Bob by Wendy Mass

Author:Wendy Mass
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

CHAPTER TEN

BOB

“Are you ready?” Livy asks, standing by the door. She has a pink towel slung over her shoulder and a fresh bar of soap in her hand. She has decided I need a bath.

“It’s been five years,” I point out, arms crossed. “What’s another few days?”

She makes a big show of pinching her nose closed.

“But what if I drown? We don’t know if I can swim.”

“You won’t drown in the tub,” she assures me. “It’s not even halfway full because of the drought.”

“What if I slip down the drain? Maybe when a not-zombie gets wet all over he shrinks up into nothing?”

“I put the stopper in.”

“Fine,” I grumble, allowing her to lead me out of the room. “But I can’t promise to use the soap.”

“You’ll use it all right,” she says, pushing me ahead of her into the bathroom. She places the bar firmly into my hands and drapes the towel over the rim of the tub. I notice she has taken the liberty of filling the bathtub with a few inches of water. And bubbles. And is that … one of Gran’s plastic roses floating on top?

“I thought your first bath in five years should be special,” she says.

I roll my eyes but pull off the red sweatshirt and fold it carefully on the counter. I step cautiously over to the tub. I wouldn’t want to slip on a puddle and knock myself out.

“You’re going to wear your tutu in the bathtub?”

I look down, half surprised to still be wearing it. I shrug. “I’ve grown accustomed to it.” I dip one toe in the bubbly water. “It’s warm!”

“What did you expect? It’s a bath.”

I had expected it to be cold, but I don’t know why. I dip my toe again, then extend my foot out to Livy. “Does my toe look smaller to you?”

Livy groans. “Your toe does not look smaller. You are not shrinking.”

It’s true. I seem to be my same size.

“I’ll be right outside, reading.” She waves the book with the half knight, half person on the cover. “If Gran comes up I’ll duck back in. Will you be okay alone?”

I nod.

“Don’t forget to wash under your arms and behind your ears.”

I roll my eyes.

“With soap!” she says before shutting the door behind her.

I double-check that the stopper is in place, then put my whole foot in the tub. Then the other. It feels … inviting. I slowly lower myself the rest of the way in, feeling the water cover my legs, then my belly, then my neck and arms. I lean back and feel myself relax.

“Ahhh, that feels nice.” It does. It really does feel nice. But it’s more than nice. It feels like … like home. Livy must have known the bath wasn’t just about getting clean. She wanted to take both our minds off of last night. She doesn’t know it, but her mother crept into our room early this morning and kissed her good-bye. I stood right in front of her mom and waved.

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