Page 94 of Summer Reading

“Well?” Tyler asked. “It’s Dad, isn’t it?”

“I think it might be,” I hedged. I had no idea what the picture meant. I tapped the corner. “What’s the date?”

“Nineteen eighty-nine,” Tyler said. “Man, that’s an old photo. I can’t believe Dad is rocking a mullet. How did I not know this? I mean, I knew he was a drummer in a band back in the day, but this is just mortifying.”

I forced a laugh and looked at my watch. “We’d better go or you’re going to be late or, to normal people, on time for camp.”

“Okay,” he said. “But I have to take a picture of this. In case it is Dad. Mom will die when she sees that hair.”

He took out his phone and snapped a picture. I was too stunned to do anything. My dad knew Moira Reynolds? I scanned my memory trying to recall if Dad had ever mentioned her to me. I didn’t think so.What did this mean?

“Can you do me a solid, Bro?”

“Sure,” he said without hesitation. This sibling thing really was the bomb.

“Message me that picture, please, but don’t show it to anyone else,” I said. Tyler looked at me in question. “I can’t explain why right now, just promise me, no one at the library, okay? It’s important.”

“Okay,” he agreed. No balking, no fussing, just a simple yes. Man, I loved this kid.

•••

I dropped off Tyler and hurried into the building, looking for Em. She’d talk me down from my panic. I did not see Ben, thank goodness, because I didn’t know if I could keep myself from blabbing about what we’d found.

Not finding Em in her usual spot on the desk, I scanned the library. There were several librarians at work throughout the building but I didn’t know any of them, except Ms. Bascomb, and I was not up for talking to her. I popped into the teen area and waved downRyan Fielding, the robotics camp counselor. He was young, fresh out of college, with a thick head of dark hair, black-framed glasses, a pointy chin, and a wardrobe that consisted of a colorful carousel of T-shirts from cartoon shows. Today it was SpongeBob.

“Ryan, have you seen Em?”

He glanced past me at the desk where Em usually sat in the morning. “I think she works this evening, so she’s probably off this morning. Do you want me to check her schedule?”

“No need, thanks,” I said. I waved to Tyler and dashed from the building. I sent a message to Em using voice to text. My words must have conveyed my upset, because she was standing on her front porch when I arrived.

I parked and hurried up the front steps. She handed me a mug of coffee like a true best friend. She waved for me to sit in one of the wicker rocking chairs, and she took the other.

“What happened?” she asked after I’d taken a sip. “Your text has me completely freaked out. What do you mean your dad had a mullet and you might have found Ben’s father? How? Where?”

“You’re freaked out?” I cried. “My dad knew Ben’s mom. How could I not know this?” I rocked back and forth, trying to self-soothe. It didn’t work.

“When you say he ‘knew’ Ben’s mom, in what senseare you referring?” she asked. She reached across the space between us and put her hand on my chair arm, slowing me down.

“I don’t know,” I said. I stopped the chair and turned to face her. “They’re in a picture together with another guy.” I handed her my phone. “Look.”

Em glanced down at the screen, where I had the picture open. She studied it quietly for a moment. Then she blew out a breath as if she couldn’t believe what she was about to say.

“You don’t think your dad and Moira...” Her voice trailed off.

“Ah!” I clapped my hands over my ears. “Don’t say it. Don’t even think it.”

Em started to laugh. “You’re tripping out.”

“Little bit,” I agreed.

“Breathe, Sam,” she said. “I was just messing with you. Sorry.” She turned the picture back to me. “You can practically feel the sizzle between Moira and the guitar player. Your dad looks a few years younger than them. I seriously doubt he’s Ben’s father.”

“Ah, you said it!” I cried. “What do I do, Em?”

She glanced at me, and her face grew serious. “You have to tell Ben.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

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