The Vanderbeekers on the Road by Karina Yan Glaser

Author:Karina Yan Glaser
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2022-07-25T00:00:00+00:00

Farmland stretched before them as they left Indiana and entered Illinois. They stopped for gas along the highway and bought two loaves of fresh bread at a little bakery next door and ate it with Sue’s jam. Another hour later, they saw signs for St. Louis and finally entered Missouri.

“How many states have we gone through so far?” Hyacinth asked, taking her notebook out so she could write them all down.

“New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, and now Illinois,” Jessie recited.

A few minutes later, Papa pulled up by the park that surrounded the Gateway Arch. The stainless-steel structure seemed to rise forever, its curved shape gorgeous against the clouds.

“The arch is as wide as it is tall,” reported Jessie, who had been reading a guidebook that Aunt Amelia had given her about St. Louis. “And US presidents aren’t allowed to go up in the Arch because it’s a security risk.”

“Wow,” Laney said, craning her neck to look out the window.

“I didn’t know you could go inside the Arch,” Oliver said. “I want to do that!” He pulled open the van door and everyone got out and stretched their legs. It had stopped raining, but the sky was still heavy with clouds, and the ground was dotted with puddles. Franz happily sniffed the grass.

“I wonder why Pop-Pop wanted to visit St. Louis specifically,” Isa said.

“I think my grandfather lived here for a little bit,” Papa said. “I remember Pop-Pop telling me that he helped build a concert hall.”

“Really?” Isa said, perking up. “Which one?”

Papa shook his head and pulled out his phone. “I can’t remember. Let’s see if I can figure it out.”

After a little bit of searching, they decided that it must be Powell Hall, which housed the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. The building was completed in 1925, which fit with the time Papa’s grandfather might have lived there.

“I want to see it,” Laney said.

Everyone else wanted to see it as well, so they decided to go that evening after dinner.

Because neither Mr. Beiderman or Hyacinth liked heights, they stayed back with the animals while everyone else went to go up in the Arch. While Hyacinth and Mr. B walked around the beautiful park, Mr. B got a call.

Mr. B groaned when he saw the caller ID. “It’s Dennis, my new boss. I’ve got to take this.”

While Franz sniffed around, examining this new world he had never visited before, Hyacinth listened in on Mr. B’s conversation. It did not sound like a very fun talk. Mr. B was silent most of the time, occasionally saying things like “I will do my best to get that done by tomorrow, but as I mentioned before, I am on vacation,” or “I understand, and I can get to it as soon as I return at the end of the month.” Mr. B also rolled his eyes a few times, which Hyacinth had never seen him do before.

When Mr. B finally put his phone down, he sighed and rubbed his temples.

“Your new boss doesn’t sound very nice,” Hyacinth said as they sat down on a bench.

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