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beginning to think he just might,” he said.

CHAPTER NINE
    “It’ll get soggy,” Mia said over breakfast the next morning. “You don’t like soggy cereal. Not even Blueberry Clusters. And Mom’s going to make you put on long sleeves.”
    Michael stared at his bowl. Did Mia really have to act all big sister-y now? He had other things to think about, his oral report, for one thing. His note cards were in the outside pocket of his backpack, and his model rocket was packed in a tall grocery bag with crumpled newspaper as padding. He was ready. Except … something was still missing. His lucky socks. He tried to tell himself that the socks didn’t mean a thing. He didn’t need them. John Glenn, the pilot of
Friendship 7,
hadn’t needed a lucky charm when he took his legendaryflight. He had zoomed around Earth three times, high above the planet. All Michael had to do was stand in front of his class and give a report.
    Michael swirled his spoon in the bowl. Any minute Mom would come in and tell him to eat. She’d say he needed his energy, that day of all days.
    But he wasn’t hungry. He felt like something was missing — something more than just a pair of socks. He wondered if this was how Domino’s family felt. What was it like in their house without him there? They had to miss him. Didn’t they? The black-and-white kitten had a way of making everyone smile. He’d scamper and skid across the floor and then look around with a funny, confused expression. He meowed whenever he came in the room, just to say hello. Sometimes, when he was excited, Domino meowed a lot.
    Like now. Michael looked around. “Do you hear that?” he asked Mia. Domino’s meows were loud and plaintive.
    “Yeah. Where is he?” Mia sat up straight and looked around the room.
    Michael and Mia scooted back their chairs and followed the sound. Domino kept meowing. Was something wrong?
    “I think he’s in your room,” Mia said as she headed down the hall. Michael was right behind her.
    Was Domino scared? Was he stuck?
    Mia ran into the room and spun around. “Where could he be?”
    “I don’t know,” Michael said. He got down on his hands and knees. He looked under the bed. Nothing. Nothing under his desk, either. Then he saw a white-tipped black tail poking out from under his dresser. The tail swished.
    What’s taking so long? I can hear their voices. The boy is close. Why hasn’t he found me yet?
    “I see him!” Michael yelled. “He’s hiding behind a stack of library books.”
    “Why are there library books under your dresser?” Mia asked. “I bet they’re overdue. We’re going to get fined.”
    Michael ignored Mia as he crawled forward. “Come on out, Domino,” he said. “We’re right here.” He scooted the books out of the way. Now he could see the kitten crouched under the bottom of the dresser. “Come on, buddy.”
    Domino let out a long meow. His tail whipped back and forth. He patted a paw toward Michael.
    Come and get me!
    “Domino, we don’t have time for this,” Michael said. “We have to go to school.”
    “Something’s wrong. He sounds upset.” Mia paced behind Michael. “Get him out!”
    Michael wasn’t so sure Domino was upset. He was starting to get the feeling that the kittenmight just want to play. But either way, he had to get him out of there. He reached under the dresser, got hold of Domino’s back end, and pulled gently. The kitten’s thrashing tail came out first. Next came his back paws, folded under his belly. Then his head. When Domino’s front paws finally appeared, his claws were clinging to something long, white, and dusty.
    “What is that? And why is it under your dresser?” Mia asked.
    Michael felt a rush of excitement when he saw a stripe of green. “Domino!” he yelled. He grabbed the kitten under his front legs and swooped him high in the air. “You are the best kitten ever!”
    Wahoo! This is fun! I knew the boy would find me and want to play!
    “What’s going on?” Mom