Hidebehind

Five

After dinner, Great Grandma took me and Penny into town to buy books and supplies for school. Her driving was scary, to say the least. She had this big maroon Cadillac, as big as a tank, and thank goodness it was—that way, if she hit anything, we would hopefully have enough metal around us to pad any injury. She couldn't see, the crazy lady. Penny sat up front and was real nice about telling her if she missed a sign or a light was changing. Penny would just say something like, "I think that light was red, Great Grandma," or "I'm wondering if that sign back there wasn't a stop sign." I would have yelled and freaked out, but Penny was so calm about it. Thank goodness we didn't hit anything; maybe the whole town already knew about Great Grandma's driving and watched out for her.

Anyway, we made it to the general store in about fifteen minutes. Oxcart was small. There was about one store of every kind—one grocery, one general store, one ice-cream shop, one sandwich place. There were two gas stations, though, right across the street from each other. There was also a big square we drove through; it had a fountain in the middle and some restaurants around it, and then there was city hall and some big store selling what looked to be hunting equipment. But all around were trees and hills. It seemed to all kind of be in the middle of nowhere. I felt depressed.

I really didn't want to go into a store with my ancient Great Grandmother and my little sister, but there was nothing else to do, so I followed them into the building and grudgingly dug around for school supplies. Penny wanted everything to be purple. She was really into purple. I didn't care what any of my stuff looked like. Just seeing the school supply list in Great Grandma's hand made my stomach hurt. It made starting school that much more real, and I'd hoped to be going home before all of that.

"Oh, hello Maisie! Is your mother around here, too?"

Great Grandma was an aisle over, but I could hear her voice just about anywhere. It sounded like a hyena. Curious about who she was talking to, I moved a few boxes of kitten-decorated folders and peeped into her aisle. I was too low. I saw only the shoulders of some girl in a green top. She had long, dark brown hair hanging down her back. It swished back and forth as she turned her head toward Great Grandma's voice.

"Mom's helping Alex get his calculator. He needs a special one for eighth grade."

"Oh! My grandson will need it too, then. Says here on his list . . . is that it? This one here?"

I could only assume Great Grandma was holding out the supply list and pointing, because the girl leaned over a little.

"Yep. That's what Alex needs, too."

"Wonderful! I'll see if your mother can help me out."

"My mom told me about your grandkids, Mrs. Francis. She said you were very nice to take them in like you did."

My face grew a little hot. I moved the boxes around a bit more, trying to see who this girl was to think she could talk about us like that.

"I wouldn't have it any other way, dear. They're my own blood. Maybe you can come play with them sometime. Robbie's a little older than you, and Penelope a little younger, but I'm sure you all would get along just fine."

The box of folders I'd been shoving suddenly toppled to the floor, and the conversation an aisle over abruptly halted. Then a face appeared on the other side of my hole—eyes squinting at me as if looking at some weird zoo animal. I backed up quick, nearly toppling over a display of pencil boxes.

I just stood there, unsure what to do, but then Great Grandma and the girl rounded the butt of the shelves into my aisle, and I stared sheepishly at them.

"Pick up that mess, Robbie," Great Grandma ordered very authoritatively.

My face got hotter, but I crouched down and began putting the plastic boxes back. The girl started helping me, and I wasn't sure if I liked it or not.