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ordered. But when I got to the address, no one was there. Three wasted pizzas,” he said. “Now they’re all cold.”
    â€œOh, no,” Jessie said. Like all the Aldens, she hated to waste anything, especially at the restaurant where money was so tight. “Why would someone do this?” she asked.
    Before Henry could even take a guess, Violet came into the kitchen looking upset.
    â€œWhat’s the matter now?” Laurie asked when she saw that Violet was about to cry.
    â€œThere’s a customer out there who left without paying. He ordered a large Pizza Supreme. See.” Violet showed Laurie the order she had written down just fifteen minutes before. “He said he ordered a plain pizza. Even though I’m sure he didn’t, I told him I’d get him a plain one if he could wait a bit. But he just left without paying! I couldn’t bear to tell Mr. and Mrs. Piccolo.”
    â€œMaybe you did get the order wrong,” Laurie said impatiently. “That’s what happened yesterday, too. We can’t keep wasting food like this. You’ll just have to be more careful. I can’t be in two places at once.”
    Violet swallowed hard. Piccolos’ Pizza was busy, and this was no time to cry. Laurie Baker was so cross sometimes. But what made Violet feel worse was knowing for sure she had written down the right order.
    Jessie and Henry comforted their sister. Laurie was too busy banging pans around to pay any more attention to Violet.
    â€œIt’s okay, Violet,” Henry said. “At least you just lost one pizza. I lost three of them. The Piccolos can’t afford to have these things happen too often. They’ll lose their business just when they’re getting back on their feet.”
    No one had the heart to tell the Piccolos what had happened. The children decided they would just be more careful and work harder than ever!

CHAPTER 7
    Everything Goes Dark
    T he day began with Mr. Piccolo’s cheery whistling downstairs. Upstairs, the Alden children were all asleep, all but Benny, that is. Mr. Piccolo’s whistling meant it was time for him to get up.
    It was early morning. Benny wanted to get to the kitchen early. That way he could help Mr. and Mrs. Piccolo get the dough started before Laurie Baker got there and scooted him out.
    â€œTomatoes, potatoes, burritos!” Mr. Piccolo sang out as he took jars and bundles from the big refrigerator. “Pull up a stool, Benny. I need a smart boy like you to measure out some salt, some flour, and some yeast. Do you know what to do?”
    â€œI sure do, Mr. Piccolo,” Benny said with a smile.
    â€œToday my old waiter, Nick Marra, comes back. There’s nobody to touch Nick when it comes to waiting on tables,” Mr. Piccolo said. “Unless it’s the Aldens, of course!”
    â€œI can’t wait to see Nick,” Benny said as he sprinkled yeast over a big bowl of warm water.
    A half hour later, Benny noticed Laurie Baker’s red hat go by the kitchen window. He jumped off his stool. “You don’t have to leave, Benny,” Mrs. Piccolo told him.
    Benny disappeared upstairs anyway. He knew Laurie would find some way to get him out of the kitchen. He’d rather leave on his own.
    It turned out the Aldens weren’t the only ones Laurie Baker didn’t want near the kitchen. When the children came downstairs later on, the Piccolos were out doing the day’s shopping for the restaurant.
    Laurie was in charge, and she was arguing with Nick Marra. This surprised the Aldens. They remembered how easygoing Nick was. Nothing ever bothered this young man. No matter how busy the restaurant got, Nick always had a smile for everyone.
    But that day, Nick Marra wasn’t smiling. His face was red and his bright blue eyes glittered angrily.
    â€œIf you hadn’t been away so long, the Piccolos wouldn’t have put me in charge!” Laurie Baker said to