Spirits of Ash and Foam Read Free Page A

for kissing her mom on the cheek and then setting up plates and spooning berries into a bowl, as Iris Cacique finished preparing Mrs. Sawyer’s order.
    â€œAnyone else out there?” Iris asked.
    â€œJust Rebecca.”
    â€œThat’s a relief. I thought the Chungs or the DeLancys might want something before hitting the road.”
    â€œThey might’ve. But Timo rushed ’em out the door before they could think. Oh, but the Kims checked in early.”
    Iris growled under her breath. Rain smiled. That growl was very normal.
    Two pieces of whole-wheat toast popped into view. A well-oiled machine, the Cacique women were on the job. Rain used two fingers to pluck the hot toast from the Inn’s industrial toaster, dropping both pieces on the breadboard. She sliced them in half diagonally and arranged the two sets of triangles on a plate. Iris wheeled about with her saucepans, and soon the toast was joined by an onion-mushroom-tomato-and-jack omelet and sausage links. Rain was quickly through the swinging doors with the meal, serving Rebecca Sawyer with a smile. Seconds later, back in the kitchen, Rain was being asked what she wanted for breakfast.
    â€œActually, that looked really good.”
    Her mother’s eyebrows raised a good half inch in surprise. Iris Cacique’s only child wasn’t generally one for a big breakfast. But Rain was still flush with all the changes in her life. A new day. A new way. Besides, she had burned a lot of calories the night before, you know, fighting for her life and everything.
    Iris started cooking again, and Rain poured herself half a glass of orange juice, topping it off with the same amount of pineapple. Iris asked, “You looking forward to eighth grade?”
    Rain groaned, not so much because she dreaded school but mostly because it seemed expected. Not that she was looking forward to it. Eighth grade would just get in the way of her new quest. After all, she was the Searcher and the Healer. I should totally be exempt! Suddenly, she remembered the form. She hopped up from the table and removed it from under the magnet on the fridge. “Mom, you still have to sign this.”
    Iris glanced back over her shoulder at Rain’s Eighth Period Exemption Form. “I’ll sign it if you want. But wouldn’t you like to take an elective this semester? Photography, maybe?”
    â€œNoooo. We talked about this. Work. Homework. It’s enough. I need some free time—at least until volleyball starts.”
    â€œRight, because we wouldn’t want you all stressed out from taking pictures of seashells and breakers, now, would we?”
    â€œMommmm.”
    â€œI said I’ll sign it.” She did too, after serving Rain’s breakfast. Rain ate quickly, despite multiple pleas to slow down.
    Iris cleared Rain’s dishes while Rain cleared Rebecca’s—just as Alonso escorted the five Kims into the dining room. “Why don’t you sit here, relax, have some breakfast—on the house—and we’ll have your rooms ready by the time you’re done eating.”
    Fred Kim grunted his acquiescence as Esther Kim attempted to pour her seemingly liquid children into three chairs at one of the larger tables.
    â€œI’m not even hungry.”
    â€œI want cereal.”
    â€œMommy. Mommy. Mommy. Mommy. Mommy.”
    With a sigh of relief, Alonso followed Rain into the kitchen, only to be greeted by his wife’s glare. “Tell me I did not hear the words ‘on the house.’”
    Rain watched her father stick his tongue into his cheek and take a deep breath to maintain his cool. “I’ve just spent twenty-plus minutes arguing with Mr. Kim about his rooms not being ready. Hell, I could’ve gotten ’em ready in that time. I had to do something.”
    â€œOffering them breakfast, I understand. But they weren’t supposed to check in until this afternoon. Breakfast is only served until