Sun & Spoon Read Free

intended, but he was finally on his way. Or, to be more precise, they were on their way.
    â€œThis could be the best day of our lives,” Joanie said brightly, skipping to keep up with her brother.
    Spoon had his doubts.

3
    P A ’ S HOUSE WAS ONLY FIVE BLOCKS AWAY, but Spoon decided to walk the long way, meandering through Hillington Green and lagging along the railroad tracks before winding back on course. He needed time to think. When Joanie asked why they weren’t going straight to Pa’s, Spoon simply said it was part of the project. The explanation was good enough for Joanie. She seized the opportunity to collect more sticks and put them in her suitcase.
    The light seemed odd to Spoon; everything was blanched by the sun. The leaves on the trees looked dull and tinged with gray like old coins. Even Joanie’s features seemed bleached out. My sister’s an alien, Spoon thought.
    After turning the corner onto Willow Street, Joanie held the bag of vegetables and watched Spoon jump over a fire hydrant straddle-legged. Then they walked slowly past the Frosts’ house. The house was painted a rich, glossy yellow color, but in this particular light it looked dingy. Don and Douglas Frost were Spoon’s best friends. They were identical twins, although it wasn’t difficult to tell them apart, even if you didn’t know them well. Douglas was thinner and shorter than Don, and shy. Don had a penchant for terrible puns, was forever doing armpit farts, and never wore short pants, even in sweltering heat, unless he was playing basketball or swimming.
    â€œBet you miss your friends,” Joanie said.
    Spoon glanced at the house and nodded. The Frosts’ house was quiet; the lawn was shaggy. Don and Douglas had been away at a week-long basketball camp, and now they were up north at their family’s cabin for two weeks. Another two of Spoon’s classmates—Alex Norman and Nate Dempster—had gone to the basketball camp as well. When they all had signed up for camp the previous winter, Spoon had wanted to go badly, but because of the planned cross-country trip to Evie’s he had had to decline. By the time Gram died and the trip to Evie’s was canceled, the basketball camp was filled. With prompting from Don and Douglas, Spoon reluctantly agreed to having his name put on the waiting list, but he only made it to number four. He wondered if it had all worked out for the best. What if he had gotten to attend camp and then missed Gram so much, suddenly found himself so sad because of her, that he needed to go home? The thought embarrassed him.
    Don and Douglas had asked if Spoon could join them at the cabin following camp, but Spoon had gone last year and Mrs. Frost said that she couldn’t handle more than one guest at a time and it was Angela’s turn to pick a friend to vacation with them. Angela was Don and Douglas’s eight-year-old sister. Don, Douglas, and Spoon called her Devila. Spoon was relieved that he hadn’t had to decline an official invitation from Mr. and Mrs. Frost—relieved, for once, that Devila was treated fairly.
    â€œGood-bye, Frosts’ house,” Joanie said, waving. She blew a kiss.
    As much as he wanted to lose Joanie, Spoon knew that he couldn’t. Not out here anyway. He’d try to ditch her at Pa’s. At least then she’d be safe. His parents and teachers were forever sounding warnings about strangers. “You can’t be too careful.” “Don’t think it can’t happen to you.” “Trust your instincts.” A few times, he ran ahead and hid behind a tree or a garage, then suddenly sprang out at her, growling, just to give her a little scare.
    It worked. Joanie screamed and dropped her suitcase every time. But then she was right at his heels again like his shadow, no grudges held.
    As they crossed Commonwealth Avenue, the busiest street in the neighborhood, Spoon took Joanie’s hand in