Read Serendipity and Me (9781101602805) for Free Online Page A

water
    that I yell            Dad!
    I toss her out of the tub
    and hide behind
    the shower curtain.
    Â 
    He comes running
    but stops when he sees her,
    tufted legs splayed
    head down,
    miserable on the bath mat.
    Â 
    Stops and laughs.
    Â 
    She looks at him in reproach
    and shakes all over
    so hard she falls down.
    Â 
    Dad grabs a towel
    and covers her in it
    picks her up like a burrito baby
    and roughs up her fur.
    Â 
    You goofy thing, he says.
    How’d you get all wet?
    Â 
    She looks wide-eyed into his face
    and reaches a sweet paw to his cheek.
    Â 
    Smart girl.
    Â 
    Â 

 
    Tonight when Dad comes to say good night
    Serendipity is on my chest
    covered with my old baby blanket.
    Â 
    The silky edges are frayed
    but the balloons make her look
    ready for a party.
    Â 
    He feels her around the ears.
    She’s still a little wet, he says.
    Don’t let her get you sick again.
    Â 
    She won’t.             She’s nice and warm.
    Serendipity’s head sticks out
    just barely from the blanket.
    Look how cute she is, Dad.
    Â 
    He looks and his eyes go
    from soft to steely.
    He pins me with a stare
    and he shakes his finger.
    Don’t get any ideas.
    I mean it, Sara.
    Â 
    What? I ask             innocently.
    Â 
    I hear the mumble of his voice
    as he leaves my room.
    Don’t give away your heart.
    Â 
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    Dad trips over Serendipity three times
    while he’s getting ready for work—
    coming out of the bathroom
    taking his shirt from the dryer
    moving breakfast to the table.
    Â 
    She has a way of getting under our feet
    like a sheepdog
    herding us toward her bowl
    or a miniature soccer player
    disrupting our goal.
    Â 
    I think it’s funny.
    Dad doesn’t.
    Â 
    I catch him swearing once
    and I shake my finger at him.
    Â 
    That is the wrong thing to do.
    Â 
    He narrows his eyes at me
    and mutters, Just a few more days.
    Â 
    This makes him feel better.
    It makes me feel awful.
    Â 
    Just a few more days
    is the worst curse of all.
    Â 
    Â 

 
    I study my kitten posters on poles
    as I’m walking to school.
    Â 
    Taylor and I chose the poles
    where it would be hardest for Dad
    to see the phone numbers clearly
    on his regular route to class.
    Â 
    The changed phone numbers
    don’t look too suspicious
    I hope.
    Â 
    I didn’t make a picture
    of the cuteness of Serendipity.
    That wrong number would be getting
    too many calls.
    Â 
    I count the days—
    Today, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.
    Will we get Saturday, too?
    Four or five days left
    for Dad to fall in love
    with this kitty.
    Â 
    We need to step up
    the irresistible factor.
    Â 
    Quickly.
    Â 
    Â 

 
    We’re working on our Middle Ages unit
    and I’m not really listening
    because I can see Garrett
    out of the corner of my eye
    Â 
    and in my mind
    he’s wearing the armor of a knight.
    Â 
    My daydreaming is such a cliché.
    Â 
    Then Miss Conglin gets to Joan of Arc
    and my ears perk up.
    Â 
    She was so brave and tragic.
    Â 
    Miss Conglin hasn’t told us yet
    what the possibilities are
    for our character assignments.
    Â 
    We will research and role-play
    the type of medieval person
    we’re given.
    Â 
    Before, I wanted to be royalty.
    But now I think
    Joan of Arc would be
    Â 
    the greatest role ever.
    Â 
    Â 

 
    I must still be daydreaming because
    Miss Conglin says, Sara
    like she’s already
    called my name before.
    Â 
    She’s holding out a folded paper.
    It must be my character assignment.
    Â 
    I open it and read Peasant.
    Â 
    It figures.
    Â 
    I glance over at Kelli
    who is beaming at her paper
    like someone who won the lottery.
    Â 
    Kelli is probably a noble lady
    and she will ride off with Garrett
    on his steel-footed steed.
    Â 
    My kingdom for a horse.
    Â 
    That horse.
    With Garrett on it.
    Â 
    I really need to give my mind
    something else to think