we’d have a house meeting before dinner. As she talked, Eustace raised his eyebrows at us. He stood behind her, so she couldn’t see. I don’t know what he meant, but it made me feel like he was on our side and also on Prudence’s. If my dad had ever raised his eyebrows like that when my mom said something he didn’t agree with instead of yelling and sometimes throwing plates of food, I bet they’d still be married.
Prudence said she was freezing and asked why there was no heat on, and Seth said it was because there was never any heat on because we couldn’t afford heat and that’s why he had on his thickest Sabbath sweatshirt and his jean jacket and his fingerless gloves. Then Prudence asked me if I did my homework, even though she already asked me that as soon as she came in the door a few minutes before, and I told her I was doing it. My books were open in front of me and everything.
When Eustace and Prudence went up to Prudence’s room, Seth didn’t even make a remark. Normally, he makes jokes when they have private time. He says it’s because he feels like an alien in the face of so much attractiveness. It was good that he didn’t start making jokes, because Eustace would have overheard him. He came right back downstairs to get Prudence a cup of tea and to ask if we had any extra blankets.
He made a cup of Sleepytime tea and I got him the orange, yellow and green afghan off the couch. It feels like hay and I’ve caught my fingers in the holes a few times, but Seth’s mom made it and I knew Seth would want Prudence to use it even though normally he stays wrapped in it whenever he’s in the house.
“If she has a thyroid problem she should recover quickly,” saidEustace. “One little pill a day and she’ll be back to herself in a few days. It’s an easy condition to treat in most cases.”
Seth said maybe they should give her a lower dose because her speed was often excessive.
Eustace laughed. “But if it’s mono, then we all might get it,” he said.
Seth held up his hands like he was getting arrested. “Hey man, I haven’t touched her.”
“No doubt,” said Eustace. He’s very confident because of being tall and handsome. “Mono can be spread via food and dishes. And it can take quite a while to clear up. If you get it, you’ll just have to rest up until you feel better. Good thing it’s fall and things are starting to slow down around here.”
“Except for the new barn and the out-of-control mule and that six hundred–item to-do list she’s asked us to complete in the next day and a half,” said Seth. He sounded like he was hoping we all had mono.
“Barn?” said Eustace. “What’s going on with the barn?”
Seth looked down at his plate.
I don’t think Prudence wanted us to say anything to anyone, especially Eustace. She wanted the barn to be a surprise.
“I think she hired someone,” said Seth in a quiet voice, like he was hoping Prudence wouldn’t hear him from her bedroom.
“Who?” asked Eustace. He looked sort of upset. Like he had hurt feelings. He must have wanted to build the barn for Prudence. He loves to do things for her.
“Some young dude. Looks like he might belong to one of those churches where they don’t let anyone go through puberty until they’re thirty.”
“I never heard of a church like that,” I said. Of all of us, I’m theonly one who has attended church regularly. My friend Bethany’s parents used to take me to their church. The people there were very nice.
“There is no church like that. At least not around here,” said Eustace. I could tell that he wanted to ask more questions about the barn and the guy Prudence hired to build it, but he didn’t. He has a lot of self-control.
“While she’s sick, can you check on her every so often? She’s going to be sleeping a lot. Just make sure she’s still eating and don’t give her a hard time about her memory or anything else. Don’t let her take on more than she can handle.
Prudence said she was freezing and asked why there was no heat on, and Seth said it was because there was never any heat on because we couldn’t afford heat and that’s why he had on his thickest Sabbath sweatshirt and his jean jacket and his fingerless gloves. Then Prudence asked me if I did my homework, even though she already asked me that as soon as she came in the door a few minutes before, and I told her I was doing it. My books were open in front of me and everything.
When Eustace and Prudence went up to Prudence’s room, Seth didn’t even make a remark. Normally, he makes jokes when they have private time. He says it’s because he feels like an alien in the face of so much attractiveness. It was good that he didn’t start making jokes, because Eustace would have overheard him. He came right back downstairs to get Prudence a cup of tea and to ask if we had any extra blankets.
He made a cup of Sleepytime tea and I got him the orange, yellow and green afghan off the couch. It feels like hay and I’ve caught my fingers in the holes a few times, but Seth’s mom made it and I knew Seth would want Prudence to use it even though normally he stays wrapped in it whenever he’s in the house.
“If she has a thyroid problem she should recover quickly,” saidEustace. “One little pill a day and she’ll be back to herself in a few days. It’s an easy condition to treat in most cases.”
Seth said maybe they should give her a lower dose because her speed was often excessive.
Eustace laughed. “But if it’s mono, then we all might get it,” he said.
Seth held up his hands like he was getting arrested. “Hey man, I haven’t touched her.”
“No doubt,” said Eustace. He’s very confident because of being tall and handsome. “Mono can be spread via food and dishes. And it can take quite a while to clear up. If you get it, you’ll just have to rest up until you feel better. Good thing it’s fall and things are starting to slow down around here.”
“Except for the new barn and the out-of-control mule and that six hundred–item to-do list she’s asked us to complete in the next day and a half,” said Seth. He sounded like he was hoping we all had mono.
“Barn?” said Eustace. “What’s going on with the barn?”
Seth looked down at his plate.
I don’t think Prudence wanted us to say anything to anyone, especially Eustace. She wanted the barn to be a surprise.
“I think she hired someone,” said Seth in a quiet voice, like he was hoping Prudence wouldn’t hear him from her bedroom.
“Who?” asked Eustace. He looked sort of upset. Like he had hurt feelings. He must have wanted to build the barn for Prudence. He loves to do things for her.
“Some young dude. Looks like he might belong to one of those churches where they don’t let anyone go through puberty until they’re thirty.”
“I never heard of a church like that,” I said. Of all of us, I’m theonly one who has attended church regularly. My friend Bethany’s parents used to take me to their church. The people there were very nice.
“There is no church like that. At least not around here,” said Eustace. I could tell that he wanted to ask more questions about the barn and the guy Prudence hired to build it, but he didn’t. He has a lot of self-control.
“While she’s sick, can you check on her every so often? She’s going to be sleeping a lot. Just make sure she’s still eating and don’t give her a hard time about her memory or anything else. Don’t let her take on more than she can handle.
Similar Books
