Karen Hood-Caddy - The Truth About Brave

People lied. They lied to make you feel better. And to make themselves feel better. But Robin hadnt known that at the beginning. Shed believed them when theyd said her mother would get well. Like a good girl, shed eaten the dry lie of it as if it were toast, buttering it with hope each and every morning until her mothers funeral.

It had been a year and a half since her mother had passed on, but sometimes, when she heard someone in the kitchen, her head would snap up and her heart would quicken. Maybe her mother hadnt died. Maybe it had all been a terrible nightmare. She knew it was crazy, beyond crazy, but every time it happened, she couldnt stop herself from racing in to see, her pulse thudding through her like the sound of a wild horse on the run. It was impossible to think her mother would reappear. But it was also impossible to think she wouldnt.

Thats why it had been so scary to move to Ontario. What if her mom showed up at the old house in Winnipeg and didnt know where they had gone? Robin knew her little brother, Squirm, worried about this, too, because the day theyd left, hed taped a note on the forest green garage door. To Mom, hed written on the envelope in his bold, little boy script.

Robin squirmed in her bed. The memory of that note made her eyes feel hot and stinging. She opened them and looked over at her sister who was sleeping in the bed across from her. They all lived at their grandmothers farmhouse now, but she and Ari were still forced to share a room. And even now, with only the barest whisper of light, Robin could see Aris fashion magazines and makeup strewn all over her side of the room. In Robins half were books and sports equipment and the microscope Grandpa Goodridge, her moms dad, had given her before theyd left Winnipeg. On the wall was a photograph of her and Brodie and Zo-Zo when theyd run the carbon footprint campaign last year. That picture had been on the front of their local newspaper. Robin still remembered the tingly warmth of Brodies hand on her back.

Ari turned in her sleep and strands of her long, blonde hair curled over the pillow. Her pencil thin fingers clutched the sheets and her nails were perfectly filed into delicate ovals and painted frosted pink. Robins own nails were far too chewed up for polish, but she wouldnt have painted them anyway. Nail polish was for girly girls. Like her sister. She hated stuff like that.

The phone rang. Robins eyes darted to the clock. It was only five a.m. Who would be calling The Wild Place this early? Someone desperate, thats who. Or someone with a desperate animal. What could it be about? A porcupine bothering some dogs? A deer hit by a car? She thought about taking the call herself, but she knew it meant trouble. Upside down and sideways trouble. Thats what her grandmother, Griff, would say. Shed better let her dad get it.

She stretched her legs deep into the bed. A tongue licked her bare toes.

Relentless!

She liked her dog sleeping with her, but she didnt like being licked. It made her ticklish. She pulled her knees up to her chest and listened to the phone ringing. And ringing. Finally, her dad answered it.

Yes, this is the animal rescue place. Yes. His thick-with-sleep voice carried up the stairwell.

A bear did what?

A bear? Robin sat up.

Id probably eat your pies too, if Id been hibernating. Bears are starving at this time of . Pardon? He pulled the door off your sunporch?

Robin listened hard. The call was screaming Rescue. Would she get to go?

Her dad let out a laboured breath. No, I Yes. Just leave him alone. Hell amble off.

Robin got out of bed and started to pull off her PJ s. Hed have a harder time turning her down if she were dressed and ready to go.

Her dads voice shot up. Your husband what?

Robins fingers stiffened as she tried to fasten her shirt buttons.

He shot him?

She forced her hands to fumble on. This sounded bad.

But he didnt kill him. Okay.

Robin thrust one leg and then the other into her black jeans.

Tell him to put his gun away. Im coming out.

Robin scooted down the stairs, red socks in hand. Relentlesss nails clicked on the wooden steps as she trotted along beside her.

Her father was just putting down the phone when she got to him. His dark brown eyes caught hers. Robin. This one involves a hurt bear. It could be dangerous. And you have school.

Dad, its only five oclock! She kept her voice low. She didnt want to wake Squirm. Or his dog, Einstein. Theyd want to come. Then none of them would get to go. Well be back before school even starts.