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Víctor is at the college; some part-time coaching has opened up. But he has left his own note posted on the refrigerator.
    Essie rolls her eyes as she reads it out loud: “ ‘Hi, girls. Welcome home. After a snack, please begin your homework.’ ”
    Juanita can’t believe that even as a runaway, she’s going to be reminded to do her homework!
    “But I’m in kindergarten. We don’t get any homework.” Cari pouts like she’s being left out of something fun.
    “You’re
complaining
that you don’t have homework?” Essie looks at her little sister like she’d be too dumb to do homework even if she had some. Then, just like that, Essie tosses the note into the trash can.
    “You’re not supposed to do that!” Cari heads toward the trash can, but Essie blocks her way. “Victoria hasn’t read it!”
    “Oh, grow up, Cari! We can tell her what it says. Right, Juanita?”
    Juanita doesn’t know what to say. She kind of agrees with Cari that you shouldn’t throw out a parent’s note until your older sister, who is responsible for taking care of you, reads it. But Juanita wants to be part of the grown-up world that Essie is including her in.
    “Let’s go pick out your bedroom.” Essie has grabbed a bunch of cookies and is bounding up the stairs, making alot of noise for someone who is trying to be quiet so as not to wake up the colonel.
    Upstairs, Juanita goes into a tizzy of indecision over which room to pick. Her favorite is the bridal bedroom. But Essie keeps saying she’s going to throw up if she stands in it one minute longer. The tropical jungle room is so much like her own room, Juanita would be throwing away a rare opportunity to sleep somewhere different if she chooses it. As for the baseball room, whose glories Essie keeps pitching, it’d be like sleeping in Miguel’s room.
    Just then Victoria gets home and comes upstairs in search of her sisters. “Where’s Papa?” she wants to know. “Didn’t he leave a note?” That launches Cari into how Essie threw the note away and wouldn’t let her retrieve it from the trash can. Victoria gets all stern and tells Essie that she knows she’s not supposed to do that. Soon they are having an argument, just like the ones Juanita and Miguel have. But it’s really boring to watch a silly argument when you are not involved in it yourself.
    Juanita slips away downstairs, tiptoes past the parlor, sits down quietly at the kitchen table, and begins her homework.

    By suppertime, Tía Lola has joined them. Víctor has some good news to share. It’s not yet a hundred percent for sure, but it looks like his part-time coaching job at the college might become full-time.
    The Swords cheer. Papa might soon have both a job and a B&B to run! Maybe they won’t be starving after all.
    “So, are you gonna tell Linda you don’t want to be alawyer anymore?” Essie is talking with her mouth full, but her father is too excited to notice.
    “Soon as I have the offer in writing.” Papa might not want to be a lawyer, but he still thinks like one, worrying about written proof and stuff. “In fact, I’ll be enlisting your help in broadcasting the news.”
    “What’s broadcasting?” Cari wants to know.
    “Broadcast is like when you sow seeds.” Her father makes a gesture. “Throwing something out there for everyone to see and know.”
    “Throwing something out,” of course, reminds Cari of what Essie did to Papa’s note. This is too tempting an opportunity to pass up. Cari blabs. Another argument. This is getting old, Juanita is thinking.
    While the Swords argue, Tía Lola and Juanita go upstairs to resolve the sleeping arrangements. Juanita still hasn’t decided which room to pick. What does Tía Lola think?
    “Let’s see. You’ve got your own tropical room, and your brother’s room is a lot like the baseball room. So, really, the most
adventurous
choice would have to be the bridal bedroom.” Surely Essie can’t look down on that. Adventure would be