Read Marcia's Madness for Free Online

white paws, little frown lines creasing her forehead.
    Or maybe it wasn't so odd. After all, there were certain things—like getting our powers—that when they happened to us, they happened to our cats too. So maybe Minx was sharing Marcia's headache?
    In any event, as we all hurried to do Marcia's bidding—particularly Petal—and Marcia slowly dragged herself up the stairs, spear in one hand, the other hand to her forehead, we all knew which bedroom Marcia was heading to.
    The room where she could once again be oldest of the youngest.
    There was a new sheriff in town.
    ***

    That week was a strange one for us. It was odd having Marcia in power. It was odd having Annie out of power. Who was Annie now? we all wondered. And how, we wondered to ourselves but never out loud, would all this affect our chances of discovering what happened to our parents?
    It was also a strange week because Marcia's management style was, well, odd after what we'd grown used to from Annie. Whereas Annie would give us directions and then keep half an eye on us to make sure her instructions were properly carried out, every time Marcia gave directions, she went to lie down, claiming to have a headache.
    "Is all the power getting to you?" Rebecca asked snidely as Marcia dragged herself upstairs yet again, that spear looking heavy in her hand.
    Marcia ignored her, muttering to herself something like "I wish those people in the Big City didn't have so many cars—they all whiz by so quickly."
    Marcia had been muttering a lot of strange things like that, and Minx had been making pained meowing sounds and covering her eyes. We thought about asking Zinnia to talk to Minx and find out what was going on, but we didn't want anyone to think we were crazy.
    And what was strangest of all about that odd week was that Mother's Day was coming up on Sunday. It would be the first Mother's Day of our lives with no Mommy around for us to celebrate.
    What were we going to do?
    ***
    "Hullo, Eights!"
    "Mr. Pete!" eight voices shouted.
    It was late in the morning on Sunday, and we were all still in our pajamas because we were all depressed about its being Mother's Day with no Mommy or Daddy in sight. Then our doorbell had rung.
    And there, in all his shining mechanic glory, stood Pete the mechanic.
    "The missus and I were thinking, if you didn't have anything else to do today ... that is to say..." For once, Pete looked nervous. Which was very odd, given that this was a man who could pretend he was our uncle and call himself Pete Huit at the drop of a hat and who could also wear an Armani jacket and run an evil relative out of town. Honestly, nothing ever ruffled Pete, other than one of us giving him a kiss on the cheek.
    "If you were anyone besides Mr. Pete," Rebecca said, only semirudely, "I'd be telling you to spit it out right around now."
    "Mrs. Pete and I just thought," Mr. Pete went on, "it being Mother's Day and all..."
    "You felt bad for us because we are orphans," Petal said.
    "Well, no," Pete said. "I don't believe either of us put it quite like that."
    "You want me to make Mother's Day dinner for Mrs. Pete!" Durinda said, looking flattered.
    "Well, no," Pete said. "It would be rude of me to expect that. Besides, I made the dinner myself today, it being Mother's Day and all. In fact, I've got the whole meal already in the oven at home and I just need to pick up the cake."
    "Mmm... frosting. " Rebecca's eyes flashed.
    "I know!" Zinnia was practically jumping up and down, her bunny slippers flopping on her feet. "You want to invite us over to your house for the day!"
    "Yes, yes!" Pete snapped his fingers. "That's the one!" Then he clapped his hands together. "Now, um, get dressed, get your things together, and then we'll be off." He looked embarrassed as he glanced at Annie. "Oops, sorry. I suppose that, being head of the family and all, you prefer to give directions under your own roof."
    "Actually," Annie said with a calm that none of the rest of us could have