Chapter 2

"Does Miguel still live here anymore?" Haley asked, taking a sip of her milk. She grinned widely when her dad quirked an eyebrow at Grandma and rephrased her question.

"Yeah, Mama. I was wondering about that, too."

Her aunt Theresa giggled. "Didn't you hear, Haley? Miguel made it official last month. I saw the adoption papers with my very own eyes."

Grandma just sighed, her dark eyes shining with amusement. "Yes, Mi hija. You drink all that," she nodded at Haley's nearly full glass of milk.

"Aww, Grandma. Do I have to? Dad!" Haley whined, batting her long dark lashes at him and giving him her best pout. Hey! You didn't grow up sharing a room with her aunt Theresa without learning a few tricks. Too bad her dad was on to each and every one of them.

"Dad!" her dad mocked in a girly voice.

"Oh, alright," Haley grumbled. "There. I'm finished," she announced, pushing her chair back to get up. Her grandma's Not so fast had Haley groaning in frustration. "May I be excused?" she asked politely.

Her grandma gave her an affectionate pat on the head and smiled. "Yes, you may, Mi hija."

"Thanks Grandma. Bye Dad," she said, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Whoa! Haley! Where's the fire?"

Haley rolled her eyes. "There is no fire. Dad…I'm a very busy woman." There. That got him, she thought with a smile as he choked on his own tongue. Woman? she heard him ask in disbelief as she hurried out of the kitchen. Haley was a very busy woman. Well…make that a busy girl. She had a mission to complete—a very important goal. Laziness was not the way to go about it. She was more of a go-getter anyway, she argued. But first she needed a little bit of advice. The only problem, though, was from who? She racked her brain. She had to make sure this plan worked. Aunt Theresa? Um…nah. Really. What kind of experience did she have? That meant Whitney was out of the question. And Kay and Simone and…argh!…get the picture? Who could she talk to, she wondered, as she strolled down the sidewalk. No one came to mind. Sure…she knew plenty of people. But how many of them would actually go along with her matchmaking scheme and not squeal on her? That would be completely mortifying. Haley looked up, startled, when she heard a familiar voice speak.

"Well, hello dear. What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" the elderly woman asked with a strange smile.

Her smile wasn't the only thing that was strange, Haley thought, shuddering. Who else carried around a life-sized doll with them everywhere they went? She hoped she never met them. "Um…hi, Tabitha," she said politely. "Hi Timmy," she waved at Tabitha's insistence. Please, please don't let anybody walk by and recognize me, she prayed. "I…I really have to go," she stammered.

"What's the rush?" Tabitha asked nosily, falling into step beside her. "What's bothering you, dearie? Maybe I can help," she suggested, smiling at Haley.

Haley bit her lip nervously. What could it hurt? Tabitha certainly looked harmless enough. And she was the oldest person Haley knew—with lots of experience.

"Spit it out," Tabitha prodded gently.

"Well…I…you know what?" Haley said hurriedly, quickly having a change of heart and mind. "I don't want to bother you. Thanks for trying to help, though. Bye Tabitha," she waved, before scampering off. She looked back in shock when she heard a lisping voice whine.

"She didn't say goodbye to Timmy."

Haley…you are so losing it, girl, she told herself with a shake of her head. Scratch the advice thing. She was going to the park. To do what she did best…people watching.

Much easier on the eyes, don't you agree?

Thanks so much for reading!