Mallory
I waved goodbye to my best friend Jessi and hurried up the front
steps. It was snowing, and my glasses got all foggy. I unlocked the door and
let myself into a world of chaos.
Stepping over jackets, mittens and bags, I slid past 8-year-old
Nicky who was playing with our basset hound Pow on the carpet and ducked up the
stairs.
My 10-year-old triplet brothers were wrestling in the upstairs
hallway. "Move it," I snapped, going into my room. My sisters Claire and Margo
were lying on their bunk beds, arms crossed.
"What's going on?" I said, dropping my backpack and books.
"Nothing," Margo snarled, glaring at the ceiling.
"You can't hide from me. I know everything." I unbuckled my
backpack and took out my diary. I got a golden felt tip pen from a cup on my
desk, settled down on my bed and began to scrawl.
"Margo won't lend me her new shoes!" Claire cried, big tears
rolling down her cheeks. So that was what it was about. Margo had just gotten a
pair of electric pink trainers with silver stripes down the sides.
"It's her birthday next week," I reminded Claire. "And besides,
they're too big for you." I finished writing, capped my pen, closed my diary
and put it back into my bag. "Come on." I scooped Claire up and carried her
downstairs.
"Can I have a snack?" Claire asked, her tears drying. She took a
paper napkin from a metal container on the kitchen counter and blew her nose
noisily.
"Sure. How 'bout a Super Duper Mallory Surprise Snack?" I got
some stuff out of the cabinets.
"Yay!" Claire hopped onto a chair and rested her chin in her
hands. Sometimes when she's throwing a tantrum, it's best to just pamper her.
Fifteen minutes later, when I had settled Claire with a tuna and
egg sandwich and a glass of chocolate milk, I fixed myself a bowl of cereal and
sat with her. At three-forty, Mom returned from Stacey's house, where she had
been helping Ms Spencer (as Stacey's mom now liked to be called) to mend a pair
of suede boots.
"Hi, Mal," she said, putting down her purse. Claire held up her
arms and Mom picked her up. "You big baby. When will you ever grow up?" she
asked in mock despair, rocking Claire up and down. Claire giggled.
I went up to my room and did homework until five-fifteen. When I
went down again, Dad was back. "What're you doing home so early?" I asked.
Dad shook his head, loosening his tie. He placed one finger over
his lips. I shrugged. Mom appeared, shooing my other siblings into the living
room. We all plunked down on the sofa, chairs or floor.
"Kids," Dad began just as Mom bit her lip. "There's something we
want you to know." "What?" Jordan interrupted from where he was lying on the
floor.
"Jordan," Dad said, silencing him with a Look. "We'll be having a
visitor to the Pike household very soon."
"Grandma?" I said hopefully. "Santa Claus?" Adam joked with a
snicker.
"No, not them. As a matter of fact…" Dad put his hand over Mom's
and squeezed tightly.
"Is it a new pet? Are you getting me a bunny rabbit for
Christmas?" Claire asked, scrambling into Dad's lap.
"No. Actually, Claire, you aren't going to be the youngest very
much longer. You guys will be getting a new sister or brother." Dad and Mom
held gazes.
"What!" I nearly fell off the sofa. "You're pregnant?"
Even the triplets and Nicky had nothing to say. They stared at
one another, their mouths agape.
"No," Mom said, her eyes sparkling. "We're adopting. We were put
on the waiting list years ago, before Mallory was born. That was the year my
ex-doctor told us I couldn't conceive. Anyway, we never took our names off, and
finally they got a kid for us. We just found out this afternoon. That means
we're going to have to tighten our belts. The expenses for a new kid are a lot.
Food, clothes and furniture. Also, we might get a new house some time after
he or she comes. A bigger one to accommodate all of us."
I caught a glimpse of the clock on the wall. It was
five-twenty-three. If I didn't get to Claudia's house soon, Kristy would give
me hell.
"I need to go for my BSC meeting," I said, getting up. "Talk to
you guys later! Bye!" I dashed to the garage for my bike.
I made it through Claud's bedroom door just as the red numbers on
her digital clock flipped over to 5.30. Kristy shot me a Look and called the
meeting to order.
All through the meeting, I was restless. I squirmed and fidgeted,
not paying a bit of attention to anything that was happening. All I could think
about was this surprise announcement from my parents.
"What's with you?" Jessi whispered, poking me in the ribs. I
shook my head. "Tell you later," I mouthed back.
Just before the meeting ended, there were no job calls. I took
the chance to say, "Guys? I have something to tell you."
Seven heads swiveled towards me. They all looked curious. I took
a deep breath. "It's like this. Mom told us only just now. I'm getting a new
sibling."
"She's pregnant?" Kristy exclaimed in disbelief. Claudia
slapped her forehead and said, "Oh, my lord!" Jessi just gasped. Mary Anne got
all teary. Dawn shook her head very slowly. Stacey's eyes widened to the size
of saucers. Abby said, "Wait a minute. A ninth kid?"
"No, no. Hold your horses. They're adopting." I explained the
situation to them. They still looked shocked. "Well," Kristy said. "Couldn't
they just reject the offer? I mean, it's not like they have to take the
kid, right? They could always say they changed their minds."
"I dunno," I said with a shrug. "Maybe you can't. But whatever it
is, Mom and Dad are accepting. And I'm going to get a new brother or sister."
A few things happened at once. Kristy adjourned the meeting, Mary
Anne burst into floods of tears, Jessi whispered, "Let's talk on the way home,"
and Abby repeated, "I don't believe it! Nine kids!"
Jessi and I said goodbye hurriedly and went down. We pushed our
bikes along, walking alongside each other. "So you're serious? A new sibling?"
I nodded. "I think he or she will probably be quite young, like
Emily Michelle was. Claire might not take it too well. She likes being the baby
of the family."
"Oh. Well, I hope everything turns out okay. Tell me any new
happenings, okay?" Jessi asked as she turned down her street.
"Okay!" I agreed brightly, waving. I got onto my bike and began
to pedal. Suddenly someone yelled, "Hey! Hey, wait up!"
I whipped around, jamming on the brakes. A super cute Asian guy
with black hair was cycling towards me. "Hey," he said with a grin as he
approached. He slowed down. "What's your name?"
"Mallory," I said slowly. "Why'd you stop me?"
"Oh, sorry. I thought you were my sister. She looks exactly like
you from the back." He extended a hand. "My name's Clark."
I shook it. "Hi, Clark. Where do you live?"
He told me, and it was only one street away from mine! We cycled
along, chatting like old pals. By the time we reached my house, he had asked me
out for Saturday afternoon. I couldn't wait.