Uncle and Ants
Page 27
Her doorbell rang. She didn’t move as she eyed me while her twinkle disappeared. I felt pinned to the couch. While we both sat there, the doorbell rang again. Skye and Megan raced past us and slammed into the door, neither winning their short, spontaneous race.
They scrambled to unlock the door while Laney uncoiled herself from the couch to control the situation. All three of them stood together as the front door finally swung open. A young man stood on the porch holding a crate. Behind him, a van with a Pa’s Paws logo sat in Laney’s driveway. The young man set the crate down on the ground. Looking up at us, he asked, “Megan Tran?”
“That’s me,” said an excited Megan, raising her hand high above her head and jumping to make her hand go even higher into the air.
He opened the crate and a large tan streak burst out of the crate and into the house. As the full-grown Labrador’s paws clattered on the hardwood floor hallway leading back to the bedrooms, both girls screamed with delight.
They twirled and raced after the dog. As they ran, “Thanks, Uncle Marty!” echoed back down the hallway.
Turned out that the only online, dog delivery service in the whole Bay Area didn’t have any puppies available, only a full-grown Labrador rescue dog. I’d figured that would do.
Laney’s mouth opened wide as she took a step back to the bedrooms. She couldn’t decide whether to go after the girls or argue with the delivery guy.
As if in slow motion, she turned to look at me as their thank-you started to register. “You didn’t!?”
“Betcha!” I said and slid out the door, pulling it closed behind me before something could hit me on the way out.
Thank you for reading!
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Can super-agent (in his own mind) Uncle Marty solve not one, but two mysteries without becoming a victim himself? Will he ever be forgiven for bringing Buddy, the Labrador, into his sister’s house? All your favorite characters are back in a crazy, new adventure. Plus, introducing a new member of Marty’s family!
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Acknowledgements
Love always to my wife! This book would not have been possible without her love, support, editing, and prodding.
To my mother and father for encouraging me to read, write, try new things, as well as for telling me stupid puns and not neglecting the etiquette lessons. Lots of love to my children, sister, and other relatives who encouraged me to write and downplayed their surprise when it turned out well.
Special thanks to the world’s best beta readers, especially Bill, Sandy, Andrea, Edgardo, Crystal, Anita, Keith, Ruth, Barnett, and our neighborhood women’s book group for their wonderful, early inputs and advice.
One last shout-out to Kristen Weber for her invaluable editorial coaching, assistance, and positivity.
About the Author
In my family, I was born first — a fact my sister never lets me forget, no matter what milestone age she hits.
For most of my life, I’ve been inventing stories. Some, especially when I was young, involved my sister as the villain. As my sister’s brother for her entire life, I’m highly qualified to tell this tale of this evolving, quirky sibling relationship.
My writing skills were honed in years of marketing leadership positions in Silicon Valley. While my high tech marketing roles involved crafting plenty of fiction, we called these marketing collateral, emails and ads.
My family would tell you that Marty’s character isn’t much of a stretch of the imagination for me, but I proudly resemble that remark.
Like Marty, I live in San Jose, where I write within earshot of the doppler effect of the local ice cream truck. My two kids do live across the country and benefit from what I believe are witty texts from their father. Fortunately, they’re too far away for me to hear their groans. Unlike Marty, I have a wonderful wife and a neurotic but sweet, small dog, who much prefers the walks resulting from writer’s block than my writing.
Thanks for reading Uncle and Ants! Visit www.marcjedel.com for more.
— Marc