Taking Terri Mueller by Norma Fox Mazer Page A

you, but—”
    â€œHey, Terri? Guess what? I got chosen captain of the traffic patrol.”
    â€œYou did! Who chose you?”
    â€œAll the other traffic patrol kids.”
    â€œThat’s really good, Barry. Do I have to call you Captain Barry from now on? Captain Barry, can I talk to your sister?”
    â€œWhat do you want to talk to her for?”
    â€œCaptain Barry! This is General Mueller. Please get Private Shaundra at once!”
    â€œYes, sir, General. Bye, Terri.”
    â€œBye, Barry.”
    â€œHello?”
    â€œShaundra, it’s me. Are you awake?”
    â€œNo, I’m sleeping, bozo. What time is it?”
    â€œSix-thirty.”
    â€œSix-thirty! What are you doing up so early? I thought you didn’t have to go to the airport until nine o’clock.”
    â€œI woke up and I couldn’t go back to sleep. Thinking about Aunt Vivian coming—well, I just wanted to say hello to you, Shaundra, because I probably won’t get to see you until Monday.”
    â€œI hope you have a wonderful time,” Shaundra said. “I hope your Aunt Vivian has a wonderful time.”
    â€œWe will. She will. We always do.”
    â€œHow come she’s only staying for the weekend, though?”
    â€œI told you, airhead, she has a job and she can’t get time off.”
    They talked for a few more minutes, then Terri hung up. Her father was still asleep, so she got dressed and took Barkley out for a walk. It was a still, moist autumn morning. She cut down a side street and up the hill behind the old church to the field. The sun came out and a few little clouds passed overhead. There were birds in the thorn apple trees. While Barkley ran around, very excited about being outside so early, Terri picked an armful of asters and goldenrod.
    At home she put the flowers in a glass jar and set it on the bureau. They glowed and made the room look special and welcoming.
    As soon as they finished breakfast she and her fatherput Barkley out on the enclosed back porch and drove to the airport. In the airport, Terri looked around, but didn’t see her aunt. She tensed: that old unreasonable fear. Then she heard her aunt’s voice, full and carrying. “Terri! Philly!” But she still didn’t see her.
    â€œWhere is she?”
    Talking Terri by the shoulders, her father turned her. There, coming through the security gate, was her aunt, completely dressed in purple and almost dwarfed by her suitcase, umbrella, and several shopping bags.
    Terri ran to her, her aunt dropped everything, and they hugged hard. “Darling! Terri!” Her aunt’s eyes were wet.
    â€œNow your turn, Philly,” she said to her brother.
    â€œViv—” He bent down and kissed her. “So good to see you.
    â€œAnd you, honey!” She took him by the shoulders and looked into his face for a long time, then, apparently satisfied, kissed him soundly on each cheek.
    That done, Vivian distributed her packages—suitcase to Phil, shopping bags to Terri—and marched ahead of them out of the building toward the parking lot. Terri’s father shared an amused look with her. “Vivian,” he called. “You don’t know where the truck is parked. Better wait for us.”
    â€œHurry up, Philly! I don’t want to waste a moment of this visit.”
    Her aunt was under five feet, but Terri had long ago noticed that she never acted short or small. She had a big voice and lots of strong opinions which she didn’t hesitate to air. And besides this, she never let Terri’s father forgetthat he was her younger brother. She insisted on calling him Philly.
    â€œViv,” Phil Mueller said as they drove home, “you make me feel like a baseball team. How about doing me tbe favor of calling me Phil or Philip.”
    â€œYou know how many years you’ve been saying that same thing?” She squeezed Terri’s arm to her side. “I don’t