Dawn's Big Move (9780545768153) by Martin Ann M

Author:Martin, Ann M.
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic
Published: 2014-06-11T16:00:00+00:00

Five days had passed since I’d mentioned my trip in the BSC meeting. Kristy was no longer quite so snarly. In fact, she apologized to me and wished me luck.

Now that my trip was a reality, I had started to pack. Well, sort of. I’d opened up a couple of suitcases on my floor and thrown a few clothes in.

The truth? Somehow now I wasn’t as excited as I had been. I guess the reality of my trip was sinking in. My head was spinning with questions. Was it selfish to abandon the BSC — and Mom and Mary Anne and Richard — for six months? Why was everyone acting so upbeat about my decision lately? Were they secretly glad I was going? What if I hated living in California?

Anyway, while I was pondering these questions, Kristy was helping the Papadakises on the day of their reunion. Mr. Papadakis’s two sisters were coming from New York with their families. Mrs. Papadakis’s two brothers and one sister were coming with their families. Plus a bunch of other cousins and aunts and uncles and friends Kristy had never heard of.

Kristy arrived at their house early, to take care of the kids while the Papadakises set up for the party. The Papadakises have a huge yard. There’s a basketball court in the driveway and a badminton area by the garage. On this day, behind the house were dozens of card tables, covered with paper tablecloths and disposable place settings. In the air was a pungent, mouth-watering barbecue smell. Mr. Papadakis was putting a tape deck and loudspeakers on the back porch. Kristy approached him to say hi, but something made her stop in her tracks.

Off to the right, at the edge of the woods behind the Papadakises’ house, were four barbecue pits in the ground. Above each one was an animal carcass on a rotating spit.

I am so glad I wasn’t there. I think I would have tossed my crackers. Kristy, who isn’t fazed by much, was a little grossed out, too.

“Delicious, huh?” Mr. Papadakis called out. “Those are lambs, fresh from the farm! You have never tasted anything so tender. Here, let me cut you some before the guests arrive.”

“No!” Kristy said, almost shouting. “I mean, maybe later. I had a late breakfast.”

“I’ll save you some pieces,” Mr. Papadakis insisted.

“Hi, Kristy!”

Hannie and Linny came running out of the house. (Hannie’s seven and Linny’s nine.) They were followed by two-year-old Sari, who toddled out with a little moon-face smile. “Kiss-tee!” she squealed.

“Hello!” Mrs. Papadakis chimed in, backing through the door with two tinfoil-covered trays. She set them on a picnic table and smiled at Kristy. “Our special spanakopita and tiropita. Want to sneak a piece?”

“Thanks, but I think I’ll go play with the kids,” Kristy said. She didn’t know what would be peeking at her from under that foil.

Before long Kristy was really working. Linny fell and cut his knee. Hannie dropped a glass when she went in the kitchen. Sari kept wanting to play near the barbecue pits.

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