Wish I Might (12 page)

The old wooden pews of Bramble United Community are full this Sunday morning. Sam, in his best gray suit, is standing up at the pulpit.

“We have some new faces at BUC this morning,” Sam says. “New friends to welcome into our circle.”

Sam looks at me and smiles. “Willa, will you do the honors?”

“Sure, Dad.” I stand and face the congregation. “Please join me in welcoming my brother, Will Havisham, visiting us this summer from England.”

Will stands and waves and sits back down. There’s a twittering throughout the room and then several “welcomes,” “glad to meet you’s,” and “so happy you could join us.”

“And,” I say, smiling at Rob to let him know he’s next up, “I’d like to introduce Rob Whitebridge, on summer break from Boston College, nephew of our own dear friend and former minister, Sulamina Mum.”

There are gasps and then applause. Rob stands and nods his gratitude.

“Geesh,” Rob whispers to me. “I don’t have to give a speech or anything, do I?”

“No,” I whisper back. “But I can tell you right now, some of these ladies are going to want your autograph.”

Rob bursts out laughing.

My mother gives me the “quiet down” look.

There are announcements and a reading. The choir sings “Let It Be a Dance,” a song about how to live your life freely with a joyful heart.

Sam takes the pulpit for the sermon.

“I must admit I’m a little nervous,” he says, “even having a
relative
of Sulamina Mum’s in the building.”

There’s a light wave of laughter across the room.

“But I know Mum, our for-a-time minister and forever friend, would approve of the topic I’ve chosen for today’s sermon. That topic is service. Community rent. How you and I and each of us can make a difference with our one small life.”

Sam talks on and on. I look at my mother’s face, so happy, so proud.

I look at Rob’s face, smiling, glad to be here. I look at my brother’s face.

Will senses me staring at him and turns to wink at me.

I look behind me at Nana. She nods toward Will and Rob and gives me a thumbs-up sign.

I look back at Mrs. Saperstone and Dr. Swaminathan. Mrs. Saperstone smiles at me and leans her head in toward Dr. Swammy’s shoulder.

I look two rows over at the Sivlers and the Belles. Tina and Ruby are sitting together and yet I’m not jealous. That is how it should be.

I think of JFK and Mariel, wishing they both were here.

“And so,” Sam says, “I hope I won’t embarrass my stepdaughter, Willa, by telling all of you about her wonderful, simple idea called Change For Good.”

It’s late and I’m exhausted. I open up a new skinny-punch.
Feathers
by Jacqueline Woodson. One of my favorite authors.

Before the story starts there is a quote from Emily Dickinson, one of my other all-time favorite authors.

Hope is the thing with feathers

that perches in the soul,

And sings the tune—without the words,

And never stops at all.

I pull on a sweatshirt and head up to the widow’s walk.

The air is cool, refreshing. The sky takes my breath away.

I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight.

I stare out at the vast, dark ocean, thinking briefly of mermaids.

“Hope you liked the sand castle Will and I sent you yesterday. Hope it turned into a beautiful wedding cake. Hope it was delicious.”

I close my eyes and smile.

I breathe in and out.

Thank you.

Two simple words.

Mum always said that was the best prayer.

Thank you.

Thank you for my life. My mom. My dad. My dog. My house. My Nana. JFK. Mariel and all my friends. My town. My books. My
brother.

Thank you.

That’s all.

Thank you.

I turn and head in, and as I do I hear singing somewhere off at sea.

“Good night,” I call out with a laugh. “Sleep tight. Oh, and … a dog? A brother?
Really cool gifts.
Keep ’em coming. Surprise me. Summer’s only just begun.”

Feathers,
Jacqueline Woodson

42 Miles,
Tracie Vaughn Zimmer

The Pearl,
John Steinbeck

Skellig,
David Almond

Song of the Trees,
Mildred D. Taylor

The House on Mango Street,
Sandra Cisneros

The Little Prince,
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Three Cups of Tea
(Young Reader’s Edition), Greg

Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
Tuck Everlasting,
Natalie Babbitt
Yellow Star,
Jennifer Roy

Dear Reader,
  What are some of your favorite books? Maybe you’d like to make your own Pix List.

Happy Reading,

With sincerest appreciation to:

My mother, Peg Spain Murtagh, my anchor.

My wonderful editor, Jennifer Rees, and David Levithan, Lillie Mear, and all of Willa’s friends at Scholastic Press and Scholastic Book Clubs and Fairs.

My Cape Cod friends: Bill Malone, Claire and Chris Kondochristie, Rowena Lammer, Gail and Joe DeBattista, Fran and Rick Risko, Doris O’Neil, Cookie and Don McGinness, Ray and Lynn Butti, Judy and Steve LeGraw, Betty Stefos, Jan and Joe Bosse, Wendy and John Alexopolus, Nancy and Bobby Farrelly, Paul Rifkin, Annie Lawrence, Janet Burke, Sara Young, Tara Nickerson, Karen Beil, Lisa Trepanier, Joanne Doggart, Sybille Colby, Debbie Dermady, and especially Carol Chittenden, in celebration of the legions of readers and writers she has nurtured and inspired through her wonderful Eight Cousins bookstore, Falmouth, Cape Cod.

My dear friends Pauline and Fred Miller, who, when I was in a panic over losing a computer file with nearly two-thirds of this manuscript completed, kept cool and kept on believing and all around saved the day.

My Ya-Ya’s: Ellen Donovan, Paula Davenport, and Kathy Johnson.

Selwyn, for the song.

My writing buddies: Robyn Ryan, Ellen Laird, Karen Beil, Kathleen Elkin, Nancy Castaldo, Rose Kent, Eric Luper, Kyra Teis, Liza Frenette, Lois Feister Huey, Jennifer Groff, Debbi Mickho Florence, Jackie Rogers, Peter Marino, Peter DeWitt, and Robert Whiteman.

My colleagues in the Children’s Literature Connection and the Upstate New York chapter of SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators).

My wonderful family, especially my sons, Connor, Dylan, and Christopher, once super sand castle builders, now building fine lives for themselves. You make me so proud.

And, finally, to my readers … May you always have good books and sweet treats on your nightstand and a heart wide open to the gifts of the sea.

Splash, splash, surprise!

Till soon,

The books about Willa Havisham,
by Coleen Murtagh Paratore:

The Wedding Planner’s Daughter
The Cupid Chronicles
Willa by Heart
Forget Me Not
Wish I Might

Other novels by the author that you also may enjoy:

Sunny Holiday
Sweet and Sunny
A Pearl Among Princes
The Funeral Director’s Son
Kip Campbell’s Gift
Mack McGinn’s Big Win

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher. For information regarding permission, write to Scholastic Inc., Attention: Permissions Department, 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012.

This book was originally published in hardcover by Scholastic Press in 2010.

Copyright © 2010 by Coleen Murtagh Paratore
Cover Photograph © by Michael Frost
Cover design by Lillie Howard
All rights reserved. Published by Scholastic Inc.
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eISBN: 978-0-545-38890-0