without saying anything.
"I have to go home. Both Mom and Dad are coming to get me," she said suddenly.
I looked at her, not knowing what to say. She didn't say anything else, so finally I asked, "Are you getting kicked out?"
She shook her head. "Pa Jackson just said it was better that I go home so we can get some things straightened out." She ducked her head. "When I told him, I got all upset. I said how my parents don't care about me." There was a little silence and she added, "I think he told them. Mom cried on the phone. She said that she and Dad love me."
She stopped, whirled to face me, and yelled, "If they love me, why don't they come to visit or send chow or anything!" She threw her long blonde hair out of her face and stalked stiffly ahead. I could tell she was trying not to cry.
I held my breath, wondering desperately what to say. After a minute she stopped and sat down on a rock. I sat down on the grass next to her. It was kind of damp, but I didn't want to get up again. In the quietness I looked out over the valley. Longanot looked hazy in the evening light.
"You'll ask if you can come to my place?" Sabrina said suddenly.
I nodded.
"Promise? Promise you won't forget?" Her eyes looked very worried.
"I promise," I said. "Mom and Daddy might not let me, but maybe they will. Medical safari would be really cool."
"Huh!" she grunted, standing up. She didn't sound like she thought so. She headed back, so I followed her. We stopped outside the Jacksons' door.
"The Jacksons said I could stay at their place till Mom and Dad come tomorrow. Um, don't forget to ask if you can come," Sabrina said and went through the door.
I walked to the edge of the lawn and sat down. It was almost completely dark out now. Cool wind lifted my hair. My favorite song went through my head. Praise the name of Jesus. He's my rock. He's my fortress. He's my deliverer. In him will I trust!
I bit my lip. Medical safari sounded neat. I wasn't so sure about missing time with Mom and Daddy. Or about being with Sabrina and her parents. Still, Jesus had been my safe place all term. He could keep me safe anywhere.
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Other works by Karen Rispin also available in e-reads editions
The Impossible Lisa Barnes
Tianna the Terrible
Ambush at Amboseli
Anika's Mountain
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