she tossed it into a nearby trash can. “What does imprecise mean?” Daphne snapped.
“It means not exact ,” Sabrina said.
Daphne scowled.
“You should have asked before,” Sabrina said.
Daphne scowled harder, then emptied the water from her shoes.
“Welcome to Venice, girls,” Uncle Jake said.
Sabrina studied her surroundings. Scarecrow had been correct. There weren’t streets in Venice, at least not in the part of the city where they were. Instead, the neighborhoods seemed to be connected by an elaborate canal system lined by narrow sidewalks. The elegant hotels, office buildings, and apartments on either side of the canals were built high so that doorways never touched the water. Boats of various shapes and sizes sailed by: some were taxis, and others were for tourists to take on romantic rides through the majestic arches and bridges of Venice. As a native New Yorker, Sabrina was rarely impressed with anything outside of the Big Apple. After all, once a person had seen the Statue of Liberty or had one of Nathan’s hot dogs at Coney Island, there was little reason to see the rest of the world. But she had to admit Venice was awe-inspiring.
“So, where’s Goldilocks?” Sabrina said, pulling her attention away from the amazing scenery and back to the group. She noticed her uncle seemed to be hypnotized by something. He was looking up at the third floor of a hotel across the canal.
“There,” he said, pointing at a beautiful woman standing on the balcony. She had tight blond curls, a sun-kissed tan, and a warm smile. She, too, was gazing out at the amazing city.
Sabrina was overwhelmed, unsure of whether to laugh or cry. For months she and Daphne had thought their parents abandoned them, only to find out they had been kidnapped. Rescuing them had provided little comfort since they were both victims of a magical spell. Now that obstacle was almost hurdled, too. Hope, wonder, and joy were building in her heart, threatening to explode like a shaken bottle of soda pop. The feelings were mirrored in the faces of her family as well. Daphne, despite being soaked, was grinning ear to ear. Uncle Jake’s fatigue seemed to melt away as he waved for the girls to follow him.
They crossed a bridge to get to the hotel and rushed into the busy lobby. The Hotel Cipriani was even more impressive than the Scarecrow had led them to believe. The floors were made from priceless marble. Opulent arches framed the doors and beautiful sculptures decorated the lobby. The ceiling hung so high above them, Sabrina wondered if clouds ever drifted into the hotel. Dozens of bellhops rushed to and fro, carrying expensive luggage and helping guests to their rooms. Unfortunately, the group’s arrival did not go unnoticed and a chubby, gray-haired man in a black suit approached them. His face was full of disapproval. Sabrina realized how odd they looked for such an elegant place, her sister dripping wet and her uncle in his wrinkled blue jeans and bizarre overcoat.
“ Posso aiutarvi ?” he said.
“I’m sorry, we don’t speak Italian,” Uncle Jake said.
His comment caused the man’s frown lines to deepen. “Americans,” he huffed. “Are you lost?”
“No, we’re looking for a guest of the hotel,” Uncle Jake said.
“What is this guest’s name?”
“Well, this is going to sound silly, but her name is Goldilocks,” Sabrina said, bracing herself for a laugh. However, the man didn’t even blink.
“You are friends with Ms. Locks?” he said.
Uncle Jake nodded. “Yes, we’re very close.”
The hotel manager seemed reluctant.
“Listen pal,” Uncle Jake said, “are you going to help us find her or should we just start knocking on doors?”
The man’s eyes widened in horror. “Take the elevators along the east wall. She’s on the third floor—suite 311.”
“Thank you,” Daphne said.
The group took an elevator to the third floor and followed the hallways until they found the room.
“This is it,”
“It means not exact ,” Sabrina said.
Daphne scowled.
“You should have asked before,” Sabrina said.
Daphne scowled harder, then emptied the water from her shoes.
“Welcome to Venice, girls,” Uncle Jake said.
Sabrina studied her surroundings. Scarecrow had been correct. There weren’t streets in Venice, at least not in the part of the city where they were. Instead, the neighborhoods seemed to be connected by an elaborate canal system lined by narrow sidewalks. The elegant hotels, office buildings, and apartments on either side of the canals were built high so that doorways never touched the water. Boats of various shapes and sizes sailed by: some were taxis, and others were for tourists to take on romantic rides through the majestic arches and bridges of Venice. As a native New Yorker, Sabrina was rarely impressed with anything outside of the Big Apple. After all, once a person had seen the Statue of Liberty or had one of Nathan’s hot dogs at Coney Island, there was little reason to see the rest of the world. But she had to admit Venice was awe-inspiring.
“So, where’s Goldilocks?” Sabrina said, pulling her attention away from the amazing scenery and back to the group. She noticed her uncle seemed to be hypnotized by something. He was looking up at the third floor of a hotel across the canal.
“There,” he said, pointing at a beautiful woman standing on the balcony. She had tight blond curls, a sun-kissed tan, and a warm smile. She, too, was gazing out at the amazing city.
Sabrina was overwhelmed, unsure of whether to laugh or cry. For months she and Daphne had thought their parents abandoned them, only to find out they had been kidnapped. Rescuing them had provided little comfort since they were both victims of a magical spell. Now that obstacle was almost hurdled, too. Hope, wonder, and joy were building in her heart, threatening to explode like a shaken bottle of soda pop. The feelings were mirrored in the faces of her family as well. Daphne, despite being soaked, was grinning ear to ear. Uncle Jake’s fatigue seemed to melt away as he waved for the girls to follow him.
They crossed a bridge to get to the hotel and rushed into the busy lobby. The Hotel Cipriani was even more impressive than the Scarecrow had led them to believe. The floors were made from priceless marble. Opulent arches framed the doors and beautiful sculptures decorated the lobby. The ceiling hung so high above them, Sabrina wondered if clouds ever drifted into the hotel. Dozens of bellhops rushed to and fro, carrying expensive luggage and helping guests to their rooms. Unfortunately, the group’s arrival did not go unnoticed and a chubby, gray-haired man in a black suit approached them. His face was full of disapproval. Sabrina realized how odd they looked for such an elegant place, her sister dripping wet and her uncle in his wrinkled blue jeans and bizarre overcoat.
“ Posso aiutarvi ?” he said.
“I’m sorry, we don’t speak Italian,” Uncle Jake said.
His comment caused the man’s frown lines to deepen. “Americans,” he huffed. “Are you lost?”
“No, we’re looking for a guest of the hotel,” Uncle Jake said.
“What is this guest’s name?”
“Well, this is going to sound silly, but her name is Goldilocks,” Sabrina said, bracing herself for a laugh. However, the man didn’t even blink.
“You are friends with Ms. Locks?” he said.
Uncle Jake nodded. “Yes, we’re very close.”
The hotel manager seemed reluctant.
“Listen pal,” Uncle Jake said, “are you going to help us find her or should we just start knocking on doors?”
The man’s eyes widened in horror. “Take the elevators along the east wall. She’s on the third floor—suite 311.”
“Thank you,” Daphne said.
The group took an elevator to the third floor and followed the hallways until they found the room.
“This is it,”
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