Lola Zola and the Lemonade Crush by Jackie Hirtz Page B

carried the bowl over to the television cabinet, reached up carefully so as not to spill any of the liquid, and set the bowl down in front of the tuxedo taste tester. Sniffing cautiously, Bowzer first bumped his nose against the lemonade, then slowly stuck out his tongue and finally took a teeny taste. He opened and closed his eyes slowly three times, sending cat-kisses to Lola.
    â€œHooray!” said Lola to Melanie. “He approves of our peppery concoction.”
    â€œMaybe I should serve it to the hamsters. Heracles and the other Greeks might like it too,” said Melanie.
    â€œThe whole world might like it,” said Lola, calculating the millions she would make selling chili pepper-spiked lemonade. Not only would she support the family, but she would also take the entire class to Laser Lizards, purchase round-trip plane tickets for the Zola family (Melanie included) to visit every nature preserve on earth, and donate the rest to the Mirage Homeless Cat and Dog Sanctuary on Whiskers Way.
    â€œThis is our ticket to the big time,” said Lola gleefully.
    â€œ Our ticket?” asked Melanie, not sure she was still employed.
    â€œYes, our ticket,” confirmed Lola, “if we can raise enough money to launch this new pucker potion properly.”
    â€œHow do we do that?”
    â€œWe can’t just throw a few peppers into the mix and expect fireworks. We’ve got to create a buzz.”
    â€œA what?”
    â€œA feeling of excitement about our product.”
    Melanie wanted to understand. “How do we do that?”
    â€œThrough advertising, promotion, and word of mouth,” said Lola, “and that takes a lot of money.”
    â€œYou can’t have it, Lola Zola.”
    â€œI don’t want it.” Lola knew that Melanie was protecting her freckle-removal stash. Lola thought Melanie’s freckles added to her character, but Melanie thought they detracted from her potential beauty and dreamed of life without spots. “If only I knew someone with a lot of money,” said Lola, pondering.
    Lola picked up Bowzer and scratched him under his fake ruby-studded collar, which Dad had discovered at a garage sale. The red gems popped out at Lola.
    â€œI’ve got it!” shouted Lola.
    â€œGot what?” asked a forever-bewildered Melanie.
    â€œThe answer to our money problems,” explained Lola. “Ruby.”
    â€œRuby who?”
    â€œRuby Rhubarb, the smartest businesswoman in the West.”
    Lola and Melanie had only met Ruby Rhubarb a few times while soliciting door-to-door for charitable donations to save homeless animals from death row at the local pound. Mrs. Rhubarb had told them repeatedly she put people ahead of dogs and if she was going to donate money, it would be to needy humans, not “foul-smelling beasts.”
    â€œShe never gave us money before,” said Melanie.
    â€œThis is different,” said Lola, searching for the right words. She remembered Hot Dog’s disappearing lemon trick. “This is mmm…”
    â€œMagic?” said Melanie.
    *** *** ***

Chapter 7
    â€œNobody’s home,” said Mrs. Rhubarb, when Lola and Melanie knocked gently on the door of her Spanish-style mansion.
    â€œMrs. Rhubarb,” said Lola, “we know you’re in there.”
    â€œNo, I’m not here,” she insisted.
    The girls could hear breathing on the other side of the door. Ever since she won a stash of cash, Ruby Rhubarb believed the world was after her money.
    â€œPlease, Mrs. Rhubarb,” said Lola, trying to look through the one-way peephole, searching for signs of life. Lola couldn’t see a thing, though she suspected Mrs. Rhubarb was staring back at her. “We need to talk to you.”
    â€œIf you’re here about those pound pups,” said a nasal Mrs. Rhubarb, “I’m not interested in saving slobberin’ canines. My allergies are acting up, so run on home,