The Black Sheep by Yvonne Collins Sandy Rideout

Author:Yvonne Collins, Sandy Rideout
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction - Young Adult
Publisher: Disney Publishing Worldwide

Calvin turns around in the van’s passenger seat and asks, “What’s that smell? Did Kendra take another dump?”

Although Calvin wasn’t at Paco’s Tacos to witness the donkey debacle, the front page photo in the Carmel Pinecone circulated the story quickly.

Carrie leans forward to cuff the back of her brother’s head. “Don’t be such a pig.”

Calvin’s been meaner than ever to me lately, perhaps because he suspects that Mitch and I have become more than just TV siblings.

Not that we’re able to hang out like a normal couple. Thanks to Judy’s constant vigilance and the endless supply of Mulligans, our relationship mostly revolves around stolen moments in the jellyfish exhibit. It isn’t much, but what we lack in time, we make up for with energy.

Calvin reaches around to slap at his sister. “Someone filled a diaper back here, and I don’t see you raising your hand.”

Judging by the droop in Egg’s drawers, he’s the guilty party. I cannot believe we got stuck with him today. We’re on our way to Carmel with some of the Team 14 crew to hang out and do some sightseeing. Mitch and I had intended to give everyone the slip to spend some time alone together, but as usual, I underestimated Judy. When we were about to set off, she swept Max and Mona away in a limo for an all-expenses-paid day at Francis Ford Coppola’s vineyard, leaving Mitch and me to babysit the kids.

“Mitch, you’d better pull over,” I say. “Someone has to change Egg.” It won’t be me. Black Sheep do not change diapers.

Before Mitch can answer, Carrie screams. I lean over to see Manhattan tangled in her long hair. In the backseat, the twins are laughing their butts off with the open ferret cage between them.

Meadow tries to detach Manhattan. “Sorry, Carrie,” she says. “We don’t like to leave him home alone with the dog. But he’s supposed to stay in his cage.”

“Boys, behave,” I say, trying to sound like the leader I hope one day to become.

Mason echoes in a sing-song voice, “Boys, behave.” Matt giggles.

A leader must control her temper when the troops rebel. “I’m counting on you guys to be reasonable.”

“Let me handle this, Kendra,” Meadow says. She hands the ferret to one twin and pinches the other twin until he bleats. “Put the ferret in the cage and leave him there, or we are dumping both of you by the side of the road and telling Mom you drowned.”

The boys obey her without delay, illustrating what effective leadership is all about.

Carmel is a pretty town, and strolling around its narrow streets would have been romantic if Mitch and I were alone. Instead, I am toting an irritable nine-month-old, and Mitch is distracted by two active boys and an even more active ferret on a leash. I tried to get Carrie to take the whole brood when we split up, but she drew the line at Meadow, and I can’t blame her.

The crew tailed us all morning, but Judy eventually disappeared inside the offices of the Carmel Pinecone.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.