CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

AWKWARD

Being home was great, but I missed Bunny Island. I also missed my uncle and Juliet. Actually, I even missed Rain. He had called me yesterday from the glass phone booth to tell me that he saw a dead squid on the beach and thought of me.

I was horrified at my fallen comrade and touched that Rain would call me.

I was still spending a good amount of time in my room playing on the computer and reading comic books. But to be honest there were moments when I wanted to be running down Rabbit Road or stomping across the beach. My legs were actually mad about all the lying around I was now doing.

“Fine, legs,” I said. “I’ll stand up.”

I closed the comic book I had just finished reading for the third time.

It was late morning, and my bedroom window was open so the breeze could come through. I wasn’t worried about newts attacking, because they knew perfectly well that it would be foolish of them to mess with me.

Outside, my old friend Ryan pulled up to my house. I jumped at the chance to run to the front door.

“Hi, Ryan,” I said when I opened the door.

“Please, kid, I’m not your friend.”

“Right,” I said sadly. “I guess you heard about Juliet and Rain, then.”

Ryan “acted” like he didn’t know what I was talking about.

“Just take this, please,” he begged.

Ryan was holding what looked to be another orange envelope from Zeke containing the next issue of Ocean Blasterzoids.

“Sure,” I agreed. “We shouldn’t make this any more awkward than it needs to be.”

Ryan handed me two envelopes.

“Two?” I asked in surprise.

He was already down the walk and driving off. I closed the door, looking closely at the envelopes.

My dad came out of the kitchen, where he had been grinding wheat into flour all morning.

“Anything for me?” he asked.

I put the orange envelope from Zeke under my arm and checked the second one. It was a small yellow one from Juliet.

“Nope,” I said, blushing.

“Look at you,” my father said proudly. “Getting a letter from someone you’re not related to. It’s like you came back from that island a player.”

“What’s a player?” I asked.

“I have no idea,” my dad admitted.

We both stood there a moment as he cleared his throat and I finished blushing.

“Well,” he finally said. “I was reading in the almanac that we can expect this to be a favorable summer for drought-tolerant crops. That includes certain kinds of wheat.”

“I can’t speak for wheat, but I know it’s been a good one for me.” Summer wasn’t even halfway over, and already my head was filled with things I will never forget. I held up the orange envelope. “I’m going to read this new issue.”

“Of course,” my dad said. “It’s really nice to have you home, squid.”

“What’d you say?” I asked.

“Just that I’m glad you’re back, kid,” he said with a smile.

I returned the smile and ran outside to read.