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they ran away together to Tía Lola’s B&B. But Ming’s parents have never accepted Mami’s invitation to visit. “It’s like Vermont is mainland China,” Mami has remarked to Juanita.
    “So, what’re we going to tell Mami?” As strict as her mother is being, Juanita would not want to worry her.
    “You’re thinking very responsibly, like an eleven- or twelve-year-old.” Tía Lola is impressed. “Let’s see. Most runaways leave a note behind. So you can write your
mami
and tell her where you’ll be and how she can reach you. It’s also a good idea to include when you might be back. Just so nobody moves into your room.”
    Juanita sits up, alarmed. “No one is moving in here!” Just because she is running away, she’s not giving up her room.
    “I know,” Tía Lola agrees. “But that’s why it’s important to write a note.” Her aunt pushes back the hair from her little niece’s face and plants a kiss on her forehead. It occurs to Juanita that if she runs away, she won’t be getting this special kiss every night.
    “Can’t you run away with me, Tía Lola?” Juanitaknows she sounds like a big baby, but running away won’t be half as much fun if her aunt doesn’t come along.
    “Remember, I have to be here with your brother,” Tía Lola reminds Juanita, whose face falls. “But after your
mami
gets home, I could ride my bike into town and spend the night with you. After all, you’ll be the first runaway ever at my B&B. I wouldn’t want you to get homesick and have to come right back.”
    No way! Juanita should be able to run away from home now that she is ten.

    Juanita never realized that running away took so much planning. Which one of her stuffed animals will she bring along? Which favorite book? What outfits will she wear during her time away? And all of these supplies have to fit in her backpack along with her schoolbooks. The plan is for Juanita to get off the bus with Essie and Cari instead of riding it all the way out to their farmhouse after school.
    Meanwhile, Mami seems to be improving. Along with emphasizing the responsibilities of being ten, Mami is also allowing Juanita some privileges: like letting her stay up a little later or watch certain movies with adult topics, like dating or murdering; or even permitting her to wear a lip gloss she got as a birthday present that has a little color in it.
    But once you’re caught up in an interesting plan, it’s hard to abandon it. Besides, it’ll be fun to stay at Tía Lola’s B&B as a guest. It turns out that Juanita can have
any
guest room she wants. Then, on Friday, she will have to move upstairs with Essie. It’s parents’ weekend at the college, and all the rooms are filled.
    Wednesday morning, Juanita leaves her runaway note taped to her bedroom door:
    Dear Mami ,
    I am running away from home to Tía Lola’s B&B. I love you very much, so PLEASE don’t think that I am doing this because I want another mother. I just need some time to get used to being ten .
    If Ming calls, please explain to her that I need to be a little older before I’m allowed to run away to New York City .
    Okay, that’s all, except for I should be done with running away by Friday, and then I’ll stay to help with Tía Lola’s B&B over the weekend, and then I’ll come home .
    xoxoxo ,
    Nita
    P.S. Please don’t let ANYBODY move into my room!!!

    That afternoon, Juanita gets off the bus with Essie and Cari. “Hey, Nita!” Miguel calls out. “This isn’t our stop.”
    “I’m running away,” Juanita says breezily over her shoulder. It takes all her self-control not to turn around to watch the shock on her big brother’s face.
    Juanita follows the Swords into the house. ColonelCharlebois is snoring away in the front parlor, Valentino asleep at his feet. “We have to be quiet,” Essie says, like Juanita is a dumb five-year-old who can’t figure this out. It turns out that Victoria won’t be back from middle school until a little later. Meanwhile,