“You’re really not going to tell me where we’re going?” I asked.
“You’ll see,” Mom said, smiling.
It was the same I-know-something-good-but-I’m-not-telling-you-what-it-is smile she’d had on her face when I got back from the Showdown Saturday night. And it was the same one as yesterday’s, when she kept telling me about a big surprise that would have to wait another day because the place with the big surprise was closed on Easter.
Right now, we were in the car on the way to the place with the big surprise.
“This better be worth it,” I said.
“Don’t worry. It will be.”
I tugged on the strings of my hoodie. “I can’t believe you made me get up early on the first day of spring vacation.”
To be perfectly honest, I really didn’t mind. I’m not a late sleeper, but that didn’t mean I wanted to go anywhere. The first morning of vacation is supposed to be spent sitting on the couch in your boxers watching cartoons and playing Xbox.
“Are we going to Perky’s?” I asked.
Mom claw-lifted her thermos from the console. She’d already been to Perky’s. When she came in to wake me an hour ago, she said that she was running out to get coffee and that I needed to be ready by the time she got back.
“Are we meeting Dana?”
“Nope.”
“Red and Suzanne?”
Mom strummed the steering wheel and shook her head.
“I’m thinking about cutting my hair,” I said.
“Okay.” She peeked at me. “Why’s that?”
“I don’t know. I think it’s time.”
“Cutting it all off?” she asked.
“I think so.” I ran my hand over my head. “Diego said when his hair grew back, it grew in darker.”
“Honey, I don’t think it’s possible for your hair to get much darker.”
“Did you know he’s had hair all year?” I lifted my legs so that my shins pressed against the glove box. “The only reason he wore a hat was because he liked being the only kid in school who was allowed to.”
“That sounds very Diego.”
“How much farther?” I asked.
We were driving on streets we always ride on, but I still didn’t have a clue where we were going.
“Maybe two minutes,” she said.
“Can I get a hint?”
“Your father knows about it and approves.”
“That’s not a hint.” I drummed my knees. “Do you realize how annoying you’re being?”
She smiled her I-know-something smile again. “Let’s see if you’re still saying that a few minutes from now.”
“I’d better not be.”
Since we got back from the Showdown, Mom had been acting very cool. Obviously, the fact that things went well between my dad and me had a lot to do with it. She wanted me to talk about it—she was dying to talk about it—but I told her I wasn’t ready yet. She said we would need to at some point over vacation. That was fair.
“Okay, honey.” She touched my leg. “Here’s a hint: This has been in the works for a while now. Your father and I are happy and relieved you finally green-lighted it.”
“I green-lighted it?”
“You really are growing up, Rip.”
“Okay,” I said, eyeing her sideways. “I think.”
We made a left onto a road we don’t often take.
“Any idea yet?” she asked.
“No.”
“It’s going to keep you busy.”
“Is that another hint?”
“That’s a big hint.”
“Whatever you—” I stopped midsentence. “Don’t play, Mom!” I pointed to the sign up ahead. “Is that where we’re going?”
“Going where?” She smiled an extra-wide version of that smile.
“I’m getting a dog?” I said, my voice squeaking. “I can get a dog?”
We turned into the driveway of the Sean Casey Animal Rescue shelter.
“Yes, Rip,” she said. “You’re ready for a dog. We’re getting a dog.”
“Yes, yes, yes!” I shook my fists in front of my face. “We’re getting a dog! We’re getting a dog!”
Mom pulled into a spot and put the car in Park.
“I love you, Mom.” I reached over and hugged her. “I love you, I love you, I love you!” I planted a kiss on her cheek.
She laughed. “Is this an okay surprise?”
“Okay? This is the best surprise in the history of ever!”
She held my wrist. “You will call your father to say thank you.”
“Okay.”
“Promise me you’ll call—”
“I promise, I promise, I promise,” I said. “I promise I’ll call my dad and tell him thank you.” I pounded the dashboard. “I’m getting Bubba!”
“Is that what you’re naming it?”
“I’m getting Bubba.” I kissed her cheek again. “I’m getting Bubba Chuck.” I opened the door, burst from the car, and hammer-fisted the air.
