up?”
I shrugged. “Dad tells me not to get my hopes up. But maybe we can salvage some of the larger sculptures from the yard.”
“It’s just the weight of the mud and the force of the flash flood.” Andrew leaned against the counter as we finished with the utensils and started on the water glasses.
“Well, anyway, I’m going to try.” As I filled the water pitcher, the adults came back in.
“Ah, it smells delicious,” Annabelle’s dad announced, much louder than necessary for the small space. “Doesn’t it smell delicious, Annabelle?”
Annabelle gave her dad a forced smile that I didn’t understand, while her mom kissed her on the cheek. “Thank you for helping, sweetheart.”
They were like a family of superheroes. Annabelle’s dad with his booming, I’m-here-to-save-the-world voice, and her mom with her designer jeans and silk tank top that showed off toned arms. She looked like a cop or a spy in the movies, both beautiful and deadly. And then Annabelle, of course, seemed to be best at everything, so far as I could tell.
“So this is the famous Sadie,” Annabelle’s dad said,coming over to shake my hand. “I’m Jack Reid, and this is my wife, Leila.”
Annabelle’s mom clasped my hand between hers. “Nice to meet you, sweetheart.”
I couldn’t imagine calling them anything other than Mr. and Mrs. Reid.
Helen handed me the salad bowl to carry to the table, while she brought over the chicken casserole. “Looks like we’re all set.”
Annabelle sat between her mom and dad, across the table from Andrew, so I ended up sitting between Andrew and Dad. Perfect. Now we could admire her side by side.
“So, I hear I’m helping you build a music box for our Annabelle,” Mr. Reid said to me as we passed the salad around the table.
“Yes.” I hoped a short answer would deflect his attention to someone else.
“Seems difficult to build something big enough to hold a —”
Mrs. Reid interrupted him with a sharp look. “Not that Annabelle’s big …”
“No.” Mr Reid laughed, “Our Annabelle is perfect. She knows that. Casserole?”
Annabelle stared at her hands while he spooned casserole onto her plate.
“Looks like we can open the lake house by next week.” Mrs. Reid smiled brightly around the table. “You’re all welcome to come visit or go boating anytime.”
“Wildflowers are blooming on all the little islands, and it’s a perfect time to go camping,” Mr. Reid said. “We have tons of early campers this year, too. Lots of people who can see our Annabelle’s show.”
“It’s not just my show, Dad.” Annabelle looked over at Andrew before smiling at her dad, but her eyes were different than usual. Still bright, but a little too bright.
Andrew frowned at Annabelle’s plate, which was still full of salad and casserole.
Mr. Reid took a big bite. “This casserole is delicious, Helen.”
“And the veggies are so fresh,” Mrs. Reid added.
Helen smiled. “Well, I slaved away in the kitchen.”
It felt like they were having a conversation beyond what they were saying. I felt so out of it these days, I had no idea if I was just reading too much into things.
Dad might have felt the strange tension too because he changed the subject. “So Sadie told me that one of July’s cubs is a spirit bear.”
Helen and Andrew both spun in their chairs to look at me.
“There hasn’t been a spirit bear in this area for as long as I’ve been here,” Helen said. “Are you sure that’s what you saw, Sadie?”
“She had two cubs with her, one black and one completely white.” I stared down at my fork, wishing I could explain it better.
If Annabelle were describing a spirit bear, she’d probably gush and beam at everyone. But I couldn’t do that. I couldn’t even look up because tears filled my eyes.
“I’m sorry, Sadie,” Helen said. “I didn’t mean to pounce on you. I’ve been waiting to see July this season, and I’m astounded by this news. How
I shrugged. “Dad tells me not to get my hopes up. But maybe we can salvage some of the larger sculptures from the yard.”
“It’s just the weight of the mud and the force of the flash flood.” Andrew leaned against the counter as we finished with the utensils and started on the water glasses.
“Well, anyway, I’m going to try.” As I filled the water pitcher, the adults came back in.
“Ah, it smells delicious,” Annabelle’s dad announced, much louder than necessary for the small space. “Doesn’t it smell delicious, Annabelle?”
Annabelle gave her dad a forced smile that I didn’t understand, while her mom kissed her on the cheek. “Thank you for helping, sweetheart.”
They were like a family of superheroes. Annabelle’s dad with his booming, I’m-here-to-save-the-world voice, and her mom with her designer jeans and silk tank top that showed off toned arms. She looked like a cop or a spy in the movies, both beautiful and deadly. And then Annabelle, of course, seemed to be best at everything, so far as I could tell.
“So this is the famous Sadie,” Annabelle’s dad said,coming over to shake my hand. “I’m Jack Reid, and this is my wife, Leila.”
Annabelle’s mom clasped my hand between hers. “Nice to meet you, sweetheart.”
I couldn’t imagine calling them anything other than Mr. and Mrs. Reid.
Helen handed me the salad bowl to carry to the table, while she brought over the chicken casserole. “Looks like we’re all set.”
Annabelle sat between her mom and dad, across the table from Andrew, so I ended up sitting between Andrew and Dad. Perfect. Now we could admire her side by side.
“So, I hear I’m helping you build a music box for our Annabelle,” Mr. Reid said to me as we passed the salad around the table.
“Yes.” I hoped a short answer would deflect his attention to someone else.
“Seems difficult to build something big enough to hold a —”
Mrs. Reid interrupted him with a sharp look. “Not that Annabelle’s big …”
“No.” Mr Reid laughed, “Our Annabelle is perfect. She knows that. Casserole?”
Annabelle stared at her hands while he spooned casserole onto her plate.
“Looks like we can open the lake house by next week.” Mrs. Reid smiled brightly around the table. “You’re all welcome to come visit or go boating anytime.”
“Wildflowers are blooming on all the little islands, and it’s a perfect time to go camping,” Mr. Reid said. “We have tons of early campers this year, too. Lots of people who can see our Annabelle’s show.”
“It’s not just my show, Dad.” Annabelle looked over at Andrew before smiling at her dad, but her eyes were different than usual. Still bright, but a little too bright.
Andrew frowned at Annabelle’s plate, which was still full of salad and casserole.
Mr. Reid took a big bite. “This casserole is delicious, Helen.”
“And the veggies are so fresh,” Mrs. Reid added.
Helen smiled. “Well, I slaved away in the kitchen.”
It felt like they were having a conversation beyond what they were saying. I felt so out of it these days, I had no idea if I was just reading too much into things.
Dad might have felt the strange tension too because he changed the subject. “So Sadie told me that one of July’s cubs is a spirit bear.”
Helen and Andrew both spun in their chairs to look at me.
“There hasn’t been a spirit bear in this area for as long as I’ve been here,” Helen said. “Are you sure that’s what you saw, Sadie?”
“She had two cubs with her, one black and one completely white.” I stared down at my fork, wishing I could explain it better.
If Annabelle were describing a spirit bear, she’d probably gush and beam at everyone. But I couldn’t do that. I couldn’t even look up because tears filled my eyes.
“I’m sorry, Sadie,” Helen said. “I didn’t mean to pounce on you. I’ve been waiting to see July this season, and I’m astounded by this news. How
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