Waves of Light by Naomi Kinsman

Author:Naomi Kinsman [Kinsman, Kinsman]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-310-72667-8
Publisher: Zonderkidz
Published: 2012-08-27T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

Disaster for Dinner

Andrew watched me warily as I stepped into the cabin, probably expecting another blow-up. I ignored him and walked straight over to Annabelle. Dad and the other adults went outside to look at the bears.

“Hi,” I said to Annabelle.

“Hi yourself.” She gave me one of her dimpled smiles.

Up close she was, if possible, even more perfect. Straight, white teeth, and smooth skin frosted with freckles. Not even a single tiny zit. I forced myself to keep smiling.

“Your dance for the play looks really good.”

“You think so?” she asked. “There might be too much spinning. I don’t want anyone to trip and fall.”

“Bea tripped and skinned her knee,” Andrew said. “And Annabelle won’t stop blaming herself.”

Annabelle elbowed him. “And Andrew won’t stop giving me a hard time. He treats me like I’m his little sister or something.”

Or something. I needed an escape plan. “I’ll go see if Helen needs help setting the table.”

“I’ll help.” Annabelle followed me.

As I placed each napkin, she added a fork. “We thought maybe we could come over tomorrow and help you work at Vivian’s house. You’re going to do some clean up?”

I shrugged. “Dad tells me not to get my hopes up. But maybe we can salvage some of the larger sculptures from the yard.”

“It’s just the weight of the mud and the force of the flash flood.” Andrew leaned against the counter as we finished with the utensils and started on the water glasses.

“Well, anyway, I’m going to try.” As I filled the water pitcher, the adults came back in.

“Ah, it smells delicious,” Annabelle’s dad announced, much louder than necessary for the small space. “Doesn’t it smell delicious, Annabelle?”

Annabelle gave her dad a forced smile that I didn’t understand, while her mom kissed her on the cheek. “Thank you for helping, sweetheart.”

They were like a family of superheroes. Annabelle’s dad with his booming, I’m-here-to-save-the-world voice, and her mom with her designer jeans and silk tank top that showed off toned arms. She looked like a cop or a spy in the movies, both beautiful and deadly. And then Annabelle, of course, seemed to be best at everything, so far as I could tell.

“So this is the famous Sadie,” Annabelle’s dad said, coming over to shake my hand. “I’m Jack Reid, and this is my wife, Leila.”

Annabelle’s mom clasped my hand between hers. “Nice to meet you, sweetheart.”

I couldn’t imagine calling them anything other than Mr. and Mrs. Reid.

Helen handed me the salad bowl to carry to the table, while she brought over the chicken casserole. “Looks like we’re all set.”

Annabelle sat between her mom and dad, across the table from Andrew, so I ended up sitting between Andrew and Dad. Perfect. Now we could admire her side by side.

“So, I hear I’m helping you build a music box for our Annabelle,” Mr. Reid said to me as we passed the salad around the table.

“Yes.” I hoped a short answer would deflect his attention to someone else.

“Seems difficult to build something big enough to hold a —”

Mrs.

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