On a Slippery Slope by Melody Fitzpatrick

relieved.
    â€œWhat’s going on, Mom?”
    â€œWell,” she says, grabbing my hands, “wonderful news, ac­tual­­ly — for your dad and me, anyway.”
    â€œWonderful news? Hmm … wonderful news!” I say, excitedly. Wonderful news means she doesn’t know. This is wonderful news!
    â€œYes, well, your father and I are finally going to have a honeymoon.”
    â€œYou never had a honeymoon?”
    â€œNope, we couldn’t afford one back then.”
    â€œSo when? Where?”
    â€œYou know your father is leaving tomorrow for a conference on climate change, right?”
    â€œYeah, in Australia.”
    â€œWell, I’m going with him! The station agreed to let your dad take a few weeks off after the conference.
    â€œSo, what about me? Am I going?”
    â€œNo honey, not this time. You have school and your new job.”
    â€œSo, who’s going to take care of me?”
    â€œYour boss!” Mom winks.
    â€œNot Gwendolyn!”
    â€œNo.” Mom laughs. “You’ll be staying with Andy for the next four weeks. Are you okay with that?”
    â€œUm …”
    â€œI know you probably would have rather stayed with Gabby. We did consider asking, but Gabby’s grandparents are back visiting, so they have a houseful already. Plus, Andy said she would love to have you, and you two get along so well. It just makes sense. Best of all, her apartment is across the street from your school.”
    â€œReally, she just offered to take in some random fourteen-year -old for an entire month?”
    â€œHannah, you’re not random. She loves you to bits. Andy says she looked after her niece for the entire summer last year and it was a blast. She’s actually excited that you’re coming.”
    â€œWell, I guess. If you’re sure it’s okay.”
    â€œIt’s all settled.” Mom smiles. “So, get yourself upstairs and start packing. We’re dropping you off tonight!”
    â€œTonight?”
    This is sudden.
    Hmmm … I’m trying to figure out how I feel about this. I mean on one hand, Mom and Dad are going on a dream vacation to Australia, a place I have always wanted to see, especially since I did a project on it in seventh grade. I mean what’s not to love about Australia? It’s warm and sunny, the people have cool accents, and they surf, and hunt crocodiles, not to mention the fact that I’m obsessed with koala bears! Who wouldn’t be? I mean they are so cute. I can’t believe my mom is going to see one before me!
    On the other hand, I’ll get to stay with Andy for a whole month. How cool is that? We’ll chill and do girl stuff. I’ll have my own little mini-vacation at Andy’s!
    â€œBy the way,” Mom says, digging in the junk drawer. “Is there something you’re forgetting to ask me?”
    â€œNo.” What the heck is she taking about?
    â€œI was talking to Lori last night.” Mom takes out a pen and her chequebook and puts them on the counter.
    â€œGabby’s mom? What did she say?”
    â€œShe asked me if I had signed the permission slip for the big ski trip you’re going on.”

    Oh no! I knew this would happen! Oh crap!
    â€œWhat did you say?” I demand.
    â€œWell, what do you think I said?” Mom frowns. “I told her the truth.”
    â€œOh my gosh, no!” I yelp. “What did you say?”
    â€œHannah, settle down. I just said I didn’t know about the trip. She was pretty surprised, She said it’s all Gabby talks about. Why didn’t you tell us about it?”
    â€œWhat else did you say?” I screech, ignoring her question.
    â€œHannah, seriously. What is the deal?”
    â€œNothing, just tell me exactly what you said. Okay?”
    â€œWell, I said you couldn’t go because —”
    â€œBecause why?” I yell, cutting her off mid-sentence .
    â€œBecause you’ll