good,” Terri says with a smile.
“What’s beef blah-blah-blah?” I ask, not remembering a dinner with a name like that—a dinner that needed a special pot. A pot that no longer exists.
“We ate it over noodles. It’s like a French beef stew.” Terri takes in some short breaths. “It actually smells a little like…”
Dad sniffs too. “What
is
that smell?”
I’m not ready to answer that, so I scramble. “Just your darling daughter!”
“No, that’s not it.” He gets closer to me and breathes in deeply. “Were you playing with Toby in your room?”
“Um…yeah.” At least I’m being honest there. I did pet Toby several times while I was typing up the potion.
“It’s not skunk,” Dad says, sniffing. “It’s more like…stew.”
I’ve got to wrap this up—and fast. “Oh well, I’ll make sure I shower before school. Good night, Dad. I’ll put the dishes away in the morning.” I kiss him on the cheek and zoom down the hallway, shouting, “Good to see you, Terri!” as I go.
“Wait!” Dad shouts. “Come here!”
I stop. I turn around slowly and go back. But I stand as far away as possible, on the other side of the doorway.
“I wanted to tell you: I looked up your uncle’s quote,” Dad says. “It’s from Lao-tzu.”
“Where’s that?”
“It’s not a place; it’s a person. A Chinese philosopher.”
That
is
pretty interesting, but as much as I’d like to spend time talking about Chinese philosophy and helping Dad and Terri get closer, right now I need to stay far away from their questioning noses. They haven’t even started to talk about how red I am. That’s bound to be next.
“That’s cool, Dad. Thanks. See you in the morning. See you later, Terri!”
I wave. Terri waves back. And as I walk away, I hear her say, “That brother of yours is quite a character, isn’t he?”
If only Terri knew!
I get to my room and jump into my bed. I want to fall right to sleep, but my mind is racing. Not only do I need to dream about Larry not liking me, I need to dream about Dad not liking Paige too. Kill two birds with one bay leaf bath, and everything will be solved!
All I have to do is fall asleep. It’s what the potion says to do. But I still can’t. My nose is filled with the smell of bay leaves. An hour or so ago, I didn’t know what they were; now I’ll never forget them.
My clock keeps tick-tick-ticking. This is getting serious now. I’ve got to fall asleep and I’ve got to dream…about the last people I want floating through my mind: Paige and Larry.
—
Eventually I fall asleep, and I dream for sure. There’s a boy, but I don’t think he’s Larry because he has blond hair. Maybe it’s Ryder Landry! I don’t quite see his face, but he’s wearing a knit beanie, so there’s a good chance it’s him. “Cleo, you’re the girl for me,” he says, taking my hand in his. I should be excited, but even in a dream I’m embarrassed. Then he lifts my hand to his lips and kisses it…or is he licking it? That’s weird. And gross. Why is Ryder Landry licking my hand?
I open my eyes and look down my arm.
Ryder Landry isn’t licking my hand.
Toby is!
I pull my hand away and give it a sniff. Yep, I still smell like bay leaves.
“Cleo, we’re late!” Dad shouts from the front of the house.
Oh no! I jumped into bed so fast last night I forgot to set the alarm. And Dad probably started reading again after Terri left and he fell asleep too!
As fast as I can, I hop from under my covers and hit the floor. “I have to take a shower!”
“No time!” Dad yells. I look at my clock and growl. He’s right. It’s way too late. “Throw on some clothes and let’s go. I’ll give you money for lunch!”
I pull on the first clothes I see and run to meet Dad at the car, hoping that lunch isn’t stew today. I’ve had enough of that.
—
On our drive to school, we spot Red Shorts on a neighborhood street, reading his newspaper and walking quickly, as usual. Dad
“What’s beef blah-blah-blah?” I ask, not remembering a dinner with a name like that—a dinner that needed a special pot. A pot that no longer exists.
“We ate it over noodles. It’s like a French beef stew.” Terri takes in some short breaths. “It actually smells a little like…”
Dad sniffs too. “What
is
that smell?”
I’m not ready to answer that, so I scramble. “Just your darling daughter!”
“No, that’s not it.” He gets closer to me and breathes in deeply. “Were you playing with Toby in your room?”
“Um…yeah.” At least I’m being honest there. I did pet Toby several times while I was typing up the potion.
“It’s not skunk,” Dad says, sniffing. “It’s more like…stew.”
I’ve got to wrap this up—and fast. “Oh well, I’ll make sure I shower before school. Good night, Dad. I’ll put the dishes away in the morning.” I kiss him on the cheek and zoom down the hallway, shouting, “Good to see you, Terri!” as I go.
“Wait!” Dad shouts. “Come here!”
I stop. I turn around slowly and go back. But I stand as far away as possible, on the other side of the doorway.
“I wanted to tell you: I looked up your uncle’s quote,” Dad says. “It’s from Lao-tzu.”
“Where’s that?”
“It’s not a place; it’s a person. A Chinese philosopher.”
That
is
pretty interesting, but as much as I’d like to spend time talking about Chinese philosophy and helping Dad and Terri get closer, right now I need to stay far away from their questioning noses. They haven’t even started to talk about how red I am. That’s bound to be next.
“That’s cool, Dad. Thanks. See you in the morning. See you later, Terri!”
I wave. Terri waves back. And as I walk away, I hear her say, “That brother of yours is quite a character, isn’t he?”
If only Terri knew!
I get to my room and jump into my bed. I want to fall right to sleep, but my mind is racing. Not only do I need to dream about Larry not liking me, I need to dream about Dad not liking Paige too. Kill two birds with one bay leaf bath, and everything will be solved!
All I have to do is fall asleep. It’s what the potion says to do. But I still can’t. My nose is filled with the smell of bay leaves. An hour or so ago, I didn’t know what they were; now I’ll never forget them.
My clock keeps tick-tick-ticking. This is getting serious now. I’ve got to fall asleep and I’ve got to dream…about the last people I want floating through my mind: Paige and Larry.
—
Eventually I fall asleep, and I dream for sure. There’s a boy, but I don’t think he’s Larry because he has blond hair. Maybe it’s Ryder Landry! I don’t quite see his face, but he’s wearing a knit beanie, so there’s a good chance it’s him. “Cleo, you’re the girl for me,” he says, taking my hand in his. I should be excited, but even in a dream I’m embarrassed. Then he lifts my hand to his lips and kisses it…or is he licking it? That’s weird. And gross. Why is Ryder Landry licking my hand?
I open my eyes and look down my arm.
Ryder Landry isn’t licking my hand.
Toby is!
I pull my hand away and give it a sniff. Yep, I still smell like bay leaves.
“Cleo, we’re late!” Dad shouts from the front of the house.
Oh no! I jumped into bed so fast last night I forgot to set the alarm. And Dad probably started reading again after Terri left and he fell asleep too!
As fast as I can, I hop from under my covers and hit the floor. “I have to take a shower!”
“No time!” Dad yells. I look at my clock and growl. He’s right. It’s way too late. “Throw on some clothes and let’s go. I’ll give you money for lunch!”
I pull on the first clothes I see and run to meet Dad at the car, hoping that lunch isn’t stew today. I’ve had enough of that.
—
On our drive to school, we spot Red Shorts on a neighborhood street, reading his newspaper and walking quickly, as usual. Dad
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