âDid you sleep well?â
âI slept great. Thatâs probably why Iâm awake already.â
âGood for you. What would you like for breakfast? Oatmeal? Cold cereal?â
But before I have a chance to answer, Joey bounds into the kitchen. ââMorning, Mom! âMorning, Gory--I mean, Tori!â He skids to a stop and studies me closely. âSo, what was with that letter?â
âLetter?â Mom repeats, arching her eyebrows. âWhat letter?â
Neither of us answer her.
âI just felt like leaving it,â I say. âI donât think I ever thanked you for taking us skating that day.â
âOh.â Joey continues to interrogate me with his eyes, as if heâs sure I have some underhanded motive. âThatâs it?â
âThatâs it,â I repeat.
âWell...thanks for the letter,â Joey answers doubtfully.
âYouâre welcome.â
Momâs watching this whole exchange with a puzzled expression in her eyes. Before she can ask again, though, Ben bursts into the kitchen, still wearing his p.j. pants and the sweatshirt he sleeps in.
âTori! I found a note from you under my door last night. Whatâs that all about?â
I take a seat at the table. âI just wanted to thank you.â
âFor giving Gina a reindeer two years ago?â
âExcuse me?â asks Mom. I feel a little bad for her since none of us seems to be up to explaining at the moment.
âWell, yes,â I tell Ben. âAnd not only that, but the fact that she still talks about it. I mean, itâs a nice memory she has of you. And I thought it might make you feel good to know that.â
Benâs eyes pop open wide and he shakes his head, a low whistle escaping on his breath. I can tell heâs just as curious and suspicious as Joey.
âReally,â I assure him. âThatâs all there is to it.â
âI got a note, too,â Joey informs Ben. âTo thank me for taking the squirts ice skating last January.â
âYou got a note?â Ben drops into the chair across from mine. âSo, what about Nate? Did he get one too?â
Iâd forgotten that I wouldnât witness Nateâs reaction this morning, since heâs been up and out of the house for an hour already. âYes,â I say. âNate got one too.â
Mom looks at me, as though sheâs fitting the pieces of a puzzle together inside her mind. âLast night,â she says slowly, âyou left your brothers thank-you notes.â
âReally random thank-you notes!â Joey puts in.
âAre you sure youâre feeling, okay, Tori?â asks Ben. âOr is this part of some elaborate practical joke to get us back for being your annoying big brothers?â
I shake my head no. âI promise, itâs not.â
âThen why...?â Joey trails.
Mom looks from him to Ben. âMaybe what you see is what you get in this case. Maybe Tori really is saying thank you. Can you swallow that?â
My brothers stare at Mom, and then at me. All through breakfast, they donât insult me once.
At dinner that night, I get the same disbelieving reaction from Nate. âI mean, Abuelitoâs birthday party!â he cries. âThat was last year, Tori. What made you all of a sudden decide to thank me for that brilliant idea I had?â Even when heâs in the middle of trying to puzzle something out, he still manages to get a few words in about what a wonder he is.
âIâm just saying thank you,â I insist. Iâm almost sick of defending myself over those notes. âWhy canât any of you guys just accept that?â
âBut, I guess,â says Ben, âwhat we want to know is why? Why did you even bother to thank us?â
Dad looks over at Mom. âWhat are they talking about, Susan?â
Mom shakes her head. âIâll fill you in later.â
âWhy?â I
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