Family Ties Read Free Page A

there. I always go to the school library when school is in. I leave with The Complete Works of Shakespeare .
    The walk home feels longer because of the heat and we get sticky with sweat. Rose is at their front door calling us in. We tell her about Ms. Hutchinson, Jason, and the rest of our first day of school over lemonade and peanut butter crackers.
    “Sounds like you girls had fun,” Rose states.
    I pick up my backpack and tell Arissa, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
    “Can’t you stay?” she asks.
    “No. I think my parents left me with a list of chores. Besides, Victoria will tell on me if I’m not home when she gets there.”
    “Can you come over later?”
    “I’ll ask.”
    I stuff a load of laundry in the washer, then work on weeding the vegetable garden. Victoria arrives home while I’m taking a break after moving the clothes into the dryer.
    “You’re not doing chores,” she says.
    “I’m taking a break.”
    “You know what happens if you’re not done when Mother and Father get home.”
    “Duh, Victoria.” I set my glass of water down and return to the backyard to get away from her.
    I stop again to fold the laundry and put the clothes away. Then, I finish in the garden, pick a few vegetables for dinner, and turn on the sprinklers.
    Victoria lies prone on the TV room floor, watching cartoons and coloring. I press my lips together as wash the vegetables and place them in a colander to drain.
    She gets to do whatever she wants and I’m stuck doing all the work.
    Mother drives in as I turn off the sprinklers. Victoria runs to her squealing about her first day of school while Mother cooks dinner and I set the table.
    “My teacher, Mr. Fawkes, lets us chew gum in class,” Victoria brags.
    “Lucky you,” Mother responds with a warm smile. It’s a smile she only gives my sister.
    “He read a book to us today. He said he’s going to read to us every day after lunch recess.”
    “Are you the teacher’s pet already?” I ask.
    “Shut up!”
    “Leave her alone,” Mother commands.
    I pause at the rebuke. “I had a good first day of school,” I announce in an attempt to share with her like I did with Rose.
    “Your sister was talking,” she scoffs.
    My gut tightens like I was just punched. It’s always Victoria. Never me. “Then can I go to Arissa’s?”
    “Yes, but what is the rule?”
    I sigh and reply in monotone, “Do not talk about the family.”
    I run across the street and knock on the door. Andrew answers.
    “Is Arissa around?” I ask, smiling.
    “We were about to eat dinner.”
    My smile drops to a frown and I look down. “Okay. Well, tell her I came over, please.”
    “Would you like to join us?” he asks.
    I brighten up again. “Are you sure?”
    “I’m positive.”
    “Can I use your phone to ask my mother?”
    “Sure,” he says, letting me in. “Rose! Get the phone for Sara!”
    Rose comes out of the kitchen, drying her hands with her apron. “Is everything okay?”
    “She came over to see Arissa and I invited her to stay for dinner. She wants to call her mom.”
    “Well, come on then.” She beckons me to follow her into the kitchen. She takes the cordless phone off the wall and hands it to me.
    “Hello?” answers Victoria.
    “Let me talk to Mother.”
    “What for?” she asks.
    “Just give her the phone, Victoria,” I say, annoyed.
    “Don’t boss me!”
    I hear Mother in the background asking Victoria who is on the phone.
    “It’s Sara,” she states. 
    Rustling crackles through the receiver as it changes hands.
    “What do you want?” Mother asks, impatient.
    “Arissa’s parents asked me to stay for dinner. Can I?”
    “No.”
    “Why not?”
    “Because I’m fixing dinner,” she answers.
    “But if I stay here, you won’t have to listen to me and Victoria fighting.”
    She is silent for a few seconds. “Be home by seven o’clock. You still have homework to do.”
    “But I don’t have homework today.”
    “Seven o’clock, Sara,” she