The next day was Saturday. Right after lunch Jake, Chrissa and Scott rode their bikes to Emma's house. Emma waved to them as they rode into her driveway. She already had a bucket of soapy water, rags and the hose ready for their bike wash. Emma also had her coin purse with her, full of change she had been saving for the ice cream truck.
"Hi!" She called to them, "bring your bikes up here and we can wash them."
"Ok!" Jake replied enthusiastically.
"I'm glad you could all come!" Emma said. "I heard that noise again this morning from up in my room."
Jake, Chrissa and Scott exchanged a glance.
"Emma," Scott said, "you didn't really hear an animal in that drain pipe, did you? We know it was all a big joke."
"No it wasn't. I really heard it." Emma said, surprised that her friends would doubt her.
"Come on. We know you are just playing with us," Jake said.
"No, I'm not," Emma said. "Honest."
"'Come on, Emma, "Scott coaxed, "give up the big joke."
"But it's not a joke," Emma replied. "I really truly heard something in that pipe. Why don't you believe me?"
Just then everyone heard the happy music of the ice cream truck. Jake and Scott ran to catch it. Emma grabbed her lady bug coin purse and ran with her to catch the others at the truck.
"What kind would you like?" Emma asked her friends.
Jake and Scott both wanted orange cream pops, Chrissa got an ice cream sandwich, and Emma got an ice cream cookie sandwich.
"That will be three dollars and fifty cents," said the ice cream lady. Emma counted out the money and paid her for everyone's treats.
"Thank you!" The children said to the driver as the truck pulled away.
"I know!" Emma said, "Let's sit on the front porch so we can hear the noise in the pipe."
"Em!" Scott wailed. "We know you didn't hear anything." With that he took his ice cream pop, marched to his bike, and headed for home.
"We have to go, too." Jake said after a long silence. "Come on Chrissa."
"But..," Chrissa started to object, but she didn't say anything more.
"Goodbye Emma." Jake called over his shoulder as they walked toward their bikes.
Emma sighed sadly and ate her ice cream alone on the porch before going inside. She was confused and disappointed by her friends strange response.
When Chrissa and Jake caught up with Scott, Chrissa asked, "Why did you do that? You know Emma wouldn't lie. I think you just hurt her feelings."
"Well, you can't be too careful," Jake said.
"I still think she's making it up." Scott added.
"Maybe you're right," Chrissa said thoughtfully.
Scott stopped at his house, and the Bradley kids rode the rest of the way home in silence.
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Hannah says-- I love it! Sounds like a professional book.
ReplyDeleteGrace says--This is really good. I can't wait to hear the rest of it.
Hi Tally--your book is really good. We'll be reading a chapter or two every morning before school. Everybody really likes it. You are a very good writer. You've described things very well, great details!