Winter Sky (12 page)

Long ago, astronomers noticed something unusual about Sirius. The star didn’t sail across the sky in a straight line as they expected it to do
.

It took years to find out why
.

Sirius wasn’t alone. A genuine white dwarf star traveled with her, the two circling the sky together. One looking after the other
.

The white star couldn’t be seen, not even by Sirius
.

But it was there
.

Sirius was never alone
.

The holidays were over; school would start again tomorrow. It was Pop’s first night back to work, and in the living room, Mimi was crocheting a rug. Already it covered her lap and cascaded to the floor. If she kept it up, it might cover the whole apartment house.

Siria climbed into bed and Major stretched out on her feet.

Major had loved Mike, the fire starter. Siria wasn’t sorry. Izzy had said once it was good to love as many people as you could.

Siria heard sirens and sat up, but Major didn’t move. She sank back down, sliding her feet underneath the dog, and pulled the quilt up higher around her. Pop would text as soon as they’d put out the fire.

Pop and the firefighters really didn’t need her. They looked out for each other.

She closed her eyes, her hand on her iPhone.

How great it was to lie here, cozy. Not to sneak out in the dark, into the cold, the snow.

It was a whole new year.

Patricia Reilly Giff is the author of many beloved books for children, including the Kids of the Polk Street School books, the Friends and Amigos books, and the Polka Dot Private Eye books. Several of her novels for older readers have been chosen as ALA-ALSC Notable Children’s Books and ALA-YALSA Best Books for Young Adults. They include
The Gift of the Pirate Queen; All the Way Home; Water Street; Nory Ryan’s Song
, a Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Golden Kite Honor Book for Fiction; and the Newbery Honor Books
Lily’s Crossing
and
Pictures of Hollis Woods. Lily’s Crossing
was also chosen as a
Boston Globe–Horn Book
Honor Book. Her most recent books are
Gingersnap
,
R My Name Is Rachel
,
Storyteller
,
Wild Girl
, and
Eleven
, as well as the Zigzag Kids series. She lives in Connecticut.

Patricia Reilly Giff is available for select readings and lectures. To inquire about a possible appearance, please contact the Random House Speakers Bureau at
rhspeakers@​randomhouse.​com
.