I put Jenny the Head by the toaster and took Chicken out to the front porch so I could watch for Telly. I combed out Chicken’s knots. He always had tons of them. The sun was shining and birds were singing. All the long grass outside was still wet. It was hanging over but soon it’d be dry and it’d stand up again. I looked everywhere, but no Rowan. He wasn’t lying down with his mouth and eyes full of rain.

“Maisy-Bids? You listening with both ears?”

Gloria had sneaked up behind me and my heart popped right up in my neck. I dropped Chicken’s brush.

“We got to go over things. Talk about last night. You know, before Telly rolls in here and things get all turned around.”

Air couldn’t get up my nose. But I smiled.

“What show were you and Rowan watching before he ran off?”

“Show?”

She stuck her fingernails in Chicken’s fur. “On the television.”

“No show, Gloria. I promise. I didn’t let him inside.”

“It’s okay, darling.” A real darling this time. “Let him inside? What are you on about?”

“But I didn’t.”

“I don’t know what’s got into you. Rowan was never outside, Bids. Not in a storm like that. What a thought to have in your head!”

My mouth went open. I scritched my head. Was I remembering wrong?

“No mother would ever allow a child out when there’s lightning, Bids. You got a dreadful habit of lying.”

“I don’t tell lies, Gloria. I don’t.”

She touched my hair. “Well, not on purpose, sweetheart. But you do dream up crazy ideas. Get all confused.”

Gloria was right. Sometimes things got mixed around in my head. And I was always forgetting. Losing my stuff. “Sorry, Gloria. I don’t—”

“Good girl. And you don’t have to make things up for me. I’m not upset that you and Rowan had a show.”

Little lights were zooming around inside my eyes.

“Can you breathe, Bids?”

I tried to breathe. Chicken stood up and shook himself.

“Did Rowan even finish the root beer I gave him?”

I loved root beer. We only had it twice, when Telly took us for burgers.

A girl on roller skates clipped a tray onto the window. She gave us root beer in frozen mugs with huge handles. Last night Telly said he’d take me and Rowan out to eat. When Rowan got home, maybe we could have root beer again.

“Are you listening to me? This is important. Real important.”

Gloria put her hands on my shoulders. They were warm and heavy.

“Before I went to take my bath. Think hard, Bids. I split the last bottle between you and Rowan. You know I’m generous like that, right?”

I nodded. A lot of times.