Page 131 of Lovebug
Shoot, it’s already second period. I’m beyond late.
I spot a stack of Bucks County Arboretum T-shirts peeking out of the closet, grab one and pull it over my head, hoping to limit the fallout of my spandex situation as much as possible. I slip on my heels—these should be interesting on the trails today—say a quick goodbye to Mildred and head outside.
I’m out of the health center no more than five minutes before Chloe is approaching me, her eyes watery and her voice wavery. “Mabel?” she cries, but I keep walking, trying my best to ignore her and reach my destination. “Mabel! I need to talk to you!”
“Oh, it’s my stalker,” I say, sarcasm still seeming to cling to me. “Don’t worry, I found out the full scoop yesterday from my parents—or my… whatever I’m supposed to call them now.” I say this as I hightail it toward the main office where I’msupposedto start my day. “Your secret’s fully out. So nothing more to talk about.”
“That’s not actually why I’m—” She stumbles while trying to keep up with me. “Man, how are you doing this in heels? Listen, I know you might not believe me, but I didn’t know for sure that we were sisters. Not until after you left last night, and my mom finally leveled with me.”
I give her a quick you’re-right-I-don’t-believe-you look, then keep my eyes focused forward.
Chloe prattles on as she chases after me. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t hoping that was the case, though! And for the record, I didn’t tell my mom that I’d met you. And I didn’t mean to stalk you as you said. It was just—geez! Ow!” She trips over a rock and recovers instantly. “She started acting sadder and weirder than usual once we moved up here. Then the day I found those pictures of you, I knew she was definitely hiding something. So I started looking into you, but I never imagined you were—”
“Chloe, I don’t have time for this right now—”
“And I called you last night because she was an absolute mess after seeing you at the festival – I spotted you two talking – the same kind of mess she is every year in early October, which has always been mysterious to me. That’s when she sort of retreats and cuts herself off from the world for a few days. When I did some digging and realized that October 3rd is—
“My birthday…” I finish the thought for her and finally stop walking for a breath to look at her.
She takes a breath too and slows down.
“Exactly. Your birthday. When I figured that out, that was the push I needed to go full Carmen Sandiego on the situation. Oh.” She reaches into her fanny pack, pulls out an envelope, and hands it to me. “She asked me to give you this.”
“Carmen Sandiego?” I’m so confused.
“No. My mom. Or I guess I should say...our—” She must see from the look on my face that I’m not ready for that, so she course corrects, “Tina. It’s a letter from Tina.” I slowly take it from her, Not wanting it and wanting it in equal measure. Chloe continues with a hint of “duh” in her tone, “Carmen Sandiego is an animated bombshell detective who solves cases all over the world, Mabel.”
I stare at the letter in my hand, feeling a bit dazed. “My, uh—my pop culture references aren’t really up to snuff, but you know what, Chloe?” I shake my head.
“What?”
Her eyes look so hopeful at that moment.
I think back to the crazy dream I just had, and although I don’t think I’ve fully processed or understood it yet, I do know that I don’t want any harm coming to Chloe, ever. By way of a huge, human-sized insect, or by her new half sister saying something harsh and hurting her feelings. I know that I don’t want to close the door on a relationship with her. I mean, God, I have a sister! How potentially amazing is that? But I also know it’s going to take me some time to wrap my head around everything that’s happened so I can be fully present with her.
“We’re not going to solve the weird feelings between us in one conversation,” I say gently.
“I know that,” she responds with a nod.
“But we’ll get it figured out eventually. I promise. No more crying over this, though, okay?”
“Oh, I wasn’t crying over you,” she says, surprising the heck out of me.
“You weren’t? Then… why were you crying?”
She cringes.
“I lost Holden.” w
Chapter Twenty-Eight
“You lost Holden?!” I screech.
“Yes! I’m sorry!” Chloe says. “He got upset when one of the other kids said something to him, and he ran off. Man, that kid is fast! That’s why they’ve been paging you over the loudspeaker. Apparently, your walkie is off.”
“My walkie is in the main office in my—” I cut myself off. “Ohmygod, why wasn’t this thefirstthing you said to me?”
“You looked so mad! And you were running away from me! I panicked! But don’t worry.” She places her hand on my shoulder. “We know he’s alive and on the premises.”
