Read Staying Together for Free Online Page B

belt?” asked Olivia. “You’re not going to fire anyone, are you?”
    â€œNo. We said we would make small changes, and that’s what we mean.”
    Olivia believed her parents. But the thought that the store was in any kind of trouble at all disturbed her, and by Saturday morning she felt she needed some sort of fun distraction — something to take her mind off of inflation and recession and foreclosures and the economy and struggling people everywhere.
    â€œA Saturday adventure! That’s what we should have today,” Olivia said aloud, and the very thought of it made her hop out of bed and snap up the shade to see whether the morning was sunny. It was. Aiken Avenue sparkled in sunshine, and Olivia could see that across the street two of her neighbors were already working in their flower beds.
    Excellent. Now — what kind of adventure should she and Nikki and Flora and Ruby plan?
    Their Saturday adventures had begun the summer before when a nameless someone had arranged for the girls to be members of a secret book club. Every few weeks each girl received a copy of a book from an anonymous sender, and after they had read the book they were sent on a surprise adventure. Long after the book club had ended and the identity of the nameless someone had been revealed, the girls had continued the tradition of Saturday adventures, only now they arranged them on their own.
    What could they do today? Olivia wondered. The adventure didn’t have to be elaborate, and it would be a good thing if it weren’t expensive, either. Just something fun. An afternoon at the movies? A trip to the mall, even if they didn’t buy anything?
    Olivia, still in her nightgown, brought the cordless phone into her room, closed her door softly, and punched in Nikki’s number.
    â€œHi, Olivia!” cried Mae’s voice. “I saw ‘Walter’ on the caller ID. That’s how I knew it was you. Are you coming over today?” Before Olivia could answer, Mae continued, “You know what? I’m making macaroni jewelry. Would you like a necklace? Or a bracelet? I haven’t figured out how to make earrings yet.”
    â€œOh. Well, let’s see. I would love a bracelet. That would be very nice.”
    â€œGreat. Bracelets are two dollars each. You can give the money to Nikki the next time you see her.”
    â€œUm, okay.”
    â€œI’ll get right to work on the bracelet. Bye!”
    â€œWait, Mae! Don’t hang up. I need to talk to Nikki.”
    â€œOkay. Just a second.”
    When Nikki got on the phone, she said, “Did Mae make you order any of her jewelry?”
    â€œWell, she offered to make me a bracelet and then she said it would cost two dollars.”
    Nikki laughed. “Don’t worry, I’ll talk to her. Don’t you think she’ll make a good salesperson someday, though?”
    â€œI think she’ll make a sneaky one. Listen, Nikki, I was thinking. Why don’t we have a Saturday adventure today? We don’t have much weekend homework and an adventure would be really fun. We haven’t gone on one in a while.”
    â€œThat’s a great idea! What should we do?”
    â€œI’m not sure. We’ll all have to decide together. Maybe go to the movies? Or to the mall if we can find someone to drive us there? Or, I know! How about lunch at College Pizza? That wouldn’t cost too much.”
    â€œI like that idea. And guess what. Mom isn’t working today. She was about to go into town to run errands with Mae, so she can drop me at your house first.”
    â€œPerfect. While you’re on your way over here, I’ll call Flora and Ruby.”
    Olivia clicked off the phone, threw on some clothes, dashed to the kitchen, where she slurped up a bowl of cereal, and then returned to her bedroom with the phone. She dialed Flora’s number and, as she often did, immediately put her ear to her bedroom wall and listened