Next Door Secrets (Secrets Series Book 2) by Lenfestey Karen

Author:Lenfestey, Karen [Lenfestey, Karen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2014-08-06T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Beth pulled the plate of brownies out of Kaylee's hands. "Remember how terrible you felt last night?" The girl nodded. "Did your dad explain to you why your belly hurt?"

Again, Kaylee nodded. "He said I need to eat more fruits and veggies." She crossed her arms. "But I don't like those."

"Maybe you don't like everything, but you have to like some. What's your favorite fruit?"

She scrunched up her face as she thought. "I don't have one."

"Try this apple then." She grabbed the fruit bowl and placed it in front of Kaylee. When the girl didn't move, Beth felt her blood pressure rising. "After you eat an apple, I'll let you have a brownie." She hated that she'd just bribed her, but she didn't know what else to do. "I'll go get my walking shoes on."

Soon they were out the door carrying the brownies to the English-as-a-New-Language class. Beth considered telling Jim to stop baking her goodies, but she knew the immigrants appreciated them. Plus she admired his sense of fairness and his determination not to take charity.

As they walked through the sixty degree weather, Beth mulled over Kaylee's aversion to healthy foods. Any kid would probably choose processed foods over whole foods if given the choice. That was part of a parent's job, to ensure they ate right. She understood Jim's dilemma, though. He worked all of the time and he wanted to indulge Kaylee to make up for his absence. Probably to make up for her losing her mother and her sister. To make up for all the crap life had thrown at her.

The problem was that food didn't really heal the pain. And now that kids were teasing Kaylee for being fat, it was creating its own problems. She needed to help Kaylee discover that fruits could be sweet, too. "I have an idea. I think we need to go on a scavenger hunt in the grocery store."

Kaylee looked up at her with those gorgeous blue eyes. "What's that?"

"Well, I'll tell you what you need to find, like something round or blue, and you'll put it in our grocery basket. Then we'll go home and taste test to figure out what your favorite fruits are."

After the brownies were gone and Maria's mother finished her lesson, Beth walked Kaylee to a nearby grocery store.

Once home, Kaylee sampled sweet-sour kumquats, beautiful star fruits and the ugly, yet delicious kiwis. She was most surprised to discover that she liked red and yellow bell peppers.

The next afternoon Kaylee held up a basket of cookies when they met on her stoop. Beth pulled back the red checkered cloth and peered at them. "What are those?"

Kaylee scrunched up her face. "Prune cookies."

Beth burst out laughing.

# # #

"I can't believe I listened to you!" Hannah's voice accused Beth across the telephone.

Every muscle in Beth's body tensed and she was glad Kaylee had gone home early. "What are you talking about?"

"You gave me bad advice. I talked to my mom about getting birth control and now she won't let me go to prom.

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