Confectionately Yours #4: Something New by Lisa Papademetriou Page A

come true,’” she adds,pointing to the headline on one of the brochures. She scoffs, obviously revolted by the very idea. “Of course, I don’t know how to tell your mother all of that.”
    “Do you think she’ll mind?”
    “Hayley — did you know that your father and mother eloped?”
    “Sure.”
    “They never had a proper wedding, and I think — well, it’s just superstition, of course. But the divorce is so fresh in her mind….” Gran leans forward to place her hand on mine. “I do think your mother wants the wedding done properly, if you see what I’m saying.”
    “Oh.”
    “And she’s gone to such effort.” Gran’s voice is full of regret.
    “True.” I think this over for a moment. “Do you think it will be better to wait until she books the caterers, and then tell her that you don’t want the wedding? Or maybe after it’s all over?”
    Gran closes her eyes and chuckles softly. When she opens them again, they’re as brilliant as diamonds. “I think, perhaps, sooner is better than later.”
    “That’s what I was thinking.”
    Gran gives me a peck on the cheek. “I’ll tell her soon, darling. Thank you.”
    “Sleep well,” I say, and I pad down the hallway to the bedroom I share with Chloe. My sister is on her bed, snuggling with Tessie.
    “She can’t sleep in here,” I say to Chloe.
    “Why not?”
    “Because she wakes me up at five in the morning when she sleeps in here,” I say. “Besides, that’s why we have her dog bed in the living room, remember?”
    Chloe pouts.
    “Don’t give me the big dog eyes,” I implore. “You, either,” I say to the dog, but neither one of them stops.
    “Mom says Tessie has to go back to the shelter this weekend.” Chloe is begging, her eyes filling with tears.
    Rip my heart out. “Oh, Chlo.” I use my gentlest voice and sit down on the bed next to her. “I’m sorry.”
    “No, you’re not,” she mutters, and I’m silent for a moment. Well, I’m not that sorry. But I am a little sorry. I pet Tessie’s silky ears.
    “We knew she would have to go back someday,” I say.
    Chloe kisses Tessie’s face, and the dog licks her face.
    “She can sleep in here,” I say, because I’m not really a horrible person.
    I swear, that dog does not understand “sit” or “stay,” but she seems to understand the entire sentence I just uttered, because she goes and curls herself up into a doughnut at the end of Chloe’s bed. Chloe leans back against her pillow, and I head over to my own bed.
    “Good night, Chloe,” I say as I click off the light.
    My little sister just rolls over, so that her back is to me.
    It isn’t easy when someone you love is angry with you.
    But I can’t always make everything perfect for everyone.
    Can I?

“S top!” I say. “Too much! Too much!” I’m at the beach, where a dolphin is trying to touch noses. But I don’t want to get my face wet. Chloe begs the dolphin to come to her, but it only wants me, and I can’t get it to leave me alone….
    I open my eyes to darkness. The sunny beach disappears, and I realize that I’m at home, in my room. It’s the middle of the night.
    But my face is wet.
    “Stop!” I say as Tessie licks my eyeball. “Ew!”
    She whines and races to the door, then rushes back again.
    “Chloe,” I groan. “Your dog wants to go out.”
    Chloe doesn’t move or make a sound. I’m telling you, that girl sleeps like a brick. Even in my groggy state, I realizethat waking her up is going to be more trouble than just letting the dog out of the room, so I go to the door and open it.
    Tessie races through it, skids to a stop at the end of the hallway, and then races back to me, expectantly. “Oh, ugh, do you want to go outside?” I ask her. “Now?”
    She whines and jumps up on my leg, and I’m just about to turn around and go make Chloe take the dog out when the smell of smoke hits my nose.
    “Is that — Ohmigosh!” Suddenly, I’m so awake that my body takes off before my brain