Read Mia's Baker's Dozen for Free Online Page A

smiled at me. “We’ll see you at the party soon. I can’t wait to try your cupcakes!”
    Ava gave me a quick hug good-bye. “I’ll text you later,” I said.
    Then Mom kissed me. “I’ll meet you back here at seven fifteen, okay?”
    â€œI’ll make sure she’s on time,” my dad promised.
    â€œThanks,” Mom said, and managed a smile. She then rushed off, and it was just me and my dad.
    â€œSushi?” I asked. That’s usually our tradition.
    â€œWell, since this is a special visit, I thought we should mix it up a little bit,” Dad said. “Try someplace new.”
    â€œWhere are we going?” I asked him.
    Dad smiled. “I want to surprise you.”
    So we quickly found a cab outside and traveled downtown for a while. Then the cab stopped in front of a restaurant with a red awning. Painted on the window were the words SABOR TAPAS BAR .
    â€œWe’re going to a bar?” I asked. “Isn’t that kind of inappropriate?”
    â€œIt’s not that kind of bar,” Dad said, paying the cabdriver. “You’ll see.”
    We walked inside, and the place looked warm and cozy. Dark wood panels covered the walls, and the booths were made of wood too, with red cushions. The server showed us to one of the booths, and then Dad handed me a menu.
    â€œIn a tapas bar, they serve small plates of food,” Dad explained. “And then you share. That way you get to try a little bit of a lot of different things.”
    The server, a woman with dark hair almost exactly like mine, took our drink orders, and then we looked at the menu. Everything on it looked delicious. I was starting to like this idea.
    â€œThis is awesome,” I said. “But there’s so much to choose from! I can’t decide.”
    â€œI’ll order for us, then,” he said.
    The server brought our drinks, and then Dad ordered a bunch of tapas from the menu: shrimp with garlic and chilies, a potato omelet, sautéed spinach, and a bowl of Spanish olives.
    â€œAnything else, mija ?” he asked.
    I looked at the menu, and one thing caught my eye.
    â€œ Croquetas con pollo y plátanos, por favor ,” Iordered. (That means “Croquettes with chicken and plantains, please.” I wasn’t sure what a croquette was, but I love plantains. They’re kind of like bananas, but not sweet.)
    â€œ Bien. Creo que les gustará ,” the server replied in Spanish. That means, “Good. I think you’ll like them.”
    â€œ Creo que lo har é ,” I replied, which means, “I think that I will.”
    The server left the table, and when I looked at Dad, he was beaming with pride.
    â€œSuch good Spanish, mija ,” he said. “Your Spanish teacher must love you.”
    I smiled, but I didn’t say a word. I know what you’re thinking. This was the perfect time for me to talk to my dad about my problems in Advanced Spanish. I know Ava told me I should ask for help, but I just couldn’t bear to disappoint Dad. Not now, anyway. I just wanted to have a nice dinner with him.
    And it was nice. It turned out that a croquette is a little fried ball-shaped thing, and it was superdelicious. All the stuff Dad ordered tasted good too.
    But it went way too fast, and soon it was time to get back to the train. Dad walked me to theplatform, and Mom was already waiting there.
    â€œGet home safe,” Dad said, giving me a hug.
    â€œI’ll text you when I get home,” I promised.
    Mom got a funny look on her face. After Dad left, I found out why.
    â€œYou always complain when I ask you to text me ,” Mom said.
    Yikes. She had a point. I had to think about that for a little bit.
    â€œYou have me most of the time, plus Eddie and Dan, but Dad is all alone,” I explained. “I feel bad for Dad sometimes.”
    Mom sighed. “It’s hard,” she admitted, “but please don’t worry