Here's to You, Zeb Pike by Johanna Parkhurst

Author:Johanna Parkhurst [Parkhurst, Johanna]
Language: eng
Format: epub

DINNER IS strange. I don’t say much except to Matt and Julia, and Beth and I can’t seem to look each other in the eye. Jack, on the other hand, is cheerful and talkative, so I assume Beth hasn’t said anything to him about our encounter earlier in the evening. “So, gang,” Jack says, stuffing extra green beans into his mouth. “Halloween’s coming up… it’s this week. What’s everyone going as?”

Of course, Jules and Matt still love Halloween. Thankfully, I’m finally past that age where I can really remember the excitement of dressing up as someone else and gathering candy from every direction, but Jack’s announcement definitely brings a smile to my face when I think about Emmitt’s party invitation.

Julia bangs her fork excitedly on her plate. “I wanna be a princess! I wanna be a princess!”

Matt turns quickly on his chair. “You can’t be a princess! My friend Laney is a princess!”

Julia’s lips quiver. “I can so be a princess if I want to.”

Matt shakes his head hard. “Nuh-uh, it’s a rule. Two people can’t be the same thing.”

I hang onto every word they’re saying, astonished. I’ve never heard them argue like this. Back in Colorado they might have had a tiny disagreement here and there, but Matt has never made Julia look like she’s going to cry, I’m sure of that.

I try to force my mouth open, to make them stop, but Jack beats me to it as he passes out more mashed potatoes.

“Matt, there’s no reason Julia can’t be the same thing as your friend. I’m sure their costumes will be different anyway.”

“That’s right,” Beth suddenly speaks up. “I’ll help make both of yours so they’ll be different from everybody else’s. We’ll have to go shopping for costume materials this week.” Julia claps her hands together, and I swear I see Beth look at me out of the corner of her eye.

I suddenly feel, for some reason, like I am being challenged to a battle. Maybe Beth is just checking to see where I stand with what she just said, but I take it as a confrontation, a direct affront after our earlier conversation in her office. I clear my throat. “I want to take them trick-or-treating,” I demand.

Just to be clear, I’m not even sure where this comes from. Only minutes ago I was daydreaming about that party, and just a day ago I was thinking about how I’ve never gone to a party like that before. But Matt starts cheering, and Julia says, “Yay! Just like last Halloween,” and that seals it for me. After all, what am I going to do at Aaron’s party? Drool? Watch Emmitt make out with a bunch of female hockey fans?

Jack glances at me oddly. Beth, I notice, isn’t looking at me at all. She gets up to clear her plate. “That’s fine, Dusty,” she replies. “But just so you know, the houses are too far apart to walk between easily. Jack or I will probably have to drive you guys.

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