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Caleb's Story
by Patricia MacLachlan
from the series
Sarah, Plain and Tall


'Come find me, Caleb!' called my little sister, Cassie.

She ran out the door and down the steps. Lottie barked and followed her. Nick was older than Lottie. He stayed on the porch and watched.

'I don't have time. I mean it, Cassie!'

Cassie ignored me the way she always did when she wanted something.

'And don't look!' she called.

I sighed and walked after her. I covered my eyes with my hand, but through my fingers I could see Cassie run to the barn.

'One, two, three,' I counted.

'Slower,' she cried.

'Four . . . five . . . five and a half.'

Papa was hitching Bess to the wagon.

'Don't be long,' he said. 'Anna's almost ready to leave.'

'Don't worry. This won't take long, Papa.'

'I don't know, Caleb. Cassie's getting better at hiding.'

I laughed.

'At least you don't see her feet sticking out anymore. Six, seven, eight, nine, ten,' I called.

I could hear Cassie laughing, but I couldn't see her. I walked into the barn. It was cool and dark and quiet. A winter sharp smell filled the space.

'Cassie?'

There was no answer. There was a time when Cassie would answer me and give away her hiding place-she couldn't help it. Not today.

May, my favorite of all our horses, was in her stall. I reached over and touched her nose, and she nickered at me. I could see her breath in the cold air. There was silence, the only sound the sound of May's breathing. Then I heard Lottie's bark outside, and Cassie's voice.

'Cassie? I hear you!'

I turned. Cassie tried to run by the barn door, and I rushed out and caught her, making her squeal.

'I've got you, Pal!'

Cassie laughed and we began to walk back to the house, Lottie leaping and jumping in front of us. Cassie reached up and took my hand, her face suddenly serious.

'There's a man.'

'What man?'

'Behind the barn,' said Cassie. 'He's wrapped in a green blanket. He asked me about Papa.'

I smiled.

'You and your imaginary friends, Cassie.'

She scowled at me.

'There's a man,' she insisted.

'You're stubborn,' I told her. 'Like Sarah.'

'Like Mama,' Cassie corrected me. 'You could call her Mama.'

'I could,' I said. 'But you know the story, Cassie. When she first came here Anna and I called her Sarah. We will always call her Sarah.'

'I will call her Mama,' said Cassie.

I picked her up-she was so light-and Cassie put her head on my shoulder as we walked to the house.

'A man,' she whispered in my ear.'

'Do you have everything, Anna?'

Sarah wrapped biscuits in a towel.

'Give these to Sam.'

Papa looked over Sarah's shoulder.

'Some,' he said. 'Not all.'

Sarah smiled.

'Papa never gets enough biscuits,' said Anna.

Anna tied up some letters with a long ribbon. Min, our orange cat, leaped up, trying to catch the ends. Her mother, Seal, slept in a basket by the fire, opening her eyes every so often to check on all of us.

'Justin's letters?' asked Sarah.

Anna nodded.

'I read them over and over,' she said softly. 'Sometimes I feel he's standing next to me.'

(Copyright by Patricia MacLachlan)


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