Grow Up, Tahlia Wilkins! by Karina Evans

Author:Karina Evans [EVANS, KARINA]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published: 2022-04-19T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

The fountain outside Manuel’s Mexican restaurant is one of those weird ones with little chubby cherubs spitting water out of their mouths. I have no idea who thought water-vomiting babies were appropriate for Pennsylvania strip-mall fountains, but there are some things in life that are best not to question.

The only problem is, the fountain is located directly outside Manuel’s front entrance, and I 100 percent do not want Dad, my brothers, or Noah seeing Lily and me leaving the restaurant to take quarters from it. We’ll look like we’re stealing.

Well, I guess, technically we will be stealing. But it’s for a good cause!

“How are we going to get through the restaurant and to the fountain without my dad noticing?” I ask Lily. “I’m pretty sure if he sees us leaving the restaurant, he’ll have some serious questions.”

Lily taps her chin. “We’ll just have to sneak behind the other tables and get out the front door fast.”

“Because that won’t look suspicious,” I say, rolling my eyes.

“Have any other ideas?” she shoots.

If I were an action hero, this is where I’d do a backflip out of the bathroom window, race down the alley next to the restaurant, dive into the fountain, and grab the quarters—all without ever being noticed. However, since I can’t even reach the bathroom window on tiptoe, the bathroom door is our only viable exit.

In order to get outside to the fountain, we have to go back through the dining room. There’s just no way around it.

“No. I don’t,” I admit. “We’ll do your sneaking-behind-the-tables plan.”

Lily shakes her head. “I don’t want it to be my plan. I’m just saying it is a plan.”

“Too late. It’s your plan. Which means you get to walk out first.” I nudge her to the door.

“Fine,” she grumbles. “But first let’s scope out a good path through the restaurant away from your dad.”

“Good idea.”

We poke our heads out of the bathroom door and survey the restaurant. I hunker down in a crouching position, and Lily hovers over me.

Manuel’s has about fifteen tables total that are occupied by a mixture of families, groups of friends, and couples. Our table is to the right of the bathroom door. Our front-door exit is no more than twenty-five steps in front of us. Luckily, Dad and my brothers are facing the opposite wall. They’d have to turn in order to see us sneaking out.

Unfortunately, Noah and his family are facing the middle of the room, so if we’re not careful, they could easily look up and see us racing out to the fountain.

“Is anyone from our table looking over here?” I ask. “I can’t tell.” From my angle, I can barely see the faces of the Campos family through all the table legs and human legs.

“No, it looks like the waiter is taking their orders,” Lily whispers.

“Ugh. I really hope Dad makes sure to say ‘no onions’ in whatever he orders for me.”

Someone walks by the bathroom door, so we pull our heads back inside.

Lily says, “I’m going to sneak behind the tables that are to the left of the bathroom.

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