Just the Essentials by Tapscott Shari L

Author:Tapscott, Shari L. [Tapscott, Shari L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2015-11-06T08:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

I wake to find my sisters sitting on my bed, staring at me.

“What are you doing?” I groan and then sit up because I know they won’t leave me alone.

Ginger shoves a mug of coffee under my nose. “Drink this and get dressed. We’re going for a run.”

Like always, I do as my older sister tells me.

The two wait for me in the kitchen. As I walk out of my bedroom, there’s a scream followed by a crash. Down the hall, my rogue chipmunk runs from the kitchen into the living room, closely followed by Schnitzel.

I chase after them. The rodent races under the couch. Schnitzel crashes into the upholstered frame, nose first, unable to stop himself on the wood floor. The dog darts around the perimeter of the sofa, barking.

“It’s under the couch,” I tell my father when he comes jogging into the living room with a broom.

“Open the door and pick up Schnitzel,” he instructs. “We’ll try to shoo it out.”

I open the door, pick up my squirming dog, and get out of the way. Dad tilts the couch on its back, revealing the floor underneath. There’s some change, a few dust bunnies, and a pen. But no chipmunk.

Dad sighs and leans the broom against the wall. I let Schnitzel down. He noses the area and then looks up, confused.

My chipmunk is an escape artist.

Dad searches for the rodent for another half-hour before he gives up and starts going through Grandpa’s old tackle box.

“Are you coming, Mom?” Liv calls as we’re ready to walk out the door.

She’s been on the phone with Sandy for at least forty-five minutes.

“No, you guys go on.”

We leave her and drive to the walking path around the lake. We’re only about ten minutes into our jog when I start to tire.

All the junk food I’ve been eating has caught up with me. I’m feeling it this morning.

“This is a great trail.” Ginger’s barely out of breath. “Have you been keeping up with your running?”

From the look on her face, I can tell she knows I haven’t.

“Not exactly,” I puff.

“You better. Jack’s quite the catch. I’m sure there’s some competition there.”

My thoughts drift to his mystery woman, Eliza. She called him again the other day, wanting him to construct a new raised flower bed—and then again the day after that, hoping he could take a look at her oven.

Liv runs next to us, as graceful as a gazelle. “Leave her alone, Ginger. Kinsley looks great.”

I shoot my younger sister a grateful look, but I still pick up my pace. Ginger has a point, and I certainly haven’t been eating well enough to balance out my inactivity.

There’s a call from behind us, but I’m breathing so hard, I can’t focus on anything but sucking air in my lungs. Then, as if it took her no effort at all, Amber joins us.

“Kinsley! I thought it was you!” She matches our pace.

Her cute, petite frame is decked out in hot pink, very short, jogging shorts, and she wears a matching tank top that doesn’t quite cover her toned belly.

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