“How’d you sleep?” I asked.

“Pretty good. It warmed up a lot. The heating pad helped.”

Joel just stared at her. Grace put out her hand. “I’m Grace.”

“I’m Joel. Glad to meet you,” Joel said formally, which coming from a ten-year-old sounded pretty funny.

I handed her the bowl. “I brought you some breakfast. Scrambled eggs.”

“Thanks. I love eggs on toast.” Grace took the bowl and sat down. She folded the toast and scooped up a clump of the eggs.

Joel asked, “Where are you from?”

“I live by Granite Jr. High.”

“How long are you going to stay here?”

Even though I had wondered the same thing I still wanted to kick him.

“I don’t know. A few days…” She looked at me. “…if it’s okay with you guys.”

“Sure,” I said.

“Groovy. So what are you guys doing today?”

“We’re going to my uncle’s,” Joel said before I could answer. “How about you?”

“I don’t know. I’ll probably go to the library.”

Just then we heard the strained, quivering honk of the Bee. It sounded like a moose in mating season.

Grace jumped. “What was that?”

“That’s my mom,” Joel said.

I said to Joel, “Tell her I’ll be right there.”

Joel started to crawl out the door. He looked back at Grace. “Bye.”

“Goodbye.”

After he was gone Grace looked at me anxiously. “You sure he won’t tell?”

“He won’t tell a soul. Joel’s good at keeping secrets. Like one time a friend of mine stole a whole bag of Hershey candy bars. Joel found out and we didn’t even have to give him any to keep him from telling.”

She seemed relieved.

“You sure you’re okay alone?” I asked.

She nodded. “I’m used to being alone.”

“What will you eat?”

“I’ll figure something out.”

“I’ll bring you back some food tonight, just in case.” The horn honked again. “I gotta go.” I started for the door. “Wait, I need the bowl.”

Grace dumped the rest of the eggs on the toast. “There.”

“Groovy,” I said.

She smiled. “Is that the first time you’ve ever said that?”

I felt myself blush. “Yeah.”

“Groovy.” Grace smiled at me.

I crawled out. “Groovy,” I said to myself. It still didn’t sound natural coming from my mouth.

I set the bowl by the back door and ran around the side of the house to the driveway. When I got in the Bee, Joel didn’t say a word but I thought he looked at me with a new sort of respect.