“Get out of here, Linds,” said Rich, “before they try to get you to sell them the whole case at half price.”

Dad was waiting for me off to the side of the counter. “Okay, Pops,” he said to Grandpa. “We’re off. I’ll see you later tonight!”

Grandpa gave me a quick hug. “Are you sure your grandma Mimi’s plane is on time?” he asked, looking at his phone.

I looked at Dad. “Mimi’s plane?”

“Pops!” Dad yelled.

I giggled. I guess Grandpa had just ruined some sort of surprise!

Chapter Five Grandma Mimi

“What?” said Grandpa. “She already knows her grandma Mimi is coming!”

I laughed. “Well, I didn’t know she was coming today!” I said.

“For goodness’ sake,” said Dad, throwing up his hands. “No one in this family can keep a secret!”

Grandpa looked around. “Well, no one told me this was still a secret. They just told me her whole trip was a secret but Melissa spilled!”

Dad shook his head. “Okay, Lindsay,” he said. “I thought it would be nice to pick up Grandma Mimi from the airport, so we have a ways to go. Let’s get out of here before Grandpa and the family also tell you what I’m getting you for your birthday and every other secret we still have.” Then he laughed. It was hard to stay mad at Grandpa for long.

The airport is about two and a half hours away, in St. Louis. Sometimes Dad takes us to St. Louis for a weekend, which is a lot of fun. It’s so crazy different there, with so much more to do. It’s weird that you can get in a car, drive, and end up someplace that’s so different from where you started.

“I figure we’ll get there in time to pick up Grandma Mimi,” Dad said, heading out to the highway. “Then we’ll have an early dinner and head back.”

“We’re having dinner in the city?” I said, realizing I still had my Donut Dreams T-shirt on with a pair of shorts.

Dad usually wore a nice button-down shirt to work with pants and nice shoes, so he always looked a little dressed up to me. And Mimi was always, always dressed up. No matter where she was, she always had lipstick on and some kind of jewelry. I tried to picture Mimi on the plane like a lot of other grandmas, wearing sweatpants and a sweatshirt, but I just couldn’t do it.

“Mimi wants to take you on a little surprise excursion in St. Louis,” said Dad. “And Uncle Charlie wants me to meet with one of our vendors for the restaurant, so I’ll leave you guys to it. Then I’ll pick you both up for dinner. Okay?”

“Sounds great!” I said.