13 Gifts by Wendy Mass

Author:Wendy Mass [Mass, Wendy]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9780545310031
Google: GI9S86U1Se8C
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Published: 2011-07-15T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

Even though I’d locked the bike up outside the diner, I’m still relieved to see it there safe and sound. It might not be anything like my bike at home, but right now it’s my only way to escape. I wrap up the chain and put it in Emily’s squashed basket. The broken basket is my excuse to get inside the shop again.

The alley is even more deserted than it was this morning, if that’s possible. The setting sun doesn’t seem to touch this street. I shiver, glad I’m no longer wearing the Sunshine Kid outfit. Rory took them home to wash. She said she’d have an easier time explaining their appearance to her mother than I would to my aunt. Supposedly, her mom is used to a lot of strangeness.

No light shines from Angelina’s store, either, but as I get closer I can hear dance music. Not normal dance music, but like big-band-orchestra-grandparents kind of dance music. I peek through the cleaned off spot in the window and there she is, dancing. Alone. In the middle of the shop. She’s moving a lot more gracefully than one would think the oldest person in town should be able to move. I watch for a minute until she spots me. She stops moving, and the music stops, too. I didn’t see her turn any radio off, but that’s not even one of the top three strangest things that’s happened to me today, so I let it go.

We meet at the door. Hands on her hips, she says, “You know you’re only supposed to be here because you have all my stuff. And yet your hands remain maddeningly empty.”

“I know but, um …” I quickly unsnap the basket from the bike and hold it up. “I need a new one of these. Mine broke carrying home the tape recorder.”

She sighs. “I’m going to need the recorder back eventually, you know. That one is my favorite.”

“Okay,” I promise, even though there’s a good chance Uncle Roger has taken it apart by now. “So do you have another basket that will fit the bike?”

She grumbles, but steps aside so I can come in. Before I can ask where to find them, she reaches over and plucks a pink plastic basket from the window display. It has a white plastic flower in the front and is clearly meant for a little girl. Which means, unfortunately, that it’s perfect for my bike.

She holds out her hand. “That’ll be five dollars.”

This time I don’t argue. I simply reach into my sock and pull a twenty off the roll. It’s still sweaty, and she holds it by the corner when she goes to get change. I take this chance to look around the place, like really look. The hardwood floors, the ceiling with long wooden beams reaching across it, all the stuff. It’s all so … real. So solid. I lean against the wall, trying to look casual. Then I give it a little push. Yup, solid. I bet most people wouldn’t notice the one thing I saw the very first time I came in here.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.