The Sound of Life and Everything by Krista Van Dolzer

Author:Krista Van Dolzer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Published: 2015-04-20T16:00:00+00:00

17

I tried to wheedle Mama into taking me home, too, but she flatly refused. My education had to count for two, so I’d better make the most of it. Her declaration was so stirring it almost made me want to try.

After dinner, me and Takuma traded more words in the living room. I would have preferred the peace and quiet of our platform in the trees, but after Takuma took that tumble, staying on solid ground seemed safer.

Or at least that was what I thought until Daddy showed up.

I’d never thought of Daddy as an especially large man, but his surly silence filled the archway. Takuma leaped to his feet as soon as he spotted Daddy, but I folded my arms across my chest and hunkered down in his armchair.

“Did you need something?” I asked.

“Dragnet’s on,” he said. “Or have you already forgotten?”

“I haven’t forgotten,” I replied. “But in case you haven’t noticed, me and Takuma are busy.”

“Well, then, you’d better go and be busy somewhere else, because I’m going to watch.”

I stuck out my chin. “We can watch, too, can’t we?”

Daddy shook his head. “You heard your mother. No more Dragnet.”

“But you let me watch two weeks ago!”

“Sorry,” Daddy said, “but that was then, and this is now.” He picked me up as easily as if I were a feather. “So if you’ll take our guest and go, I’d be much obliged.”

Takuma headed for the door, but I folded my arms across my chest.

“You can’t just send us away. We have rights, you know!”

Daddy’s forehead wrinkled, but Takuma said, “Go, Ella Mae.”

“No, I won’t go!” I said. I meant it to sound obstinate, but it came out like a sob. “I’m the official tuner!”

I expected him to ground me, but he just stood there, almost crying. Daddy never cried, so this was something to write home about, but before I had a chance to ask why his tear ducts were malfunctioning, Mama burst into the room.

“What’s goin’ on?” she asked. Her cheeks were streaked with flour, and she was carrying a half-made pie crust.

“Daddy’s watchin’ Dragnet, and he won’t let us stay!”

Mama’s gaze flitted to Takuma, then lingered on Daddy. She must have concluded that his tear ducts were malfunctioning, too, because she rubbed her neck and said, “Ella Mae, just leave him be.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but the doorbell cut me off.

Mama motioned toward the entryway. “Please get the door,” she told me.

Reluctantly, I got the door. I expected it to be a salesman—they always had some new elixir that they wanted us to buy—but it was only Gracie. Her gleaming bicycle was propped against our not-white picket fence.

“What are you doin’ here?” I asked.

“Hello, Ella Mae,” she said, craning her neck to see around me. “I heard about what happened in the office before school, so I thought I’d pedal over and offer my assistance . . .”

She trailed off when Takuma made an overdue appearance. Her face flushed red, but not like Daddy’s.

“Excuse me,” Gracie said.

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