“That’s not much to go on,” I say, scanning the room. I don’t see Aunt Maggie Mae—or any member of her immediate family—anywhere.
“Yeah, you should use the card. Use it now,” Olivia says. “And why does your date start at four o’clock? Something’s weird.”
Nonna is already shaking her head. “Don’t do it, Sophie. At least see who she picks! What fun is canceling the night before?”
I spin around to face Nonna. “Because there is no way I want to go out with anyone Aunt Maggie Mae set me up with.” I don’t mention that whoever is picking me up was probably picked out by one of the Evil Joes, not Aunt Maggie Mae.
“You can still cancel in the morning. Don’t make any decisions tonight,” she says, then flees the kitchen before I can argue my way out of this.
Uncle Ronnie produces a white sheet of paper full of empty squares. He looks at the board, then back to the betting sheet. “I’m picking the four p.m. and the four fifteen blocks. I love a sure bet.”
I escape upstairs and call Mom. I haven’t heard much from her or Margot, but I know they’ve got a lot going on.
She answers on the second ring.
“Hey, Mom. How’s Anna?”
“She’s about the same. They’re watching her oxygen levels closely.” She sounds tired.
“Is that normal?”
“For a preemie, it is.”
“And Margot?”
She hesitates a second before saying, “She’s okay. Still very weak. She gets dizzy when she does too much, so we’re trying to get her to rest.”
“That doesn’t sound good.”
“She’s just overdoing it,” Mom assures me. “She’s promised to take it easy.”
We chat a few more minutes before Mom says, “It’s almost time for us to visit Anna. I’ll take a picture and send it to you.”
“Okay. If you can, kiss her for me.”
“Of course,” Mom says, and then she’s gone.
I hesitate a moment before heading back downstairs. I can’t help but feel like things aren’t as okay as she makes it sound.
You wouldn’t think a plantnursery would be busy the Monday after Christmas, and you’d be right. As much as Olivia and I try to talk her out of opening, Nonna’s adamant that we keep regular hours.
Only half of the employees are on duty, and they’re all just sitting around waiting for something to do. Olivia and I are at the front counter, praying a customer comes in to save us from the pit of boredom we’ve fallen into.
Nonna comes through into the front room. “Today all garden statues are half price. Hopefully we can get rid of all those ugly gnomes your grandfather bought from that salesman while I was out of town.”
“Those things are hideous. I’m not sure we could give them away for free,” Olivia says.
I look at Olivia. “I bet I can sell more than you.”
She raises that one eyebrow. “You’re on.”
Nonna taps her index finger against her chin. “Well, I have an extra gift certificate for Superior Grill left over. How about twenty-five dollars to whoever sells the most?”
Olivia and I high-five. It’s on.
Two hours later, I’m in the lead. With one sale.
Olivia is currently trying hard to sell one to an old man who came in for some fertilizer.
