Bee Bakshi and the Gingerbread Sisters by Emi Pinto

Author:Emi Pinto
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2023-06-06T00:00:00+00:00

• 17 •

Bee Goes Back

The Bakshi family was having egg paratha for breakfast—a cottage meal favorite, it seemed. And as always, it was delicious, from the round, flaky, butter-flavored pastry to the slightly runny egg yolk and cracked salt. But not as delicious as Bee remembered. There was something off about the food, and despite polishing her plate clean, a strange hunger remained grumbling like a beast from the depths of her stomach.

Bee’s brows were angled and her foot tapped the ground and her mouth puckered as though she’d just bitten into a lemon wedge.

Alina hadn’t shown herself last night on the dock, but there was surely a good explanation. Maybe she’d gotten held up at home, wherever that was. Maybe she’d been too tired to explore?

The only way to find out for sure is to go over and ask her. The lake was a clear baby blue this morning, inviting. Lucas would be angry with her—he’d already told her that she shouldn’t go back.

“It’s dangerous, Bee. Please.” His eyes had been the eyes of someone who worried too much, like her parents, and his fiery hair had practically glowed as the sun hit it through the leaves. “Promise you won’t go back alone.”

“I promise,” Bee had said. But it had been a lie.

The pit in her stomach was growing again, and the mystery around Alina made Bee want—no, need—to see her even more. She wanted to feel the way she had when Alina cuddled up to her that day in the rain, she wanted to feel the way she had when Alina grabbed her hand as she showed her around the magic house. Bee wanted to be that girl in the mirror above the mantelpiece. That wasn’t something Lucas could ever understand.

Bee brought her dishes to the sink. She would have to head out soon since Lucas had a bad habit of popping out of the woods right after her walks with Granny. Fortunately, luck was on Bee’s side today.

“I’m so tired,” Granny complained as soon as Bee made mention of the morning walk. “I’m in my seventies, or was it nineties? Anyways, I want to go back to bed for a bit. Please.”

“But walking is good for you, keeps you strong.” Bee crossed her arms and then smiled. “All right, you win again. Maybe I’ll bring you for a walk this afternoon instead.”

Granny smiled. “Nap time!” she said gleefully and shuffled back to bed.

Mr. Bakshi rubbed his hands together as Mrs. Bakshi started the dishes. “Bee, can you help me out? It’s for the party.”

Bee’s neck prickled and she slid out of her chair to bring her dishes to the kitchen.

“We’re trying to figure out the seating,” he continued, raising his bushy eyebrows. “Do you remember how many of our neighbors were free to come?”

It felt like a weight was being lowered onto her chest, the weight of a lie. You don’t have to feel bad—remember what Alina said. But it was easier said than done.

“Even a rough idea would be helpful,” her mom said.

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.