Bubble Trouble by Wendy Wan-Long Shang

Author:Wendy Wan-Long Shang [Wan-Long Shang, Wendy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Published: 2023-01-07T00:00:00+00:00

Auntie Sue showed up on Thursday after school, driving a new red convertible. She honked the horn and I went outside.

“Whoa!” I said. “Nice car!” I wasn’t really a car person, not like some people I knew, but still. It looked like a fun car.

“Wait until you ride in it!” said Auntie Sue. “It’s the best!” She jumped out of the car and hugged me. “We’ll put down the top and hit the road!” Then I felt her stiffen and stand up. “Hello, Kurt.”

Dad was standing on the front step, looking at us with his hands in his pockets. His usual smile was gone. He lifted one hand up in the air. “Hello, Sue. How are you?” he said formally.

“I’m fine. And you?” said Aunt Sue, just as formal.

I wished Aunt Sue and Dad would get along better. You would think that they could make each other happier with their shared memories of my mom. But instead, all they had were angry words at Mom’s funeral. Auntie Sue scolded my dad for not stopping Mom from going to work; my dad said he couldn’t make my mom stop. No one could. Because of the pandemic, Mom’s funeral had been online, with squares of sad faces filling the screen. Mom felt responsible for the people who walked through the hospital no matter the reason. Dad and Auntie Sue only stopped fighting when I begged them to stop.

Auntie Sue and Dad made up, sort of, after that. Except they were always super polite with each other. But in a way, that was worse. They weren’t using politeness to be kind. It was like it was what they used to keep from saying something terrible.

“I’ll have Chloe home by bedtime,” said Auntie Sue, rubbing my back. “Unless you want her sooner.”

“Let’s go with nine o’clock,” said Dad. “It’s a school night.” He drooped a little, and I felt worried that Dad would feel lonely.

“It’s Three Cup Chicken Thursday,” I said. “Maybe we could …”

“Oh, uh … I don’t really eat a lot of meat these days,” said Auntie Sue.

“I need to finish off some leftovers,” said Dad, defeating my plan. But just then, Phineas came hopping down the stairs.

“Who’s this?” asked Auntie Sue. “You got a dog?” She knelt down and let Phineas smell her hand.

“He’s here on a trial basis,” I said. Phineas sat in front of Auntie Sue, a sure sign that he decided he liked her.

Auntie Sue didn’t seem to hear me. “What a sweet face! What’s his name?” She stroked the top of his head.

“Phineas,” said Dad. “But Chloe isn’t completely convinced.”

Auntie Sue turned toward me, her mouth open in astonishment. “You don’t want this dog?” She was acting like I said that I didn’t want a million dollars.

“It’s just that, well, dogs are messy. They get hair everywhere, and he messes up my homework. And I have to pick up his poo …”

“That’s just part of having a dog!” protested Auntie Sue. “Look at that face. I’d love to get a dog, but I’m out of the house too much and it’s just me.

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