“Oh me? I wasn’t. I was just throwing this for the dog. He’s as good as King. Check it out.” She flings her last meatball hard, past Morgan’s ear, and once again Diesel makes an astonishing leap for it.

Her mother folds her arms across her chest and shakes her head. My mom would have yelled about wasting food or maybe about throwing it around and making a mess. Some sauce has splashed on the wall behind Diesel. Instead, Morgan’s mom smiles. “He really is amazing. Rachael, would you put these groceries away, please? I want to take a shower.”

Morgan leaps up. “I’ll do it!” She heads to the counter as her mother leaves the room.

“When I tell her you stole my stuff again, you’ll be grounded for a month,” Rachael grumbles.

“You threw meatballs at me. You’ll be grounded, too.” Morgan smiles as she loads some ice cream into the freezer. “Cookie dough, my favourite. That’s because Mom likes me best.”

Rachael zings one of Kieran’s meatballs at Morgan. This one hits, then drops into Morgan’s hand.

Give it to me! Diesel leaps up.

“Ow, ow, ow! I’m going to have a bruise. Naomi, check my face. Do you see a mark?”

I shrug my shoulders, not wanting to join this war.

“Fine. I won’t tell Mom about the nail decals.”

“Here, Diesel, catch!” Morgan pitches the last missile, and Diesel snaps it from the air just like before. Morgan continues to put the groceries away, finishing just as her mother walks in.

She rubs a towel over her hair. “You left your straightener in my bathroom, Rachael.”

“Maybe Morgan wants to borrow it,” Rachael says with an edge in her voice.

“Thanks anyway,” Morgan answers. “But we’re going swimming. My hair will only get all wet.”

“Where?” her mom asks.

“You know, the place Uncle Lurch looks after over on Castlefield? We’ll be there with a couple of other friends.”

“You watch out for each other. And be back by eleven.”

Morgan nods. “For sure.”

Her mother tastes a forkful of angel hair from the pot. “Mmm. Al dente, just the way I like it. You girls go on. Rachael and Kieran can clean up.”

We head out quickly before Rachael can complain. Diesel trots neatly at Morgan’s side.

“I’m surprised my sister didn’t kill me,” Morgan tells me as we head for the terrific pool on the other side of town. “Gonna be a great night.”

I nod. For once, though, I feel lucky not to have any brothers and sisters.

20

Tuesday, June 29:

Pool Party

Sitting on the cement deck at the side of the pool, we both watch the latch on the gate.

“Is my hair all right?” I ask. Frizzy as always, it just sproings back when I pat it.

The gate doesn’t budge.

“Your hair has its own look, you know?” Morgan flicks her own long hair back.

Diesel paces, looking from Morgan to me. Swimming?

“When are they going to get here?” I ask Morgan, looking up at the grey sky. Must be seven thirty, but it’s no cooler and the sun won’t set till nine. There’s not a spit of a breeze — not even a fern waves. The air feels heavy, and sweat trickles down my back. “Looks like it might storm. Maybe they won’t come.”