CHAPTER 6

CALM ON THE OUTSIDE

When we got back home, Mama was at her desk in the kitchen. “Did you find Greenie?” she asked.

Before Tiana could answer, Nia said, “No.” She frowned. “I stopped rehearsing for nothing.”

I could tell Nia was about to act dramatic. I think Mama could tell too, because she said, “Don’t start, Nia.”

Tiana started to cry. “Mama, what if I never ever see Greenie again?”

“We’ll find him,” Mama promised.

Nia plopped down in a chair with her script. She read her lines very loudly. Tiana sat in Mama’s lap. Tears dripped onto Mama’s paper.

I watched Tiana and Mama and thought about two things: Greenie and my diorama. They were both important, but I needed to pick one.

“Mama?” I said. “Can I go work on my diorama?”

“No!” Tiana yelled. “We have to find Greenie! You promised!”

I took three calming breaths, just like Ms. Johnson made us do in class when everyone got too loud after recess. This mystery was a challenge and a problem.

Tiana had already messed up my plan for the day. She had already messed up Nia’s rehearsal. She was probably messing up Mama’s morning too. Mama loved lazy Saturdays.

Mama said, “Tiana, let’s take a little break and look some more later.”

I was relieved. “Can I go work on my diorama, please?” I asked.

Tiana frowned, then tilted her head back and let out a long cry. She reminded me of the baby elephant I’d seen at the National Zoo, only Tiana didn’t have a trunk. Between her and Nia, our kitchen sounded like a zoo.

Mama looked like she needed to take three calming breaths. She put down her pencil and looked at Nia.

“Nia, why don’t you see if you can rehearse at Maya’s house?” she said. “Isn’t she playing Auntie Em?”

Nia smiled and nodded. Her best friend, Maya, lived three blocks away. “I’ll text her,” she said.

She grabbed her phone, her script, and her costume. A few minutes later, Nia hurried out the door.

Next, Mama stood Tiana on the floor. She crouched down and put her face very close to Tiana’s face.

“That’s enough,” she said. “Nap time. Right now.”

Tiana opened her mouth, but before she could make another sound, Mama said, “Now.”

Mama meant business. Tiana sulked out of the kitchen.

Once the kitchen was quiet, Mama hugged me. “Why don’t I make us some lunch?” she offered.

I perked right up. I almost never got Mama all to myself. I helped her make roast beef sandwiches on toasted sourdough rolls. Then we sat down to eat.

“So, what have you done so far on your diorama?” Mama asked.

“Nothing,” I said. “All I have so far is an empty box.”

She smiled. “I have an idea.”

Mama stood up and took a piece of paper and a pencil from a drawer. “The best thing to do when you have a lot to get done is make a list,” she explained.

She handed the paper to me. “Why don’t you start by writing down the steps for your diorama?”

“Is that what you do at the restuarant?” I asked.

Mama nodded and grabbed her daily special planner too. “We’ll both make our to-do lists,” she said. She sat down and got started right away.

I took the pencil and thought for a minute. Then I got to work too.

1. Paint box blue and green.
2. Make clay tiger.
3. Make paper grass.
4. Collect plants from outside.
5. Paint tiger.
6. Stick everything on the diorama.

I looked at what I’d written. I’d thought making a list would help, but it made me feel worse. There were six steps, and I had less than two days. I might not finish my diorama.

Just then, Daddy came home. He kissed Mama first, then me.

“Looks like you two are having a nice, calm, lazy Saturday,” he said.

I thought about walking all over the neighborhood for nothing. I thought about Nia’s loud rehearsing. I thought about Tiana’s crying. Then I thought about my unfinished diorama and the unsolved mystery.

Maybe I looked calm, but that was only on the outside.