The Owl & Moon Cafe: A Novel (No Series) Read Online Free PDF Page B

having a dad. Pretty much all her mom did was work at The Owl & Moon when they needed her, teach classes, and stay up late correcting papers. After listening to her schoolmates talk, that sounded pretty much like a dad. Most nights her mom fell asleep on the couch. Lindsay would cover her with a blanket and she wouldn’t even move, but she was always up early pouring out Lindsay’s cereal.
    Sally poked Lindsay with her shoe, then leaned her head back and pretend-snored. Lindsay smiled and turned away. No way was she getting in trouble in Dr. Ritchie’s class.
    “I want to see your précis next week, girls. More than two ideas, please. And girls? Please do not wait until the last minute and Google subjects you care nothing about in an effort to impress me. One must have passion for a project. It must pertain. ”
    Out the corner of her eye Lindsay saw Sally finger spell the word Y-A-W-N. Students were required to study two languages at Country Day. French and Spanish were the most popular. Lindsay opted for Latin, which would help her in science. She also took American Sign Language, which she felt offered a view into another culture. Sally was in that class, too. ASL was valuable for lots of reasons. You could help a deaf person with it, and also pass a “note” that a teacher couldn’t confiscate and read out loud. Cuss words were not so bad when you said them with your fingers.
    “Sally?” Dr. Ritchie said. “I notice you’re finger spelling. Is there something you want to share with the class?”
    Sally folded her hands on top of her desk. “No, ma’am. I was just stretching my fingers out. To become fluent in sign you pretty much have to stretch the muscles whenever the opportunity presents itself. I’ll try to be less distracting.”
    “Do.”
    As soon as Dr. Ritchie turned her back, Sally rolled her eyes and finger spelled “E-P-I-C Y-A-W-N.”
    Lindsay smiled wider this time.
    Pretty soon you could feel the tension in the air. Everyone’s eyes were on the clock. Finally Dr. Ritchie gave up. “Go,” she said, sighing. “I don’t know why we bother to teach anything after lunch. Your circadian rhythms are at their lowest point. Go, you brilliant minds, brimming with potential. Go have a great afternoon and think about projects. Remember, every little thing that happens—autumn leaves turning, a dog barking, your very breath—occupies its own little niche in science.”
    “God, I thought she’d never shut her trap,” Sally said as they lugged their backpacks outdoors into what was left of the dappled sunlight. Clouds were moving in, and the sun was moving on.
    Lindsay didn’t know what to say. “I like Dr. Ritchie. I could listen to her all day.”
    “Me, too. It’s just that my butt was going to sleep. So, you want to do the science project together?”
    “Do you mean it?”
    “Of course I mean it. We both rock at science. You almost beat me last year. Why not work together on some really gnarly subject and get twice as much credit? Plus, the money! Start thinking about it. It has to be radical, and have social implications.”
    “Like what?”
    “You know, the ethics factor. Stuff people argue about. Abortion, stem cell research, things that get people all whipped up.” Sally peered around the tree they were standing under and groaned. “Oh, man. Here comes Taylor. I gotta run before she starts in on me or I just might clock her.” Then she signed “E-mail me!” and turned away.
    Lindsay watched Sally sprint toward the curb, where her stepdad was waiting in his red convertible. Taylor sniffed and said loudly, “Does anyone smell burritos?”
    Lindsay began walking to the café. Whenever Gammy Bess and Lindsay went to the Del Monte mall, they saw Taylor and her friends there, roaming. Gammy said they dressed so alike they looked like a litter of pit bull puppies, but to Lindsay it looked like they were having fun. They wove into and out of places like The Body Shop, Victoria’s