I gulp. I don’t want to let Addy go. But maybe I have to.
Chapter 24
This is not a prank call.
Addy
“Addy!” Mila screams and I sigh. Is five minutes of quiet time too much to ask?
“ADDY!” I guess it is.
I slam my notebook shut and get to my feet. I march to Mila and Penelope’s bedroom. “What?”
Mila points at Penelope. “She plucked out one of my eyelashes.”
I raise an eyebrow at Penelope. “Did you?”
She shrugs. “Mila shouldn’t have thrown my book into the toilet.”
“I didn’t throw it in there on purpose.”
“Why did you have my book in the first place? You can’t possibly care about the differences in Egyptian pyramids.”
Mila stares at the wall.
“Mila,” I push.
She throws her arms in the air. “I was trying to hide her book to stop her from reading. I wanted someone to play with. But she never wants to play. She’s always reading. Bor-ing!”
“Reading is not boring. Of course.” Penelope sniffs. “You wouldn’t know since you can’t read.”
Mila stomps her foot. “I can too read.”
“Penelope. Don’t tease your sister about reading. She can read.”
“At a third grade level.”
“Because I’m in third grade.”
They began to bicker and I rub circles in my temples where I feel a headache coming on. Dealing with handsy clients atFive Fathomsis preferable to dealing with my sisters.
“Girls.” They continue to argue. “Girls!”
My phone rings before I have a chance to get them under control. I glance at it. I don’t recognize the number. Since I can recognize pretty much everyone’s phone number of Smuggler’s Hideaway, I hit ignore.
“Girls!”
My phone rings again. Same number.Obviously, this person is not going away. Great. Another distraction.
I swipe to answer. “This is the girls’ fight club. How may I direct your call? Hair pulling. Bed unmaking. Or throwing books into the toilet."
“I knew you could sing and write songs. I didn’t know you were funny.”
I don’t recognize the voice. “I’m sorry. Who is this?”
“This is Juliet Ash.”
“Ha. Ha. Very funny,Otis.”
