MacKenzie Isabelle Evans slowly pushed one black checker into the next row. She paused and carefully looked over the positions of all the pieces on the board before she removed her finger from the checker. “There!” she said. “Your turn.”
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Mac slid inside. “Look what my dad gave me,” she said. “You’re going to love it!”
Joseph Anderson Donetti hurried down the hall to his classroom. He hoped he wasn’t late. He hated being late. It was embarrassing.
MacKenzie Isabelle Evans watched a large brown maple leaf drift down to the sidewalk. She promptly stomped on it and grinned at the crunching sound. Autumn was her favorite time of the year. And leaf stomping was one of her favorite autumn activities.
Hannah Maria Estevez tugged at her mother’s sleeve. “What are those ladies doing?” she whispered. Mama looked up from the can label she was reading to see two women gesturing excitedly with their hands farther down the aisle.
Trevor Paul Monroe sprawled across the bed on his stomach. He chewed the end of his stubby pencil while he read the story problem in his math book. Story problems! Trevor sighed. He wished story problems had never been invented.
Joseph Anderson Donetti felt his face grow red. “I’m never going to get this!” he exclaimed.
MacKenzie Isabelle Evans bounced on the seat of the school van. “This is so great!” she exclaimed. “I can hardly believe Miss Binney is taking us hiking! I love hiking! Can you believe we’re actually going hiking instead of sitting in school?”
Joseph Anderson Donetti carefully carried the big glass salad bowl up the steps to the fireside room. G.M. held the door open for him. A burst of warm air, good smells, and happy conversation greeted them.
He sat down on the floor and yanked his thick hiking socks over his bare feet. Then he scrambled on his hands and knees over to the bed and pulled his hiking boots out from underneath it.
