Skinny-Dipping at Monster Lake Read Online Free PDF

a bunch more than the rest of the place all put together. She wont have it. She’s bound and determined to keep all the land from the house down to the water.”
    Dad frowned. “She doesn’t ski or swim or fish. Why does she need the lakefront?”
    â€œNo idea. She won’t part with it, though. Emma refuses to sell anything between the house and the water.”
    â€œWho’s Emma?” I interrupted.
    Both had just stuffed some fried okra in their mouths. Mom held up a finger, asking me to wait a second. When she finished chewing, she dabbed the corners of her mouth with a napkin.
    â€œMrs. Baum,” she answered.
    I felt my eyes flash.
    â€œThat nasty old grouch who lives at the end of the road? You know her?”
    Mom and Dad both stopped eating and glared at me.
    â€œEmma Baum is one of the sweetest little ladies I ever met.” Mom’s eyes were tight. “I never wantto hear you call her a nasty old grouch, or any such thing. Not ever again! Understand?”
    â€œYes, ma’am.“
    Okay—so maybe supper wasn’t the right time to ask about going fishing. Maybe tomorrow would be better.

6
    I ’d learned, a long time ago, that when you screw up—big time—it’s best to keep your mouth shut.
    I sat quiet as a mouse through the rest of supper. They talked about how Mrs. Baum brought cookies and walked down to visit when they first moved in. And all the other nice things she had done since we moved here. Dad remembered how he lost his watch out in our hay barn, and she brought her metal detector to help him find it. Mom repeated about how she went to visit her husband every day in the nursing home and how hard she worked on her garden, behind her house. “She always shares tomatoes and okra—anything she takes from that garden.”
    The conversation finally left Mrs. Baum and went to money in the savings account and bills—all the stuff grown-ups usually talk about. I kept my mouth shut. When I helped with the dishes—I kept my mouth shut. And when I finally felt like they’d forgotten what I said and I was in the clear,I headed off to my room. I’d just stay out of the way until the homemade ice cream was ready.
    I had just turned on my computer when the phone rang.
    â€œKent, it’s for you,” Mom called.
    Since they were in the living room, I picked up the phone in the kitchen.
    â€œEverybody’s called but you.” Ted’s voice was a little hard to hear. That’s because our ice-cream maker made such a loud grinding noise.
    â€œWhat?” I cupped my hand around the phone and turned away from the freezer.
    â€œAll the guys can go,” Ted said. “They’ve already called. Why haven’t you?”
    I humped my shoulders, trying to shield the ear piece from the noise.
    â€œI haven’t asked them, yet,” I confessed, glancing around to make sure they weren’t in the room.
    â€œWhy not?”
    â€œWell, I was going to. Only Mom mentioned something about Mrs. Baum, and I blurted out about what a nasty old grouch she was. I just can’t stand that old witch. I wish she’d just . . .”
    The words trickled from my mouth, then faded into complete silence when I caught the movement from the corner of my eye. Slowly I turned. Mom stood beside the door. Arms folded, she stared atme. I wished I could have caught the words and stuffed them back in my mouth. Instead, they hung over my head—floating about the kitchen like an ominous black cloud.
    Screw up once—there’s a good chance your parents will forgive and forget. If you screw up twice—you’re gonna pay for it. Mom marched us and the nearly frozen homemade ice cream down to Mrs. Baum’s.
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    â€œIt’s not fair!”
    â€œQuit whining and keep walking,” Dad growled. “We’re parents. Parents don’t have to be fair. Besides, it