Read Greenglass House for Free Online Page B

from the cold and going back outside again.
    â€œMilo!”
    It would, he thought sadly, probably be the last time in a while that he’d be able to read in peace like that.
    He set the book down, sighed, and levered himself up out of his seat. “Yes, Mom?”
    â€œMerry almost, kiddo.” Mrs. Caraway, sock-footed, paused in the act of gathering up the bags again to give Milo a quick wave, then headed for the kitchen. Lizzie, who was twentyish, collected the rest of the groceries and followed her mother, giving Milo a smile and nod.
    Mrs. Pine jogged into the kitchen after Mrs. Caraway. “Odette, I’ll put that stuff away. You guys get some rest. Ben should have your rooms ready for you. Milo, can you take care of their suitcases?”
    â€œSure,” he called after her. Then, before he could get up, he realized he was being watched.
    Another girl, one about Milo’s own age whom he had never seen before, was peering curiously at him over the back of the loveseat. This had to be Lizzie’s younger sister, Meddy. Milo had heard plenty about Meddy but had never met her. “Hi,” he said quietly, trying to tamp down his annoyance at being looked at so closely while he was in one of his special places. “You must be Meddy. I’m Milo.”
    Meddy Caraway looked as though she was just about as happy with this arrangement as Milo was. “Hello.” She yanked off her knitted cap, and static electricity sent her short reddish-blond hair shooting out like a spiky halo around her red face.
    Yay, vacation.
    Â 
    â€œSo you’re adopted, then?”
    Arms full of suitcases, Milo paused on the second-floor landing and turned to stare at Meddy. “Excuse me?”
    She looked at him curiously. “I heard you were.”
    He snorted, which he hoped made it sound like he thought this was just a stupid question, but his face was already going red. She’d
heard
he was? Of course, all you had to do was look at Milo and his parents and you could make a pretty good guess that he wasn’t their biological kid. But Meddy was implying that someone had specifically
told
her he was adopted. That meant Mrs. Caraway and Lizzie had been talking about his adoption. It felt like a betrayal. The idea that people, people he liked and trusted, were discussing his family, his past, behind his back—
    â€œWell?” Meddy peered at him as if what she was asking was just—was just
no big deal.
Which was
not
the case.
    â€œYour room’s this way.” Milo spent the rest of the walk trying to decide how to answer if Meddy didn’t get the hint.
    There were two special guest rooms on the second floor that were only used for visiting friends and family. Milo opened the east-facing guest room, the one with the twin beds, and set Lizzie’s bag down at the foot of the bed she usually took. “Did you bring a suitcase?”
    Meddy gave him a long look, then shook her head. “Just threw my stuff in with hers.”
    â€œOkay, then.” He waved his arm weakly in a vague gesture of welcome and left Meddy to make herself at home while he dropped off Mrs. Caraway’s suitcase across the hall.
    When he emerged, he found Meddy standing in the doorway of her room with folded arms. “You didn’t answer me.”
    â€œYes, I’m adopted,” Milo said, exasperated. “It’s none of your business.”
    She rolled her eyes. “Don’t tell me it’s a secret. It’s pretty obvious. You don’t look anything like your parents.”
    â€œI know exactly what I look like and what I
don’t
look like!” he retorted. “It’s personal.”
    Meddy shrugged, then turned and unzipped Lizzie’s bag. “Where are you from?” she asked, peering inside.
    â€œI’m from
here,
” Milo said evenly. “I’ve lived in Nagspeake my whole life. I was adopted when I was a baby.”
    â€œYeah, but