are brother and sister, cousins to the other three.
She changed the water for the flowers and rang up a few customers.
Hector wouldn?t be there the first day of school because he
17/395
was still in Spain with his aunt Pandora, though no one in town
knew why.
Helen pulled on a pair of shoulder-length rubber gloves, a long
apron, and dug through the garbage for stray recycling items. Lucas,
Jason, and Ariadne are all going to be in my grade. So I?m
surrounded.
She went to the back kitchen and put a load in the industrial
dishwasher. She mopped the floors and started counting the
money. Lucas is such a stupid name. It?s all wrong. It sticks out
like a sore thumb.
?Lennie??
?What! Dad! Can?t you see I?m counting?? Helen said, slamming
her hands down on the counter so hard she made a stack of quarters
jump. Jerry held up his hands in a placating gesture.
?It?s the first day of school tomorrow,? he reminded her in his
most reasonable voice.
?I know,? she responded blankly, still unaccountably irritable but
trying not to take it out on her father.
?It?s almost eleven, honey,? he said. Kate came out from the back
to check on the noise.
?You?re still here? I?m really sorry, Jerry,? she said, looking perplexed.
?Helen, I told you to lock the front and go home at nine.?
They both stared at Helen, who had arranged every bill and every
coin in neat stacks.
?I got sidetracked,? Helen said lamely.
After sharing a worried glance with Jerry, Kate took over counting