CHAPTER FIFTEEN

A New Beginning

The following morning, I arrived at the breakfast table feeling pretty darn good. Nothing was going to mess up my day. NOT A SINGLE THING.

“Hey, squirt!” said Gavin, blowing a raspberry as I walked by. Normally, I would have rolled my eyes, but today I was taking it all in stride.

“I’m the squirt that saved your behind!” I said with a grin.

“You stopped Captain Tornado by accident,” Felicia said. “Don’t act like you planned anything. You’re not some big superhero now, Peter.” She was partially right, but that didn’t matter, not today at least. Today I was a hero, and that was good enough for me.

“If it wasn’t for Peter, you’d both still be stuck in a tornado at the bank,” Mom said, eyeing Felicia and Gavin. “Perhaps you should show him a little respect.” She finished strapping baby Ben into his high chair and was ready to serve breakfast when the day took a slight detour.

“Honey, I just got a call from Commissioner Jenkins,” Dad said, running down the stairs, out of breath. “There’s a fire down by the pier. We’ve got to get there fast!” Normally, my parents did their superhero thing at night, but emergencies happen at all hours.

“You’ll have to go without me. I’ve got to feed the baby, then get the kids to school on time,” Mom said. She was a little frustrated, and it gave me an idea.

“I’ll help you, Dad!” I said enthusiastically. The room fell silent. They clearly didn’t share my excitement. Gavin looked at me like I’d farted. Felicia looked at Gavin like I had spiders crawling out of my eye sockets. Mom looked at Dad like her head was about to explode. But Dad smiled.

“That’s a lot of responsibility,” Dad said firmly.

“I know. But I’ve thought about this a lot, and I want to learn from the best,” I said. “I’ll never go out and try to be a hero on my own. Not until I’m older. And not until I’ve had some training.”

Mom eyed Dad. Gavin and Felicia rolled their eyes and fidgeted in their seats like they had poison ivy.

“It’s nice to finally have a kid who’s interested in what his parents do,” Dad smiled. “Go grab a clean cape and a fresh mask. But you’re only watching. And this is just for today. You still have to go to school after I put out the fire.”

I couldn’t believe it. He had said YES. I could barely contain myself. I was so excited, I thought I was going to burst open like a piñata. Candy and prizes would fly everywhere!

“I think training is a good idea,” Dad said, patting me on the back. “Stay on the sidelines and watch what I do. This could get very dangerous.”

“Listen to your father, honey,” Mom said, kissing me on my forehead. “Being a superhero isn’t easy, but it’s time you started learning.” My mom is awesome. Guess who wasn’t so supportive?

“It’s not fair!” protested Felicia.

“Good luck, SQUIRT! You’ll need it,” threatened Gavin.

Not even my salty siblings could ruin this moment. I was finally ready to start my new life as a superhero sidekick. Dad gave me a nod, and we were on our way.

“See you later, Gavin!” I said, strolling out the door. “Bye, Felicia!”

Look out, world, here comes Peter Powers, superhero in training!

“Peter, you forgot your cape and mask!” Mom called out.

One step at a time, I thought. One day I’ll get there.

 

Looking for your next adventure?

Ready to grab the latest and greatest in middle-grade reading?

Want to stay updated with news about your favorite authors?

Find reading guides, downloadable activities, videos, and more! Visit LB Kids online:

lb-kids.com

Twitter.com/lbkids

Pinterest.com/lbkids