Chapter Two

Rich Daddy, Poor Mommy

I bet you are all wondering what Karen Two-Two is. Well it is me. You see once upon a time my mommy and daddy were married and we all lived in the big house. It was just me, Andrew, Mommy and Daddy.

Then Mommy and Daddy started to fight and they decided they did not love each other anymore. They still loved Andrew and me but they got a divorce.

Mommy married my stepfather Seth and now they live in a little house in what I once heard Daddy scream at Mommy on the phone is the seedy side of town. I am not sure what that means but I think it just means poor. I am pretty sure that is also what he meant when I eavesdropped on him laughing to Elizabeth that Mommy married down in the world. At the little house I have Mommy, Seth and my little house best friend Nancy.

At the big house I have Daddy, my stepmother Elizabeth, my stepbrothers Sam, Charlie and David Michael, my stepsister Kristy, my adopted sister Emily and Elizabeth's mother Nannie. Also my other best friend Hannie lives in the big house neighborhood.

Andrew and I spend one month at each house then we switch. At Daddy's house, we are rich and live in mansion and get a big allowance. At Mommy's house, we are poor and live in a shack and get a smaller allowance.

I joined my family for lunch. Today it was just Kristy who was babysitting us and then David Michael, Andrew, Emily Michelle and me. Kristy had made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, apple slices, carrot sticks and chocolate milk. It looked very good.

"Kristy, I have the best idea," I wanted someone to support my idea for asking Daddy to take us on vacation.

Kristy gave me a wary look which I did not think was fair at all. She should give my ideas a fair chance even if they have gotten me in trouble before. "What is it Karen?"

"Well you know how David Michael and I have been watching Seeking Sasquatch?" I ignored David Michael's groan and eye roll.

"Um yes Karen?" Kristy started filling Emily's sippy cup with more milk.

"I think it would be great if we asked Daddy to take us on vacation to somewhere that we can look for sasquatches. It would be so much fun." I said it as quick as I could before she could interrupt me.

Kristy shook her head, "Karen we cannot just ask him to take us on vacation. It is very greedy. Let your dad and my mom decide if we go on vacation. You know that money does not grow on trees."

David Michael chimed in, "Yes I agree with Kristy. I like learning about sasquatches and think it is interesting they might be real but I do not think it is polite to ask if we can go on a trip to find one."

Well boo and bullfrogs. I stuck out my lower lip and frowned. I felt like my whole summer was ruined. I wanted to throw a tantrum but Andrew had a smirk on his face and I knew he just wanted to prove me wrong. I was not going to let Andrew get the best of me. I sighed and started eating a sandwich.

Emily popped the lid off her sippy cup and dumped it on herself, "Emmy all wet!"

Kristy sighed, "Oh Emily… Come on and I will get you changed."

Andrew laughed once Kristy had left the room, "Evil Karen foiled again."

"Karen has been really trying to be nice. I have not seen her do anything evil or mean since you got here yesterday, Andrew." David Michael informed him.

I smile gratefully at David Michael for sticking up for me. Andrew stuck his tongue out at me. "You did not live with her for the last month, David Michael. All you have done since we got here is watch that stupid bigfoot show so you have not seen her in action."

"It is my new favorite show so there is nothing wrong with watching it." David Michael told him.

Andrew laughed which hurt my feelings. I decided to ignore him. I finished my sandwich and cleaned up my spot. I rinsed my plate and put it in the dishwasher. I then left the kitchen before Andrew could say anything else.

David Michael was right behind me, "Sorry about Andrew, Karen."

"It is okay. It is not your fault." I tried to say it quiet in case Andrew was listening.

"Karen, I have some books about bigfoot. I went to the library with Kristy and Emily Michelle last week and found them. Want to see them?" David Michael asked me.

Before I could answer him, Andrew ran out of the kitchen, "You guys are being really sneaky. I am going to tell Kristy."

Just then Kristy came down the hallway, "Tell me what, Andrew?"

"Karen and David Michael are whispering and being sneaky in the hallway," Andrew whined.

"What is going on?" Kristy looked at David Michael and I.

David Michael glared at Andrew, "I was just telling Karen about the bigfoot books I got at the library. I do not think there is anything sneaky about that.

"No there is not anything sneaky if that is really all you are doing." Kristy told him.

"It really is." I told her.

"That is fine then. Andrew, Emily is down for a nap. I think you need a short one too. Come on with me. I will read you a story." Kristy took his hand.

Andrew yanked it away, "I think I am too big for a nap. I am already four years old."

Kristy shrugged, "Well a rest then. A short quiet time will be fine, Andrew."

Andrew sighed loudly, "Fine Kristy but you had better keep an eye on those two sneakies."

Andrew followed Kristy down the hall and they went up the stairs to his room. I looked at David Michael, "I am ready to see the books."

"Come on. They are in my room." David Michael told me.

We ran up the stairs. I could hear Andrew whining in his room at Kristy still but I ignored him. In David Michael's room he had all the library books stacked on his desk. I took one called Bigfoot: Myth or Reality. It had a picture on the cover of a shadowy figure standing in a dark forest. It looked gigundo interesting. David Michael sat on his bed and I sat on the floor on his bean bag chair. He had a book called Land of the Sasquatch. It had a photograph on the cover of a snow capped mountain range with forests below. Just the perfect place for a sasquatch to hide. If they were real of course.

David Michael and I read quietly for a long time. We took a short break when Kristy made us a snack of wheat thins and string cheese but otherwise we read all afternoon. Reading the books made me want to go find a sasquatch more than ever. David Michael and I were practically experts now.

We were still reading at 5 pm when Elizabeth, my stepmother and David Michael's mother, called us for dinner.

Before we went downstairs I looked at David Michael, "We just have to find a way to go on a sasquatch hunt now."

"I really want to Karen but I do not know how we can." David Michael frowned.

"Do not worry. I will think of something. I am the queen of good ideas." I really do come up with good ideas. Some of them like shoplifting Club G and inventing my own religion get me in trouble but they are still good ideas. I knew I would think of something to get us to our goals.