Read Online Outside In by Sarah Ellis - Free Book Online Page A

cells.
    Jean put on her new shoes and teetered around the room.
    â€œI’m going to have to go into training. I’ve got two weeks to master this skill.”
    â€œWho else is going to be there?” said Lynn.
    â€œOh, the usual suspects,” said Rob. “We’re hoping for some of those younger Battle in Seattle folks. You should bring some friends along.”
    â€œMaybe.” It would be better to have some friends along. Celia was out of the question. Her parents thought civil disobedience was a criminal activity. Kas would probably be up for it, but Saturday mornings were soccer, and soccer was sacred.
    But what about … ? This was certainly a fun mutual activity, and Blossom was already in a kind of corporate disguise.
    Would that be possible?

EIGHT
    Finding Day
    â€œStay on the line for a big announcement.” Kas made trumpet fanfare noises.
    â€œOkay,” said Lynn. “I’m ready and waiting.”
    â€œHold it, why do you sound so muffled?”
    â€œI’m volumizing. Remember you told me that I can plump up my hair by hanging it upside down for twenty minutes a day?”
    â€œYes, well, forget plump hair at this moment. Heeeeeeere’s Celia!”
    â€œWe won!”
    â€œWhat? You won the whole thing?”
    â€œYup. Best choir at the festival. Take that, McMinville!”
    â€œO.M.G. That is awesome!”
    â€œAnd … Celia! Give me the phone. Celia blew them away with her solo.”
    â€œLynn? I really did. Something happened. Like, something happened to my body. This voice came out from nowhere, like the choir behind me was a wave and I was a surfer.”
    â€œSinging surfer dude! Well, dudette, I guess. Celia, that’s amazing. Bet Inky’s happy, eh?”
    â€œHe cried! Spilling-over-tears cried.”
    â€œLynn, I’m so sorry that you weren’t here. That was the only bad thing. What’s up back there?”
    â€œWell, you know. The usual. I caught a glimpse of Brandon.”
    Kas jumped back in. “Get out. What’s he look like?”
    â€œDark hair. Kind of short. Drop crotch pants.”
    â€œDrop crotch! That’s just sad.”
    â€œI’m getting free blocks where choir used to be. Sabrina Durmaz and I are doing a French skit together. I can tell you all the other stuff when you get home. Tomorrow, right?”
    â€œNo. That’s the other big news. The winning choir gets to stay a whole week longer and do some concerts.”
    â€œBummer. No, I mean, that’s great but I miss you.”
    â€œMiss you, too.”
    â€œMiss you squared.”
    Lynn tucked her phone away. The usual. Hardly. She was about to leave for what might be the most unusual birthday party of her life. She didn’t know what to expect, but she didn’t think that a sushi party platter and a rented karaoke machine would be involved.
    â‰ˆâ‰ˆâ‰ˆ
    A t’ai chi group with swords was going through their paces as Lynn reached the fountain, the designated meeting place. As the water rose and fell behind her, she sat on the concrete edge and watched the ballet.
    She was looking forward to meeting mysterious Fossick and bad Tron but mostly she wanted to see Larch again. During that first visit when Blossom put her hands on his head to calm him, when she encouraged him to say “I” by holding up her finger — it had all been … sweet.
    Lynn often wondered what it would be like to have a brother, but she had never imagined a Larch. The hand-flapping, talking by the book, not meeting her eyes — he was obviously on the spectrum, but there was something else, something outside the special-needs box.
    Blossom appeared, lugging a bulging shopping bag.
    Lynn jumped up and grabbed one handle. “Happy birthday!”
    â€œHurry. Hot doughnuts, cold milk, frozen ice cream.”
    As they walked through the Lingerlands toward the reservoir, Blossom started to whistle, loud, liquid