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man came back to me and said, “Uh, the thing is, we’d like to use the bench.”
    â€œGo right ahead.”
    â€œWell, we’d like you to move.”
    I didn’t.
    The best man looked helplessly at the groom. The groom was even uglier than the best man.
    The groom dug into the pocket of his tuxedo and pulled out a two-dollar coin. “Here you are. Go buy yourself some candy.”
    â€œThank you,” I said. I stayed where I was.
    â€œWhat’s the hold-up here?” The bride rushed up to the gang around the bench. The rest of the wedding party crowded around.
    â€œLook, little girl, we’d like to take some photographs here, and you’re in our way, so would you please move?”
    I sat still.
    â€œShe must be retarded,” the bride said to the men. “This is my wedding day,” she said to me, very loudly and slowly. “Do you understand? My wedding day?”
    I stared right back at her.
    â€œGive the brat some more money,” she snapped at the groom. He handed me another two-dollar coin, and was about to put his change back in his pocket when the bride grabbed it all out of his hand and practically threw it at me.
    â€œBuy some candy for your brother, too,” he said. I thanked him. I didn’t thank the bride.
    â€œWe’ve asked you nicely. Now will you get out of here?”
    I blinked, the picture of innocence. David turned the volume up on his noise, and started jumping and flapping his arms.
    Next came my favorite part. Someone always lost their temper, and I always enjoyed it. When Tammy loses her temper at me, I hate it, but when strangers do, particularly when I haven’t done anything wrong, I enjoy it immensely.
    This time, it was the bride. Her face got red and her cheeks puffed out, and she started sounding like a pot about to boil over. I didn’t like her. I didn’t like any of them. Sometimes I do, and I leave quite pleasantly after the first bribe, but I didn’t like these people. The bride’s dress must have cost more than Mom spends on rent in a whole year, maybe five years, even.
    â€œListen, kid, I’ve spent a long time planning for this day, and so far, everything has been perfect, and I am not going to let you ruin it!” Her voice screeched like the crows and gulls that hang around the garbage bin. She was as ugly as the groom. In fact, everyone in the wedding party was ugly. You’d think that, with all that money, they’d invest in plastic surgery.
    â€œGet off that bench and take your defective brother with you, before I throw you off myself!” The Bride of Frankenstein was spitting, she was so angry.
    I usually don’t make nasty comments when I’m working a wedding, but because she insulted my brother, I let one fly.
    â€œYour bridesmaids’ dresses are the color of puke,” I said.
    The bridesmaids looked at themselves, and I saw from their faces that they realized I was right. Even if they liked the dresses before, they never would again.
    Happy to have the last word, I took David’s hand, and we walked calmly out of the greenhouse.
    I liked having money in my pocket. I was saving for something big, so I couldn’t spend much of it, but I splurged and bought some gummi feet for David and me. I knew that eating gummi feet wouldn’t really increase my chances of becoming an explorer of faraway places, but it couldn’t hurt, either.

CHAPTER SIX
TROUBLED WATERS
    We went to church Sunday morning, as usual. The twins went to the nursery, I went to Sunday school, and Mom got a quiet hour without kids.
    I haven’t decided about God, but I do like Sunday school. My class was small, and the teacher and I spent a lot of time looking at an old atlas of the Bible, and talking about camels. I know a lot about camels.
    â€œThe weather doesn’t look very good,” Tammy said, as we were walking home.
    â€œOh, Mom, it’s all right, and anyway, you