Piper's Perfect Dream by Ahmet Zappa Page A

menu. Why would a customer even order it?”
    Piper flushed, hoping she hadn’t made a mistake. “They didn’t,” she said. “I just made it for them. Is that okay?”
    Alice thought a moment. “Yes, I guess it is. It’s already made, anyway. So just go ahead and serve it. I’ll figure out how much to charge.”
    â€œThanks!” said Piper, relieved she wouldn’t have to disappoint the father. His son had settled down a bit and was just sniffling. But anything could set him off again.
    A starsec later, she placed two tall glasses on their table. “Here!”
    Sammy slurped through his straw while his father watched. “Yummy!” the boy said, grinning ear to ear.
    Then the dad sipped his own egg cream and smiled. “It
is
good!” he exclaimed. “What do you call this?”
    â€œIt’s a chocolate egg cream,” Piper told him. “And you can’t get it at any fast food restaurant.” Piper tapped her elbows three times for luck. At least she hoped you couldn’t get it at any fast food restaurant. What about places in that small town called New York City?
    â€œWell, that’s for sure,” Alice said from across the room, and Piper felt better.
    â€œSweet,” said the dad, who took out his phone and, oddly enough to Piper, took a photo of the egg cream.
    â€œHey, Alice!” a customer at the counter called out. “Can I get one of those egg dreams?”
    â€œEgg creams,” Alice corrected. “And yes!”
    â€œMe too,” someone else shouted “They look really good!”
    Just then a wail echoed through the diner. “My bunny,” Sammy cried again. The egg cream finished, he’d remembered his lost stuffed animal.
    All of a sudden, a picture appeared in Piper’s mind: a raggedy stuffed bunny on a Wishling car floor. Every once in a while she’d get a hunch or instinct—she didn’t know what to call it. But she’d learned to trust it.
    She peered through the diner window, into the car they had exited. She looked through the car doors. Like magic, the metal melted away to reveal the floor, covered by books, toys, and a blanket. And underneath the blanket, Piper could see the missing bunny. “Hey,” she said, as casually as she could. “Did you check the backseat?”
    The dad sighed. “I already looked.”
    Then he sniffed the air and got a wistful look on his face. “Mmm,” he said. “Apple cobbler. Just like my aunt Kitty used to make.” He smiled. “I’ll go check again right now.” He hurried outside with Sammy. Starmins later they were back, Sammy clutching his precious bunny tightly.
    â€œThank you, thank you,” his father said to Piper. “I don’t know how you knew where to look. You’re a lifesaver.” Sammy hugged her, which made Piper glow for a split starsec, too quick for anyone to notice. Then the dad left an extra-big tip.
    It had taken a while for Piper to figure out the tip business. First of all, there was no physical money on Starland so the bills and coins themselves were odd to her. And it seemed strange that Wishlings would just leave money lying on tables. But when she realized it was like a thank-you present to the waitstaff, she’d slipped all her tips into the tip jar when Alice wasn’t looking.
    She didn’t think she’d contributed enough to turn business around. But maybe it was a start.
    The rest of the day passed uneventfully. Olivia came by after school, with the same friends dropping her off outside. The four held another whispered conference before she went inside.
    That night, Piper was exhausted. All she wanted to do was sleep. But even in the dark, she could tell Olivia’s eyes were wide open and staring at the ceiling. The girl was afraid to fall asleep.
    â€œDo you think you can talk me through that relaxation technique again?” Olivia asked