Rosa's Lie by Pascal Francine

Author:Pascal, Francine
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2016-01-25T16:00:00+00:00

Eight

Rose was in a grouchy mood on Thursday as she pulled her car into the garage. It was the third day in a row that she had had to come straight home after school in order to keep Nana company while her parents were still at the office. She was starting to feel like a babysitter.

And as if being stuck with Nana were not bad enough, she could not stop thinking about all the fun things she could have been doing instead. That day she had turned down two offers: a picnic at the beach with Eddie Strong and a shopping expedition with Jessica, Lila, Cara, and Amy. She had been sorry to say no to Eddie; she would like to get to know him better. But Rose was far more concerned about the possibility of offending the Pi Betas. It was the third day of Nana's visit and the third day Rose had had to make an excuse not to hang out with Lila and the others after school. Was it her imagination, or had Lila seemed more haughty than usual when Rose turned down today's invitation?

And Nana will be here for . . . Rose counted the days in her head. Ten more days. How was she going to survive?

With a loud, self-pitying sigh, Rose slung her book bag over her shoulder and trudged inside the house. As soon as she stepped through the door into the kitchen, however, a smile spread across her face. The room was fragrant with the sweet smell of baking, a smell that Rose remembered from her childhood.

"Polvorones de canela!" she exclaimed. "My favorite cookies !"

Rose reached for one of the cinnamon shortbread cookies that were cooling on a metal rack on the counter. Nana slapped her hand playfully. "I thought you were grown up," Nana teased. "Still grabbing cookies before they're cool!"

Rose laughed. "I may not have eaten polvorones de canela in years, but I do remember they taste best warm."

"Taste best warm! How would you know? You always gobbled them up so fast, there were none left to eat cool!"

"That's what you get for being such a good cook, Nana," Rose said. She sat down on a stool at the counter and bit into a cookie.

Nana smiled with self-satisfaction. "That's why I bake, to see my family enjoy."

"Well, these are a big hit," Rose assured her. "They're Dad's favorites, too, but he and Mom don't have much time for baking anymore."

"They work too hard," Nana agreed, her white eyebrows meeting as she frowned. "Your mother doesn't know her way around her own kitchen!"

Uh oh, here it comes, Rose thought. The criticism had been bound to start sooner or later, and it was just a matter of time before Rose herself became the focus of Nana's sharp remarks. Rose got up and headed for the hall. "I'm going upstairs to change," she told her grandmother.

"Change into what?" Nana wanted to know. "I like what you're wearing."

Rose stopped, then turned around slowly. "You like this?" she asked, gesturing at her turquoise sundress.

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