Shooting Stars 03 Rose Read online

  "I don't like the thought that you'll be locked up in your computer world again, never getting out."

  "Oh. I'm going to get out more. Don't worry about that. And I'm hoping you'll be on a computer, too, and we can e-mail each other and stuff. We'll talk on the phone and, when you're ready. I'll even come to New York. Don't worry about me now, Rose. Your coming here was the best thing that ever happened to me. Aunt Charlotte doesn't understand. She thinks she got some sort of revenge, but she did me a great favor."

  "Me too," I said quickly.

  "She's not strong. She's trapped in her own arrogance and conceit. One day she'll wake up and look at herself in the mirror and see only a sour old lady. She'll spend her days in her private hell, believe me."

  "You're so wise for someone your age. Evan. I wish I was as wise as you."

  "I've had a lot of time to think, study, meditate. I guess. It's made me twice my age, probably. I'm not happy about it. I wish I'd had a normal childhood. too.

  "I wish I was out here again, a little boy , holding my mother's hand," he continued. 'listening to her read me fairy tales, playing games like deciding what this cloud looks like or that. Pretending instead of analyzing, imagining instead of thinking. You gave me some of that back. Rose."

  "Whatever I gave you was only half of what you gave me."

  "That figures. I'm your half-brother," he said. joking.

  "You're my whole brother. You'll always be," I said with firmness. I kissed him. "You want to come out front to say good-bye for now? Mommy will be here any moment to get me," I said.

  He shook his head.

  "No. Just walk off. Rose. I'll stay here a while. I've got things to say to the birds, the trees, the clouds. I just want to feel the sun on my face."

  I smiled, pressed his hand one more time, and walked away. I looked back once.

  He was sitting upright, looking out at the trees in the distance and holding his head as if his mother was with him, pressing hers to his, and beginning a wonderful new fairy tale.

  I could almost hear her voice. "Once upon a time..."