Fowl Play by Kristin O'Donnell Tubb

Author:Kristin O'Donnell Tubb
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2024-05-02T00:00:00+00:00

22

The Answer to Everything

My head is still spinning from talking to Deloris. That conversation felt like a dream. A nightmare? Something that didn’t really happen, either way.

Will felt like he was being followed? Boris is from Virginia? All the pieces are here, but this is one complicated jigsaw puzzle.

“Anybody need anything from the grocery store?” Mom yells upstairs.

“Code Red Mountain Dew!” Jacob shouts back.

“Nope!” Mom replies. “I’ll get you a smoothie.” Mom’s been on this real health kick ever since . . . well . . . Uncle Will. Jacob used to drink that stuff all the time, but not anymore. Which also means I don’t get my oatmeal cream pies, either.

Charlie gets excited around loud noises—yelling, horns honking, music, etc. She flusters in my lap, poops on my jeans, and yells, “Tacos! Taco Tuesday!”

I laugh a much-needed laugh. I bend around the doorframe to peek at Mom at the bottom of the stairs. “Charlie wants tacos.”

Mom is trying real hard not to laugh. She can’t yet admit that this bird is stinking adorable. “I heard.”

“But seriously,” I say. “Baby wipes. Lots of baby wipes. Charlie is . . .” I look at the white-and-brown splotch on my jeans.

“A mess,” Mom says. “I know. Okay. Wipes. Text me if you think of anything else. Soccer at four! Grammy’s driving you again.” Seems like Grammy or Jacob drive me everywhere these days. How did we manage before Jake got his license? How did this work before Grammy moved in? I’m lucky to have options, I guess.

Mom jangles keys, grabs bags, and bangs out of the house. I clean up Charlie’s mess and offer her my hand.

Charlie climbs up my arm and perches in my hair. I’ve learned how to balance her on my head as I walk. She’s pretty good at that, ducking and weaving as we bounce downstairs, turn the corner, and head toward the kitchen. I’m feeling lighter already. Just a few words tossed around with my family, and I feel better.

“Want another apple slice, Char?” I ask as we pass through the living room. But Charlie spreads her wings and sails to a cubby in our bookshelves.

Friendly, who was asleep on the back of the couch, wakes up and studies Charlie.

Charlie leans out of the bookshelf and looks up. She hops and flaps, like she’s trying desperately to make it to a higher shelf. And then, she leaps! She bonks her bird head on the shelf above her and tumbles to the living room rug.

“Charlie!” I scoop her up. She seems a bit dazed, but she’s okay. I place her on a higher shelf, hoping that will satisfy her.

It doesn’t. She leans out again, looks even higher. She’s learned from her last attempt at flying, so she doesn’t leap. But she flaps and squawks and tosses a pine cone knickknack off the shelf, letting me know how displeased she is.

Snapshot! I have a sudden memory of Uncle Will plunging both hands deep into our Lego Tupperware bin. I

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.