BooksBarbecue
Back The Newcomer Save as PDF
Chapters (71)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Notice
  3. Dedication
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. 51
  55. 52
  56. 53
  57. 54
  58. 55
  59. 56
  60. 57
  61. 58
  62. 59
  63. 60
  64. 61
  65. 62
  66. 63
  67. Epilogue
  68. Acknowledgments
  69. Also by Mary Kay Andrews
  70. About the Author
  71. Newsletter Sign-up

“I met Mr. and Mrs. Maples,” Letty said. “They came in to tell you they want first dibs on the Sheehans’ unit.”

“Here we go,” Joe said. “Musical motel units.”

“I also met Arlene, the lady in the mint-green unit? Her tub was stopped up, but I took care of it.”

Joe looked skeptical. “What’d you do?”

“I got a plunger and the plumber’s snake and I extracted a huge hairball from the drain,” Letty said.

“Good work,” Ava said, beaming at her new employee.

“Speaking of work, I gotta get back to mine,” Joe said. “I hooked up your new printer.”

“Did you show Letty that new software, so she can teach me how to use it?” Ava asked.

“No time today,” Joe said.

11

“HI MOM!” ISABELLE DECURTIS DROPPED her backpack on the reception desk. She pretended to be surprised when she spotted the small person busily coloring at the miniature red table.

“Who’s this?”

Maya looked up, giving a shy smile. “I’m Maya. I’m four.”

“Hey!” the teenager said, kneeling down beside her. “I’m Isabelle and I’m almost eighteen.” She pointed to the “cover” of the booklet Maya had stapled together.

The picture showed a small stick figure with a headful of vivid yellow circles, holding hands with a taller figure with flowing golden tresses, spiky black eyelashes, and cartoonish high heels.

“Did you draw this?” Isabelle asked, her eyes widening in admiration.

Maya nodded.

“No way!” Isabelle exclaimed. She tapped the smaller figure. “Is this you?”

“Me and Mommy,” Maya said. “We’re going to a birthday party.”

Isabelle looked up at Letty, and then at her own mother.

“Will they have cake at the birthday party?” Isabelle asked.

“Uh-huh. Pink cake. And pink candles. And pink balloons,” Maya said.

“Whose birthday is it?”

Maya pointed at Letty with her purple crayon. “It’s Letty Spaghetti’s birthday!”

“Is it really?” Isabelle asked, looking at Letty.

“Not until November,” Letty said, blinking back tears. “She, uh, really loves birthday parties.”

“Okay,” Isabelle said. She stuck out her hand. “So Maya. Would you like to hang out and have some fun with me today?”

Maya smiled, showing her dimples. “Yes.”

Isabelle wore ripped and faded jeans and a navy T-shirt with EMORY in block letters across the front. She was slender with her dark hair worn in a single braid.

Now she swept Maya off the chair and propped her on her hip. “Do you know how to swim, Maya?”

“I’m a big girl,” Maya declared. “I put my face in the water and kick my feet.”

“Me too!” Isabelle said. She consulted Letty. “Okay if I take her to the beach for a while?”

Letty hesitated.

“Isabelle worked as a lifeguard at the Treasure Island pool for the past two summers,” Ava said.

“We’ll be super careful,” Isabelle said. She tickled Maya’s belly. “Won’t we, Maya Papaya?”