The next morning, Willa Bean woke up to a strange noise. It sounded like the air being squeezed out of a balloon. It was hoarse and wheezy and a little bit squeaky. She sat up in bed. Was it Snooze? Maybe he was sick again.

She got out from under the covers. But Snooze wasn’t in her closet. She leaned out the window. The air was warm and soft. The sky was the color of Mama’s blue lilies.

Snooze was just coming around the corner. His brown wings were spread wide. “Bonjour, Willa Bean!” Snooze said. “You’re up early!”

Willa Bean waited for her owl to settle himself on the sill. “Snooze,” she said, petting the feathers on his head, “do you hear that strange sound?”

Snooze cocked his head to the right. He cocked it to the left. “My goodness, I do,” he said. “What in the world is that?”

“I don’t know,” Willa Bean said. “I thought it was you. I thought maybe you got sick again.”

“I’m healthy as a horse,” Snooze said. “I just flew back from Montana.”

“What’s Montana?” Willa Bean asked.

“It’s in the United States of America,” Snooze said. “Out West. Lots of beautiful rivers and mountains. A really lovely place.”

There was a knock on Willa Bean’s door. “Can I come in?” Daddy called.

“Okay!” said Willa Bean.

Daddy opened the door. He was holding Baby Louie in his arms. Baby Louie’s eyes were even redder than yesterday. He leaned against Daddy’s shoulder and sucked his thumb. Weird sounds were coming out of his nose and mouth.

“I wanted to make sure you were up, little love,” Daddy said. “You don’t want to be late for school.”

But Willa Bean just stared at her baby brother. “What’s wrong with Baby Louie?” she asked.

Daddy touched Baby Louie’s cheek with his finger. “He cried himself to sleep last night,” he said. “It took a long, long time. And now his voice is gone. He’s completely hoarse.”

“His voice is gone?” Willa Bean asked. She felt a twinge of sad feeling inside. Maybe she should have looked a little harder for that silly ball of his.

Daddy nodded. “It was hard for him to sleep without that red rubber star-bubble ball. I hope we find it soon. Otherwise, it’s going to be another long day.”

Suddenly, Willa Bean remembered what day it was. It was Class A’s cloudtrip day! To Cloud Nine! She was going to practice with her bow and arrows! And then go to Waterworld!

“I hope you find his ball, too,” Willa Bean said. “But I really have to get dressed now, Daddy. I have a huge day ahead of me. Plus, I have to pack my bathing suit.”

“Make sure to brush that hair, too,” Daddy said. “You don’t want Mama going after it when you come downstairs.”

Willa Bean got dressed super-quick. She zipped up the back of her red-and-white uniform. She tightened the laces on her sandals. She put her orange-and-white checkered bathing suit in her wingsack.

Then she brushed her purple wings with the silver tips. They were soft and fluffy. She brushed her hair, too. It was not soft and fluffy. It boinged out all over the place.

Oh well. There was only so much a cupid could do in the morning. It was time to go. Her very first cloudtrip was waiting!

“Good-bye, Snooze!” Willa Bean kissed the top of her owl’s head. “I’ll tell you all about my trip when I get back.”

“Au revoir,” Snooze said. His beak opened into a yawn. He rubbed his wide yellow eyes and shook out his tail feathers. “I’m just about ready for bed myself.”

Willa Bean grabbed her wingsack and her bow and arrows and headed for the door. Then she stopped. “Snooze?” she said.

“Yes?” Snooze looked up.

“Where do you think Baby Louie’s voice went?” Willa Bean asked.

“What do you mean?” said Snooze.

“Well, Daddy said it’s gone,” Willa Bean said. “Where do you think it went?”

“I think it’s just plain tired out.” Snooze flew over and settled himself on Willa Bean’s shoulder. “And when it gets a good rest, it will come out of hiding again. Just like me.”