Excerpt
“You shouldn’t have bothered, Moe. I could get a bite at the hospital, you know.”
“It’s no bother. And you need something home cooked after that hospital food you’ve been surviving on. The meals aren’t any better than they were when we were students.”
It was only after Tyne had eaten that Moe, sitting at the table with her, said lightly, “Aunt Millie called a little while ago. No, it’s all right. And I didn’t tell you earlier because I knew you’d go rushing off without breakfast if I did.”
Tyne sat forward, her heart in her throat, ready to bolt from her chair. “What is it? Why did Auntie call?”
Moe smiled. “Morley is awake and asking for you.”
Tyne let her breath out on a deep sigh, sat back and covered her face with her hands. “Thank you, God, thank you,” she whispered, then shot out of her chair and ran to get her coat. Moe was right behind her, car keys in hand.
Rachael didn’t think she would like riding in a bus. Not a bus this big, anyway. As the huge vehicle, with the long skinny greyhound painted on its side, drew to a stop in the bay behind the Emblem bus depot, she shuddered and moved closer to Mrs. Milligan. A man in a sort of uniform was standing beside the open door, taking tickets from people, punching holes in them, then handing them back. When it came their turn in line, he did the same with the tickets Mrs. Milligan handed him.
The man looked down at Rachael. “Hello there, little lady. Where are you going today?”
Rachael thought he must already know that, but he was trying to be nice to her so she said quietly, “We’re going to Calgary.”
“It’s her first bus ride,” Mrs. Milligan informed him.
“Is it? Well, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. Be sure to sit beside a window so you can see everything. And look for the herd of deer on the right hand side; they’re usually grazing in the field there.” He held out his hand to the person behind them as Mrs. Milligan guided Rachael up the steps, and led the way along the aisle to seats half way back.
Manolis Aligizakis 