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I will no longer pine.
—Sir John Suckling
The early morning sunshine crept into the window, dappling its soft light onto Mia’s face and awakening her.
Yawning and stretching her arms above her head, she was momentarily disoriented as to where she was. It came to her suddenly when she looked over and saw her father, whose face seemed paler than the last time she had looked at him.
It frightened her to hear that his breathing was now more shallow than she had ever heard it before. The thought of losing him caused a painful ache in the pit of her stomach.
As she watched him sleep, she was catapulted back to the day her mother had told Mia that they were heading back to St. Louis, and how this would be the last time they would take one of their yearly treks on the river. Because of Mia’s father’s failing health, their family was going to return to their home and never board a scow again.
It had been a glorious day beside the river that morning, as they sat near the fire before setting out on the scow toward home.
Mia had looked forward to staying in one place year-round. She would never forget how broadly she had smiled as her mother told her that they would sell their scow on the St. Louis riverbank.
That would make everything final. Mia couldn’t have been happier with the decision.
But her family would keep one mode of river travel in case it was needed…the longboat that trailed along behind the scow each day, which had her name painted on it. Her father just couldn’t part with everything that had to do with his river travels, especially not the boat that he had named after his daughter.
When they had boarded the scow that day, Mia had felt as though she were floating on clouds instead of water as they headed toward St. Louis. Even her canary had seemed to understand that one day soon it would be home.
“My sweet Georgina,” Mia whispered to herself.
She looked quickly over at the cage.
At that moment she realized that something was not right. Usually at this time of the morning, Georgina could be heard fussing softly behind her cover, for the canary was always anxious for the cloth to be removed so that she could see Mia and the fresh seed and water her mistress gave her each morning.
Something grabbed Mia’s heart, like a hand squeezing it, when she saw the cover on the cage was not at all the way she had left it.
And then she noticed that the door was ajar. Mia never left the door ajar!
She could not get to the cage quickly enough. She brushed aside the blanket and leapt up. When she peered inside the cage, remorse swept through her. Georgina was most definitely not there.
Tears sprang to her eyes over her loss. Then it came to her like a lightning bolt from the heavens that there was no way Georgina could have opened that door, for Mia always double-checked it before going to bed each night.
Only after seeing that it was secure would she go to bed, for if anything happened to her bird, a part of her would die.
Yes, the bird had become especially precious to her since her mother’s death. Georgina had helped lift Mia from the horrible sorrow that came after burying her mother along the banks of the Rush River.
Having to leave her mother there, oh, so alone, was something that Mia still could hardly bear to think about.
And now?
Had she also lost her bird?
And her father—how long would she have him as a part of her life?
His health seemed to be worsening by the minute!
Yes, her world seemed to be tumbling all around her. She felt as if she were on a small island by herself, with no happiness left inside her.
When she examined the cage, she was certain there was no way that Georgina could have escaped without assistance. Someone had lifted the cover and opened the door for the bird, and it surely had not been done inside the cabin, or Georgina would have found her way to Mia and settled down beside her. The bird loved Mia so much that she was sure Georgina wouldn’t have chosen to fly away.
Mia looked quickly at the door of the cabin. It was closed!
That meant someone had opened the door, carried the cage outside, and then sent Georgina to a freedom that might mean her death.
Georgina had been tiny when Mia’s mother had given her the bird. All the canary knew was the cage, the food and water she found there, and Mia, who gave her these things. Mia meant safety and food and love.
