Read Online Lost in London by Cindy Callaghan - Free Book Online Page B

said. She didn’t get that Gordo had been kidding. At least, I’m pretty sure he was.
    Gordo googled some sites and sent pages to the printer at the other side of the kitchen. Sam read them over and tossed out random Pluto facts that made me think maybe this could be a good paper.
    When Caroline returned to the kitchen, she was surrounded by shower scents. Her wet hair was combed out and hung lower than it had last night. She wore new clothes: a flowy peasant blouse, black jeans, and ankleboots with a heel. I noticed that she had also put on a new palette of makeup. “J.J., Liam left you fresh towels.”
    As much as I was enjoying working on the paper with Sam and Gordo (Ellie really wasn’t into it), I left. I was excited to use my new hair straightener, and makeup, and to wear another new outfit. As I walked down the hall to the bathroom, I heard Sam and Gordo talking about the solar system, and the printer hummed.
    I also heard Caroline say to Ellie, “Look, we need to make sure J.J. has a good time, and we have to keep the Bakery Bozo off our backs.”
    Ellie said, “Where I am, fun follows, and the boys have Pluto under control. No worries, Carrie.”
    “Don’t call me Carrie,” Caroline said.
    “Gotcha,” Ellie said.
    I was so happy to hear that Caroline wanted me to have a memorable visit to London. She was sincere, wasn’t she?

14

    I felt like a celebrity in my new duds, makeup, and straightened hair. I found Ellie thumbing through a fashion magazine while Sam and Gordo huddled over the iPad. When she saw me, Caroline checked me out from hair to shoes. A quick jump of her eyebrows told me she was pleasantly surprised with my look. She dropped her feet from the kitchen table to the floor and said, “She’s back. The American of the week.” To her friends she said, “We’re off to see the sights of London!” Her words sounded excited, but something about her tone said otherwise, I think.
    “Oh, yeah,” Ellie said. She put on a crocheted wool cap. It was so cute. I never thought of wearing a cap like that. It covered her spiky hair but let her double earrings show. I wanted double earrings and a cap. Maybe I could get those today.
    Sam finally stopped reading and caught a glimpse of me. He didn’t look long, but brushed some longish hairs in front of his face and packed the iPad in a pack with one strap that he hung diagonally across his chest.
    Thankfully, I had my new purse, or I might have been jealous of that pack. I really preferred having free arms, but I liked having a stylish purse too. I flipped my fab hair over the strap. It felt good.
    Gordo said “Ooh lala” about my appearance. “Sit tight. I need a minute to freshen up if I’m gonna hang with this one.” And then he locked himself in the powder room.
    When he returned, his collar was snapped up and I smelled a hint of cologne. We were ready for Liam to take us to the train station.
    “Where are we going first?” Gordo asked, looking at his reflection in the steel refrigerator and moving a hair to where he wanted it to be.
    “I suppose we should ask J.J.,” Caroline said. “This week is all about her.”
    Normally that would’ve made me do a Yay, me! But something in her voice sounded just a little sarcastic. No one else seemed to notice, so maybe I was being overly sensitive. So: Yay, me!
    “I’d like to go to the Tower of London,” I said, with very little confidence that was the right answer. “I’ve been dying to go there.” Then I laughed because I said “dying.” “Get it? Because King Henry killed so many of his wives there?”
    Gordo and Sam cracked a bit of a smile at my joke. I didn’t think Ellie got it, but she laughed anyway, probably to be polite.
    “Then off we go to the Tower,” Caroline said. “If we make it quick, we’ll have time to see the new zombie picture.”
    “Oh, right!” Ellie said. “I absolutely cannot wait to see that picture. I hear it’s scary and gory. ‘The bloodier the