we were
never
supposed to write in a book, unless it’s a coloring book.” Josie looked at the yellow highlighted passages. “I’m not writing in the book, Rosie. I’m highlighting. It’s what you do when you read something that you have to study and that’s
really important
for you to remember. See here, how I’ve made lots of these words yellow? It’s because those are the main points in this chapter, and I want to remember them and also to be able to go back and see them quickly when I review them.”
“Can I have a highlighter to use?” Rose asked.
“Hmm. What exactly would
you
use a highlighter for?”
Rose screwed up her mouth and was quiet for a minute.
“My spelling words!” Rose said suddenly. She looked up at Josie with a brightened expression. “Mrs. Harp gave us ten words that we have to know by the end of the week. And we have a spelling test on Friday. Don’t you think that if I use a highlighter, I’ll be able to remember them better?”
“Well,” Josie said slowly, “I suppose that would be a good use for a highlighter.”
This kid’s going to be a lawyer, with the way she can think on her feet
. She looked over at Ivy, who was lifting plates down from the cupboard, trying not to laugh. “All right, I’ll let you use one, but only if you promise that you will use it only in your spelling workbook and NOT in any other books or anyplace else. Deal?”
“Deal!” Rose held out her hand and grinned triumphantly as Josie handed her one of the fluorescent yellow markers. “I’m going to go put it up in my room. Be right back!”
“Make sure you cap it after you use it so it doesn’t dry out,” Josie called as Rose dashed out of the kitchen.
“She got you good,” Ivy muttered. She nudged Josie aside to set the plates down on the table. “I call that manipulation through logic, and she’s only six! You’re in for it, I tell you. You just wait until she gets older.”
“You’re right,” Josie said. She made a mental note to remove Rose’s paper-doll scissors from her room. “Rose is diabolical. I’ll just have to keep a close eye on her. I shudder to think how she’ll turn out if I don’t.”
CHAPTER 9
L ATE IN THE EVENING , C LAUDIA SAT WAITING ON THE SOFA in Kyle’s apartment, aimlessly flipping through television channels while he said good night to Rowen. She thought back to the afternoon, to the blowup between the DiSanti sisters, and before that, to when Kyle had offered to help unload Emily’s things. He was always eager to lend a hand, and it was just one of the things she loved about him. Their relationship had matured during the time they’d been together, and Claudia had no reason to doubt Kyle’s feelings for her. But even so, Emily’s presence in Mill River made her nervous.
Claudia glanced down at her tummy and thighs, currently covered by her favorite blue jeans. It had taken her so much—months of exercise, strict dieting, willpower, and tears—to be able to fit in those size-ten jeans. Her stomach still wasn’t as flat as she would like, and despite her now being at a healthy weight and very fit, she knew she would
never
look like Emily, who was effortlessly lithe with a gorgeous face to match.
Quit being so paranoid
, Claudia suddenly chided herself. Of course Kyle had just been his usual polite self. Her own insecurities were trying to get the better of her.
“Well, she’s not sleepy yet,” Kyle announced as he came back into the living room. “We struck a bargain—she can read for another fifteen minutes and then it’ll be lights out.”
“She’s already sucked into those new books, then?” Claudia asked.
“Yep,” Kyle said. “She’ll blow through them in a few days, tops. Did I tell you that her last achievement test showed that she reads at the eleventh grade level?”
“Um, you do remember that she was one of my students this past year?” Claudia asked, smiling.
“Oh, yeah.” Kyle grinned, and his ears turned
never
supposed to write in a book, unless it’s a coloring book.” Josie looked at the yellow highlighted passages. “I’m not writing in the book, Rosie. I’m highlighting. It’s what you do when you read something that you have to study and that’s
really important
for you to remember. See here, how I’ve made lots of these words yellow? It’s because those are the main points in this chapter, and I want to remember them and also to be able to go back and see them quickly when I review them.”
“Can I have a highlighter to use?” Rose asked.
“Hmm. What exactly would
you
use a highlighter for?”
Rose screwed up her mouth and was quiet for a minute.
“My spelling words!” Rose said suddenly. She looked up at Josie with a brightened expression. “Mrs. Harp gave us ten words that we have to know by the end of the week. And we have a spelling test on Friday. Don’t you think that if I use a highlighter, I’ll be able to remember them better?”
“Well,” Josie said slowly, “I suppose that would be a good use for a highlighter.”
This kid’s going to be a lawyer, with the way she can think on her feet
. She looked over at Ivy, who was lifting plates down from the cupboard, trying not to laugh. “All right, I’ll let you use one, but only if you promise that you will use it only in your spelling workbook and NOT in any other books or anyplace else. Deal?”
“Deal!” Rose held out her hand and grinned triumphantly as Josie handed her one of the fluorescent yellow markers. “I’m going to go put it up in my room. Be right back!”
“Make sure you cap it after you use it so it doesn’t dry out,” Josie called as Rose dashed out of the kitchen.
“She got you good,” Ivy muttered. She nudged Josie aside to set the plates down on the table. “I call that manipulation through logic, and she’s only six! You’re in for it, I tell you. You just wait until she gets older.”
“You’re right,” Josie said. She made a mental note to remove Rose’s paper-doll scissors from her room. “Rose is diabolical. I’ll just have to keep a close eye on her. I shudder to think how she’ll turn out if I don’t.”
CHAPTER 9
L ATE IN THE EVENING , C LAUDIA SAT WAITING ON THE SOFA in Kyle’s apartment, aimlessly flipping through television channels while he said good night to Rowen. She thought back to the afternoon, to the blowup between the DiSanti sisters, and before that, to when Kyle had offered to help unload Emily’s things. He was always eager to lend a hand, and it was just one of the things she loved about him. Their relationship had matured during the time they’d been together, and Claudia had no reason to doubt Kyle’s feelings for her. But even so, Emily’s presence in Mill River made her nervous.
Claudia glanced down at her tummy and thighs, currently covered by her favorite blue jeans. It had taken her so much—months of exercise, strict dieting, willpower, and tears—to be able to fit in those size-ten jeans. Her stomach still wasn’t as flat as she would like, and despite her now being at a healthy weight and very fit, she knew she would
never
look like Emily, who was effortlessly lithe with a gorgeous face to match.
Quit being so paranoid
, Claudia suddenly chided herself. Of course Kyle had just been his usual polite self. Her own insecurities were trying to get the better of her.
“Well, she’s not sleepy yet,” Kyle announced as he came back into the living room. “We struck a bargain—she can read for another fifteen minutes and then it’ll be lights out.”
“She’s already sucked into those new books, then?” Claudia asked.
“Yep,” Kyle said. “She’ll blow through them in a few days, tops. Did I tell you that her last achievement test showed that she reads at the eleventh grade level?”
“Um, you do remember that she was one of my students this past year?” Claudia asked, smiling.
“Oh, yeah.” Kyle grinned, and his ears turned
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