Gladys

In the backyard, where the sprouts were zigzagging around, Mama conducted a quick but thorough interrogation. How did Gladys and Jude know each other? Ah, school! What grade was he in? Where did they live? Wow, Spider was a strong boy to walk all the way here!

Standing under the tree, shifting from foot to foot, Jude let Gladys do all the talking. He pulled what looked like a paint scraper out of the pocket where he usually kept a book, studied it, and put it back. When Mama offered him the bowl of Goldfish crackers, he stuffed a handful into his mouth.

“Maybe I didn’t explain,” Gladys said, steering him away from her inquisitive mother. “We run a home daycare.”

“So...” He swallowed the crackers. “So Sophie and the human siren aren’t related to you?”

“What a terrifying thought!”

Lily, toddling past, tripped and face-planted on Jude’s big shoe. Before she could even think about crying, Jude scooped her up, airplaned her over his head, set her back down, and gave her a fist bump. Lily stared up at him in wonder, then hugged his leg. Jude gave a grunt. Or maybe it was a laugh. Gladys was almost getting used to his nonverbal tendencies. She could tell he loved his brother, and she was convinced he cared about True. He just didn’t know how to say it. Or maybe he just didn’t want to say it. Maybe he didn’t see any need to say it. He was like a tree. The underground part, the roots and rootlets you couldn’t see, grew as wide and deep as the aboveground part grew tall.

Mama was blowing bubbles for the sprouts to chase. Pop! the babies said. Pop! When one landed in Jude’s curls, Gladys noticed bits of what might be pink paint. Just as she was considering plucking one of the rosy slivers, he cupped his hands around his mouth.

“Time’s up, Spy,” he megaphoned. “We gotta go!”

His brother completely ignored him, standard sprout behavior. Gladys leaned closer, lowering her voice.

“I know you’re grounded and everything, but can’t you stay a little longer? We didn’t finish talking about you-know-what. I’m thinking that if we put our heads together...”

“Spy! You heard me!”

“Excuse me,” Gladys said. “I thought I was talking.”

“I’m counting to three!” Jude said. “One. Two.”

Like he’d heard a starter pistol, Spider took off running.