that.
My parents don’t.
“Aurora, these are my parents.”
I feel a little shy. “Hi. Nice meeting you.”
“Hal has told us so much about you,” Mr. Brenner says.
Mrs. Brenner nods. “I ask him how school is and all he talks about is you.”
“Mom!” Hal blushes.
She continues. “It’s nice to know that he’s found someone he likes so much, and I know that Mr. Wilcox thinks you are a wonderful addition to the school and getting more helpful every day.”
“Mom,” Hal says, “you make it sound like you were checking Aurora out.”
“I was.” She nods. “And I’ve watched her atcommunity meals. A mother likes to check out her son’s first girlfriend.”
“We’re just friends.” Hal’s face is very red.
Mr. Brenner says, “I’m sure we’ll be seeing a lot of you.”
“Aurora”—Mrs. Brenner gives me a kiss on the cheek—“it’s very nice meeting you.”
After they leave, Hal says, “That was one of the most embarrassing times in my life . . . . Parents!”
“I like them.”
“I do too.” He nods. “I can’t believe they did that to me though.”
April comes rushing up to us. “Aurora. Hal. You did such a great job getting the money to put on the play. It’ll be such a terrific experience to direct. Tolin said he’d help with the sets.”
I smile. “Wonderful.”
We’ve both been so busy with our new lives that we really haven’t had any time to spend together.
April goes over to dance with Tolin.
I look around.
Starr is standing at the sidelines alone, watching the dancers.
“Hal, would you do me a favor?”
“Anything.” He smiles at me.
“Ask Starr to dance. Please.”
He nods and says, “Sure. And you ask Tucker to dance. And when the music stops, we’ll make sure that the four of us are near. Tucker would like that.”
“Has he said that he likes Starr?”
“I’m sworn to secrecy.” Hal grins. “But my plan is one that will surely work.”
A little sneaky.
But nice.
I like it.
CHAPTER 24
“I hope you get the parts you want,” my mother says as Starr and I get ready to leave the house. “Have a great day.”
This afternoon my mother is going to perform bionic surgery on a worker who was injured in a mining accident. She’s been so busy studying procedures that I’m amazed she remembered that today Mr. Wilcox is putting up the list of people chosen for the play.
My father says, “I wish we could do something special to celebrate tonight, like go out to dinner.”
“There are no restaurants here,” Starr reminds him.
“I know.” He looks sad. “I’m very happy up here . . . but do you know what I miss? . . . Those fastfood places, food in bags that always rip before you even get it home, greaseburgers, soda cups that leak from the plastic tops. Also pizza that the delivery boy has tilted to one side, so that the cheese is all in the corner of the box.”
My mother says, “I miss sushi.”
“Raw fish, yuckiosity.” Starr makes a face. “That’s like eating from a goldfish bowl.”
My mother continues. “And ice cream places that sell soft custard. And I miss my mother’s brownies.” She pauses. “And I miss Mom too.”
We’re all quiet for a few minutes, and then Dad says, “After dinner tonight, let’s all go out for a family walk and then I’ll bring out a hidden surprise that I’ve been saving for a special occasion—something Grandma Jennifer sent up on the last shuttle.”
“How come I never saw it?” My mother puts her hands on her hips.
He smiles. “She labeled it Dental Supplies and told me to open it when you showed signs of missing her.”
“Brownies!” we all yell at once, jumping up and down. “Brownies! Brownies!”
When we finally calm down, my father says, “That’s for tonight. But now we all have to go to work and to school.”
Starr and I kiss our parents good-bye.
This has been a great way to start our day, I think as we leave for school.
“I thought I was
My parents don’t.
“Aurora, these are my parents.”
I feel a little shy. “Hi. Nice meeting you.”
“Hal has told us so much about you,” Mr. Brenner says.
Mrs. Brenner nods. “I ask him how school is and all he talks about is you.”
“Mom!” Hal blushes.
She continues. “It’s nice to know that he’s found someone he likes so much, and I know that Mr. Wilcox thinks you are a wonderful addition to the school and getting more helpful every day.”
“Mom,” Hal says, “you make it sound like you were checking Aurora out.”
“I was.” She nods. “And I’ve watched her atcommunity meals. A mother likes to check out her son’s first girlfriend.”
“We’re just friends.” Hal’s face is very red.
Mr. Brenner says, “I’m sure we’ll be seeing a lot of you.”
“Aurora”—Mrs. Brenner gives me a kiss on the cheek—“it’s very nice meeting you.”
After they leave, Hal says, “That was one of the most embarrassing times in my life . . . . Parents!”
“I like them.”
“I do too.” He nods. “I can’t believe they did that to me though.”
April comes rushing up to us. “Aurora. Hal. You did such a great job getting the money to put on the play. It’ll be such a terrific experience to direct. Tolin said he’d help with the sets.”
I smile. “Wonderful.”
We’ve both been so busy with our new lives that we really haven’t had any time to spend together.
April goes over to dance with Tolin.
I look around.
Starr is standing at the sidelines alone, watching the dancers.
“Hal, would you do me a favor?”
“Anything.” He smiles at me.
“Ask Starr to dance. Please.”
He nods and says, “Sure. And you ask Tucker to dance. And when the music stops, we’ll make sure that the four of us are near. Tucker would like that.”
“Has he said that he likes Starr?”
“I’m sworn to secrecy.” Hal grins. “But my plan is one that will surely work.”
A little sneaky.
But nice.
I like it.
CHAPTER 24
“I hope you get the parts you want,” my mother says as Starr and I get ready to leave the house. “Have a great day.”
This afternoon my mother is going to perform bionic surgery on a worker who was injured in a mining accident. She’s been so busy studying procedures that I’m amazed she remembered that today Mr. Wilcox is putting up the list of people chosen for the play.
My father says, “I wish we could do something special to celebrate tonight, like go out to dinner.”
“There are no restaurants here,” Starr reminds him.
“I know.” He looks sad. “I’m very happy up here . . . but do you know what I miss? . . . Those fastfood places, food in bags that always rip before you even get it home, greaseburgers, soda cups that leak from the plastic tops. Also pizza that the delivery boy has tilted to one side, so that the cheese is all in the corner of the box.”
My mother says, “I miss sushi.”
“Raw fish, yuckiosity.” Starr makes a face. “That’s like eating from a goldfish bowl.”
My mother continues. “And ice cream places that sell soft custard. And I miss my mother’s brownies.” She pauses. “And I miss Mom too.”
We’re all quiet for a few minutes, and then Dad says, “After dinner tonight, let’s all go out for a family walk and then I’ll bring out a hidden surprise that I’ve been saving for a special occasion—something Grandma Jennifer sent up on the last shuttle.”
“How come I never saw it?” My mother puts her hands on her hips.
He smiles. “She labeled it Dental Supplies and told me to open it when you showed signs of missing her.”
“Brownies!” we all yell at once, jumping up and down. “Brownies! Brownies!”
When we finally calm down, my father says, “That’s for tonight. But now we all have to go to work and to school.”
Starr and I kiss our parents good-bye.
This has been a great way to start our day, I think as we leave for school.
“I thought I was
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