So, I was inspired to update this story. Know why? I was nominated in two - count 'em, one, TWO - categories for the Top Ten awards! This here story - the one you, yes, YOU, are reading - was nominated for best PC & BB drama/friendship story and for best in-progress story! Thank you to the wonderful person who said that, you made my day so much better. :)
Chapter 5-The Lyons's house in Westchester, NY
Claire Lyons woke up in her bed to the sweet smell of cinnamon rolls and sunshine. Rolling onto her back, she saw the pictures taped to the bottom of the bunk bed above her: Her and Cam in Cam's garage, her and Layne in Claire's new room, her and the Pretty Committee at their last sleepover, her and Massie laughing on the guest house porch (courtesy of Todd in his stalker phase), her and Sarah, her and Sari, her and Mandy, all three on a strip from a photo booth, her, Sarah, Sari, and Mandy lying on a giant floatie in the pool.
Life was finally slowing down in Westchester, and Claire loved it.
Heading down the carpeted stairs in three-inches-too-short Spyro the Dragon pajama pants and an Avengers t-shirt she borrowed from Layne, Claire was thinking about breakfast.
"Claire, Claire!" her annoying brother Todd whisper yelled.
Looking for the sound of his voice, Claire spun around. Shaking her head, she continued.
A hand grabbed her wrist, and Claire gasped and turned.
"Oh my gosh, Todd, don't do that! Where were you?" Claire inquired.
Todd looked around, walked a few feet, and cautiously beckoned Claire with his hand to follow.
Tiptoeing across the lush landing, Claire followed behind him. Todd opened a tiny, almost invisible door under a table and crawled inside. Nervously, Claire followed him.
"What's that pit?" Claire asked in a shaky voice.
"It's the bathroom ceiling and above the basement stairs," Todd responded from further ahead on the beam.
"Where are we going?" Claire whispered.
"On top of the bathroom ceiling. That's where the vents lead," he patiently explained.
"How do we get down?" Claire screeched.
"A short jump down, then crawling on a metal pipe to the top," Todd whispered proudly. "I put stuff there!"
Todd fell down, then oomphed when he hit the pipe. The sound of scraping metal was present for a few seconds, then a soft thump.
Cautiously, Claire lowered herself down a foot to a wide, dusty metal pipe, and inched across it until she came to a solid wooden platform.
"Look!" Todd whispered, and pointed to a piece of paper. "Mom was on this website earlier this week."
Leaning over, Claire inspected the sheet. Baby girl names that match these traits. What? Looking closer, Claire saw names with a star by them. Alana, Belladonna, Cynne, Emery, Felicity, Katricia, Shay, and Zoe were the ones with stars.
"And, listen to her up there. This vent," Todd showed her.
Pressing her ear to the cold metal, Claire listened.
"I'm feeling kind dove nauseous," her mother's garbled voice said. "I know its normal, but I dill dome like it!"
Claire gasped, and listened harder.
"Liddle Bella is going to be grape. I dove her hoe much already. Claire will love having a sister," her mom said to herself.
Claire leaned away. A sister? Just when things were going well?
She tasted pennies in her mouth, and she bent over. Not good, she thought, not good at all.
Claire felt her stomach rising. She lay down on a beanbag and closed her eyes.
So? Worthy of an award? I honestly liked this least of all out of my stories, but...
Are you a cat person or dog person? Personally, I'm a cat person. Hence my name.
xox Clara