Floors #2: 3 Below Read Free Page A

hat.
    “I think you’re right!” Pilar said, reaching her arm way down inside (it was a very tall hat) and taking hold of a black envelope. When she pulled, the hat collapsed in on itself, flattening out like a pancake.
    “Weird hat,” Captain Rickenbacker said, standing at the ready just in case it was part of an evil plot designed to strip him of his superpowers.
    Leo divided his attention between the stacks on the gift table and the people gathered around the hat shouting, “What is it? What is it?” The gift table was long, and Blop was at one end along the edge, rolling around as Leo picked up different boxes and shook them.
    “It’s a letter,” Leo heard Pilar say, which got his attention. Merganzer’s letters always led to something interesting. Looking up at Clarence, Pilar held out the black envelope. Merganzer D. Whippet had wild handwriting that could be difficult to read, but ClarenceFillmore knew it well. He’d been reading Merganzer’s maintenance notes for years.
    While Clarence opened the letter and everyone waited breathlessly for what was inside, Blop discovered something unexpected on the gift table.
    “This one isn’t for the bride and groom,” he said. The robot had come across a brown, leathery-looking envelope with a red wax seal. “It has your name on it,” Blop told Leo, but Leo wasn’t listening. “And Remi’s, too.”
    Blop talked so much that most people chose to tune him out. He was like background noise in a coffee shop. Which was why Leo hadn’t heard about the brown leathery envelope with the red wax seal. He was, instead, listening to his dad as he read the letter from Merganzer D. Whippet.
    “‘Go to the south side of the roof and look down. Your carriage awaits.’”
    Every single wedding guest ran to the south side of the building and leaned out, searching the grounds for whatever the letter might be referring to. Leo couldn’t be sure, but it almost felt like the top of the hotel bent down toward the ground as everyone crushed to one side. Was that even possible? He was reminded once more of the many ways the Whippet Hotel could surprise him.

    “Sir, did you hear what I said?” Blop had rolled back down the long gift table and was now staring up at Leo, trying to get his attention, but Clarence had arrived at the side of the building with everyone else as they caught their breath and pleaded with him to keep reading. Below, at the entrance to the Whippet Hotel, were two large horses and a carriage sparkling with thousands of white lights.
    “Um . . . okay . . .” Clarence said, looking again at the letter. He’d already read it to himself and, taking Pilar’s hand, he read it out loud so everyone could hear.
    “‘It’s time Pilar showed you her part of the world in style. A seven-day cruise through the Mexican Riviera should do it. All the plans are in order, everything is paid for. Leave the kids behind, as they’ll be busy running the hotel in your absence. Your flight leaves tonight! Away to your packing!’”
    Remi had arrived alongside Leo, and the two of them glanced at each other with a mischievous grin. No parents for a whole week and the entire hotel to explore? It was exactly what they both wanted to hear.
    “No one’s staying in the Flying Farm Room,” Remi whispered.
    “And Captain Rickenbacker will totally let us play pinball,” Leo whispered back.

    Blop kept on talking about the envelope, but there was a lot of commotion drowning him out. Besides, Leo and Remi were too busy thinking about all the fun they were going to have as soon as their parents left the country.
    It took some convincing to get Pilar on board. She desperately wanted to go, but it was so extravagant, and she’d never left Remi alone for an entire week. But Remi insisted it was no big deal, he’d be fine, and the bridesmaids were practically bursting with excitement. Soon they were all hurrying down to the carriage for a closer look, leaving Remi and Leo to plot