lake or the water park today?”
“Movies!” cried Poppy.
Last night had been unbearable and, one by one, my sleepless sisters and I had dragged our blankets and pillows to camp out on Mom and Dad’s floor. When Momwoke up and saw us she had laughed. “I’m surrounded by Blooms!” she had said.
Today, Mom and I would be putting together the centerpieces for both parties. When Mom called Mrs. Edwards with my idea for the flowers to run by Ashley she had simply said, “Just go for it.” I guess she couldn’t stomach the thought of yet another centerpiece viewing. Neither could we. So we were going for it. I felt confident that even Ashley wouldn’t be able to have anything bad to say about these arrangements. Or at least I hoped so.
The store was nice and quiet after the craziness of the previous day. I was looking forward to spending some time cleaning and organizing. So I was more than a little disappointed when my whole family piled into the store shortly after we arrived.
“The movie doesn’t start till noon,” Dad explained. “And it’s just too hot in the house.”
So I put everyone to work. I handed Rose the broom, Poppy and Dad each got a feather duster, and I sent Aster into the cooler.
“Thanks, Del!” she said sincerely.
I headed over to the phone and started listening to the messages when Poppy’s voice broke the silence.
“Here, let me show you how to do that,” she said impatiently, dropping her feather duster and heading over to Rose. “Give it to me.” She grabbed the broom. It was way too big for her and she nearly fell over. “Really, Rosie. You don’t just move the dust around. You make piles!”
I realized everyone was staring at me.
“Why are you being so bossy, Poppy?” I asked. Then I took a closer look at my sister. She was wearing a green T-shirt and denim skirt. I was wearing a green T-shirt and denim skirt. And she had a pair of sunglasses on top of her head, holding back her hair. I raised my hand to my head. I had a pair of sunglasses on top of my head!
“Poppy, are you being … me?” I asked.
Poppy nodded.
“Well, I am not that bossy!” I spluttered.
Poppy nodded enthusiastically. “Oh yes, you are!” she said.
Rose snorted and Aster hid her smile behind her hand. I ignored them.
Finally, it was time for Dad and the girls to go to the movies. I went into the back of the store so I could work on Ashley’s centerpiece in private. I wanted to surprise Mom. I hadn’t been quite sure how to pull it off, so I’d had to consult the Internet. But I was pretty sure I had figured it all out.
When I was finished, I waited until Mom was busy in the cooler. Then I brought my arrangement to the worktable and turned out the lights.
Mom stepped out of the cooler, a bucket of roses in her hands. She gasped when she saw the arrangement. “It’s so … it’s so …”
“Amazing?” I offered.
“Amazing,” she agreed. “And innovative.” She looked at me again and a big smile spread scross her face. “And really cool!” She gave me a squeeze. “Del, I think you did it!”
The rest of the day was business as usual. Then later that afternoon, Dad came in, leading Poppy by the hand.
“The twins discovered that they outgrew their water shoes and need to go shopping before we go to Maine,” hesaid. “But Poppy refuses to go to the mall. She keeps insisting on going to the pool.”
I looked at Mom. She shrugged. “It’s pretty dead in here,” she said, and it was true — we hadn’t had a single customer drop in while I worked on Ashley’s centerpiece. “Tomorrow’s going to be a late night,” Mom added. “Del, why don’t you leave early and take her?”
I shrugged. “All right,” I said. Actually, a dip in the town pool would be pretty nice.
Dad took us home and waited while we got our swim-suits, some towels, and our family card that let us in. Then he dropped us off at the pool.
“See you later!” he called as he drove off.
“This
“Movies!” cried Poppy.
Last night had been unbearable and, one by one, my sleepless sisters and I had dragged our blankets and pillows to camp out on Mom and Dad’s floor. When Momwoke up and saw us she had laughed. “I’m surrounded by Blooms!” she had said.
Today, Mom and I would be putting together the centerpieces for both parties. When Mom called Mrs. Edwards with my idea for the flowers to run by Ashley she had simply said, “Just go for it.” I guess she couldn’t stomach the thought of yet another centerpiece viewing. Neither could we. So we were going for it. I felt confident that even Ashley wouldn’t be able to have anything bad to say about these arrangements. Or at least I hoped so.
The store was nice and quiet after the craziness of the previous day. I was looking forward to spending some time cleaning and organizing. So I was more than a little disappointed when my whole family piled into the store shortly after we arrived.
“The movie doesn’t start till noon,” Dad explained. “And it’s just too hot in the house.”
So I put everyone to work. I handed Rose the broom, Poppy and Dad each got a feather duster, and I sent Aster into the cooler.
“Thanks, Del!” she said sincerely.
I headed over to the phone and started listening to the messages when Poppy’s voice broke the silence.
“Here, let me show you how to do that,” she said impatiently, dropping her feather duster and heading over to Rose. “Give it to me.” She grabbed the broom. It was way too big for her and she nearly fell over. “Really, Rosie. You don’t just move the dust around. You make piles!”
I realized everyone was staring at me.
“Why are you being so bossy, Poppy?” I asked. Then I took a closer look at my sister. She was wearing a green T-shirt and denim skirt. I was wearing a green T-shirt and denim skirt. And she had a pair of sunglasses on top of her head, holding back her hair. I raised my hand to my head. I had a pair of sunglasses on top of my head!
“Poppy, are you being … me?” I asked.
Poppy nodded.
“Well, I am not that bossy!” I spluttered.
Poppy nodded enthusiastically. “Oh yes, you are!” she said.
Rose snorted and Aster hid her smile behind her hand. I ignored them.
Finally, it was time for Dad and the girls to go to the movies. I went into the back of the store so I could work on Ashley’s centerpiece in private. I wanted to surprise Mom. I hadn’t been quite sure how to pull it off, so I’d had to consult the Internet. But I was pretty sure I had figured it all out.
When I was finished, I waited until Mom was busy in the cooler. Then I brought my arrangement to the worktable and turned out the lights.
Mom stepped out of the cooler, a bucket of roses in her hands. She gasped when she saw the arrangement. “It’s so … it’s so …”
“Amazing?” I offered.
“Amazing,” she agreed. “And innovative.” She looked at me again and a big smile spread scross her face. “And really cool!” She gave me a squeeze. “Del, I think you did it!”
The rest of the day was business as usual. Then later that afternoon, Dad came in, leading Poppy by the hand.
“The twins discovered that they outgrew their water shoes and need to go shopping before we go to Maine,” hesaid. “But Poppy refuses to go to the mall. She keeps insisting on going to the pool.”
I looked at Mom. She shrugged. “It’s pretty dead in here,” she said, and it was true — we hadn’t had a single customer drop in while I worked on Ashley’s centerpiece. “Tomorrow’s going to be a late night,” Mom added. “Del, why don’t you leave early and take her?”
I shrugged. “All right,” I said. Actually, a dip in the town pool would be pretty nice.
Dad took us home and waited while we got our swim-suits, some towels, and our family card that let us in. Then he dropped us off at the pool.
“See you later!” he called as he drove off.
“This
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