Page 164 of Banter & Blushes

“Shh!” Bianca hushed her. “He can’t suspect!”

“Right!” Paisley agreed.

“So how do we do this with Auntie Shelby there? She has eyes on the back of her head!” Nicki worried.

“Very carefully.” I said. “And maybe we can get Hallie and Harlan to distract her.”

“Good idea,” Nicki agreed.

“I have an idea!” Bianca whispered. “My dad will eatanything.We could trade out his snack for something yucky! It won’t make him mad at all. He always tries Auntie Molly’s gross healthy food experiments. And some he likes!”

We all covered our mouths so he wouldn’t hear us giggle.

“Ooh! I know what we can do!” Nicki lowered her voice. “My Mommy helped Molly make the sandwiches for lunch today. We can choose peanut butter and jelly or turkey and cheese. What if we”—she cupped her hands around her mouth—“combine his! There’s always extra.”

“That’ll work!” I said. “Bianca, you take an extra PB&J. Paisley, you take an extra turkey. Hallie and Harlan can grab onto their mommy’s hands and show her something they found—or lost. Bianca and Paisley will combine the sandwiches—we can eat the extra bread. Then they can switch it out for one of his sandwiches!”

“I can distract Mr. JC,” Archer offered. “I’ll throw my Frisbee super far, out of the zone, so he has to go get it!”

We talked more about the plan, and the only thing left to do when we got to the beach was to tell Hallie and Harlan. Bianca filled them in as we walked to the area with the ropes.

It was such a fun morning! We swam and played in the sand. When it was lunchtime, Noah spread out two really big blankets and unpacked the coolers of food and drinks onto a table that popped up from a bag. Hallie and Harlan pulled their mom away. Archer threw his Frisbee, and Mr. JC ran to get it. Me and Amelie and Nicki asked Noah lots of questions so he wouldn’t watch what Bianca and Paisley were doing.

We all took our food to the blanket for Group 1. Mr. JC came back with Archer’s Frisbee and plopped down next to Bianca. “This my lunch?” he asked, pointing to the sandwich, chips, and apple next to hers.

She nodded, then turned her face away.

Don’t laugh! Don’t laugh!I silently yelled at her.

I looked past the blanket. Mrs. Shelby had just returned to her foldy chair behind Hallie and Harlan and was staring at JC.

She knew!

I held my breath.

Mr. JC slowly unwrapped his sandwich. All of us were watching him. Well, not Group 2. They were on the other blanket with Noah.

“Smells great!” Mr. JC said. We held our breath while he took a big bite.

We all stared at him while he chewed. His eyebrows went up, and the bump in his throat moved up and down a lot. I covered my mouth and tried not to laugh.

He finally swallowed it all. We waited to see what he would say.

“Well. That was delicious! Who here has ever tried peanut butter, jelly, mayonnaise, cheese, and turkey?”

None of us raised our hands.

“You should.” He rubbed his belly and took another bite. Again, he struggled to swallow it. Bianca was right. Her dadwouldeat anything!

“Who can I thank for this ah-mazing sammie?” He looked at each of us. When his gaze landed on Paisley, she broke.

She laughed and laughed, and the rest of us had to join in. Mr. JC was just pretending to like the sandwich!

“Great prank, kids!” he praised. “You sure got me good!”

Amelie and I high-fived each other. “Daddy is going to be so proud!” she shouted.

I grinned at her.“Soproud!” I agreed.

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