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mouthful of lettuce. “Except for science class. We have this field trip coming up tomorrow, and I don’t really know what to expect.”
    Stephanie asked a string of questions about where they were going and what they’d be seeing. She couldn’t believe they’d be competing boys versus girls.
    “That’s outrageous, Jeff,” Stephanie said. “You really should talk to the principal. Isn’t that sexism or something like that?”
    Madison grinned at Stephanie’s enthusiasm. “Well, the trip’s tomorrow, so it’s too late to change anything.”
    Dad chuckled. “I say, ‘You go, girl!’”
    “Oh, Dad.” Madison groaned. “How embarrassing.”
    Stephanie laughed. “Well, beat the boys, then,” she whispered to Madison.
    Dad gave Stephanie a kiss after she said that.
    The spaghetti came to the table late, and the evening seemed to drag on. By the time they had paid the check and got into the car heading home, Madison felt her eyes getting heavy. Today had been overly busy just like all the rest of the days of the week.
    Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
    No sooner had Madison dozed off than Dad leaned into the backseat to help her out of his car. “C’mon, sweetie,” he said. Stephanie whispered her good-byes, too.
    A groggy Madison grunted hello to Mom when she walked inside. From her office, Mom could only manage a limp hello herself. She looked drained, too. Mom obviously had spent the entire evening at her computer, compiling editing data and fact checking for one of her film documentaries. There was a half-eaten TV dinner on Mom’s work desk.
    “You look beat, Mom,” Madison said.
    “Mmmm. How was dinner?” Mom asked. “ You look beat, too.”
    Madison shrugged. She was tired—too tired to talk. Kissing Mom’s head, she dashed away for the makeshift bedroom in the den. Madison’s real room was still off-limits for sleeping.
    In the den, Madison found her laptop computer lying open on the sofa, still plugged in and fully charged. She clicked the space bar, and the screen lit up.
    As the computer buzzed on, Madison felt her own inner batteries recharge, too. And so she and her second wind headed immediately into her private files.
Dating
    I’m having a crisis, and it has to do with a four-letter word that I’m beginning to detest:
    D-a-t-e.
    I wish I could say the crisis about the word date is because three different boys want to ask me out. HA HA HA LOL—that isn’t even close.
    It’s Mom and Date-O-Magic that has me in knots.
    AND I can’t talk to Dad about it because he’ll just back up Mom like he always does.
    AND Dad is being so sweet to Stephanie these days (I think he loves her, but let’s save that for another file) and I feel weird talking about Mom in front of Stephanie. Does it hurt her feelings? She acts all normal when I talk about Mom, but I know what she’s really thinking….
    I totally can’t talk to my friends about any of this, either, because it would be way, way too embarrassing. They just don’t get it. Aimee’s and Fiona’s parents have both been married forever. They think I’m a super-worrywart. Fiona even says I’m lucky since one day I’ll probably have four parents instead of two. Lucky?
    Rude Awakening: Life with parents who go on dates is like watching a baseball game. You heed to watch out for curveballs—and you definitely need to keep score.
    Madison hit SAVE and closed the Dating file. She realized that she was probably jumping the gun about Mom’s dating life, but she didn’t care.
    In addition to keeping herself busy with school, after school, friends, the computer, volunteering, and the flute, Madison had one more thing to add to her superbusy to-do list of life. Keep an eye on Mom.

Chapter 6
    P HINNIE LEAPED ONTO THE couch and pressed his little pug paws into Madison’s sides and nuzzled her neck with his very wet nose. Madison rolled off the couch, nearly taking the dog with her. It was almost seven o’clock, and she needed to dress fast.
    Today was the