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Authors: Catherine R. Daly
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when that girl came to pick him up,” finished Rachel.
When
that girl
picked him up?
My heart skipped a beat.
“Anyone from school?” I asked in what I hoped was a very nonchalant voice.
Sabrina leaned forward, clearly relishing the moment. “No,” she said dramatically. “An older woman.”
Relief washed over me. “Oh, you mean a tall, blonde lady,” I said. “That’s his mom.”
Rachel smiled wickedly and shook her head with a half smile, her eyes never leaving my face. “No, she was
definitely
not his mom. She actually looked just a couple of years older than us. Maybe in high school. Realllllly pretty.”
“Oh,” I said, my stomach sinking. Then I shook my head. I wouldn’t let the Wonder Twins know they had rattled me. “Whatever,” I said. “See you later.” I returned to chopping pretend carrots.
“Much better,” said Poppy approvingly.
Disappointed they weren’t going to get a rise out of me, Sabrina and Rachel stomped off in their jeweled sandals.
But I couldn’t help but stew. So
that
was why Hamilton had blown me off the other day! He obviously had a girlfriend. An older, attractive one at that. Then I remembered what Ashley had said. He was bringing a guest to her party. So the guest must be this pretty mystery girl.
My throat tightened. My summer was going from bad to worse. I thought about what Becky would say if she were there and decided to look on the bright side of things.
Good thing I’m not going to be anywhere near Ashley’s party,
I thought. Dad had agreed that I would help Mom with the McGillicuddy’s party and he’d step in to help Mom handle delivery and set-up for Ashley’s.
So at least I wouldn’t have to deal with the awkwardness of bumping into Hamilton and his girlfriend.
I straightened my shoulders, put on a fake smile, and dumped a bucket of water over Poppy’s head. Her screams of delight improved my mood. For the moment at least.
We spent the rest of the afternoon at the pool, swimming laps, diving off the low board (all of us except Poppy), and having fake tea parties at the bottom of the pool. Finally, sticky from chlorine and sunscreen and totally tired, we decided we had had enough. Poppy, who loved the water so much she had even suggested eating her chili dog in the kiddie pool, had the most shriveled up fingers and toes I had ever seen.
“They look like raisins!” she cried in delight. It was great to have Poppy — and not Poppy-channeling-Aster — back.
We toweled off, changed into our clothes, shoved our feet into our flip-flops, and headed to Petal Pushers to pick up Mom and Dad.
Ring-a-ling-ling.
The air-conditioning in the store sent an icy blast to our wet heads.
Mom brightened as we walked inside. “My girls!” she cried. “How was your day at the pool?”
“We had a good time,” I said, pushing the unpleasant moment with Sabrina and Rachel out of my head. “They all took a lesson. Poppy swam across the whole pool!”
“And Aster and I won a race,” said Rose, her eyes glowing.
Aster nodded.
“Well, let me tell you,” Poppy shouted, throwing her arms into the air. “It was amazing!” As we all watched, our mouths open, she burst into song. A show tune from the musical
Oklahoma!
to be precise:
“Oh, what a beautiful mornin’
Oh, what a beautiful day.
I’ve got a beautiful feeling
Everything’s going my way.”
Aster and I looked at each other. She shook her head in disbelief.
“What’s up with Poppy?” Rose asked with a yawn. “She’s being kind of annoying.”
Chapter Seven
“Okay, let me get this down correctly,” said Mom into the phone. “You want to double the amount of branches and crystals, add a rose petal and crystal garland, and change the chocolate artichokes to gardenias.” She wrote down the information in her notebook. “You do know how expensive gardenias are, don’t you?” She listened for a moment. “Okay, fine. No problem then. Yes, you can drop off the new magazine picture.
When
that girl
picked him up?
My heart skipped a beat.
“Anyone from school?” I asked in what I hoped was a very nonchalant voice.
Sabrina leaned forward, clearly relishing the moment. “No,” she said dramatically. “An older woman.”
Relief washed over me. “Oh, you mean a tall, blonde lady,” I said. “That’s his mom.”
Rachel smiled wickedly and shook her head with a half smile, her eyes never leaving my face. “No, she was
definitely
not his mom. She actually looked just a couple of years older than us. Maybe in high school. Realllllly pretty.”
“Oh,” I said, my stomach sinking. Then I shook my head. I wouldn’t let the Wonder Twins know they had rattled me. “Whatever,” I said. “See you later.” I returned to chopping pretend carrots.
“Much better,” said Poppy approvingly.
Disappointed they weren’t going to get a rise out of me, Sabrina and Rachel stomped off in their jeweled sandals.
But I couldn’t help but stew. So
that
was why Hamilton had blown me off the other day! He obviously had a girlfriend. An older, attractive one at that. Then I remembered what Ashley had said. He was bringing a guest to her party. So the guest must be this pretty mystery girl.
My throat tightened. My summer was going from bad to worse. I thought about what Becky would say if she were there and decided to look on the bright side of things.
Good thing I’m not going to be anywhere near Ashley’s party,
I thought. Dad had agreed that I would help Mom with the McGillicuddy’s party and he’d step in to help Mom handle delivery and set-up for Ashley’s.
So at least I wouldn’t have to deal with the awkwardness of bumping into Hamilton and his girlfriend.
I straightened my shoulders, put on a fake smile, and dumped a bucket of water over Poppy’s head. Her screams of delight improved my mood. For the moment at least.
We spent the rest of the afternoon at the pool, swimming laps, diving off the low board (all of us except Poppy), and having fake tea parties at the bottom of the pool. Finally, sticky from chlorine and sunscreen and totally tired, we decided we had had enough. Poppy, who loved the water so much she had even suggested eating her chili dog in the kiddie pool, had the most shriveled up fingers and toes I had ever seen.
“They look like raisins!” she cried in delight. It was great to have Poppy — and not Poppy-channeling-Aster — back.
We toweled off, changed into our clothes, shoved our feet into our flip-flops, and headed to Petal Pushers to pick up Mom and Dad.
Ring-a-ling-ling.
The air-conditioning in the store sent an icy blast to our wet heads.
Mom brightened as we walked inside. “My girls!” she cried. “How was your day at the pool?”
“We had a good time,” I said, pushing the unpleasant moment with Sabrina and Rachel out of my head. “They all took a lesson. Poppy swam across the whole pool!”
“And Aster and I won a race,” said Rose, her eyes glowing.
Aster nodded.
“Well, let me tell you,” Poppy shouted, throwing her arms into the air. “It was amazing!” As we all watched, our mouths open, she burst into song. A show tune from the musical
Oklahoma!
to be precise:
“Oh, what a beautiful mornin’
Oh, what a beautiful day.
I’ve got a beautiful feeling
Everything’s going my way.”
Aster and I looked at each other. She shook her head in disbelief.
“What’s up with Poppy?” Rose asked with a yawn. “She’s being kind of annoying.”
Chapter Seven
“Okay, let me get this down correctly,” said Mom into the phone. “You want to double the amount of branches and crystals, add a rose petal and crystal garland, and change the chocolate artichokes to gardenias.” She wrote down the information in her notebook. “You do know how expensive gardenias are, don’t you?” She listened for a moment. “Okay, fine. No problem then. Yes, you can drop off the new magazine picture.
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