Chicken Girls

by Brat

  “Excuse me??” Meg finally interrupted, putting down her knife and fork. Everyone turned to her.

  “I shouldn’t have asked, I understand.” Silas said, clearly disappointed. “It is very soon, and—”

  “Of course we want to live here,” Meg said, breaking out one of her rare smiles. “It’s about time Conrad and I get to know our grandfather.”

  Silas didn’t blink before his eyes were streaming with tears, his face broken into a million lines from the grin that stretched from ear to ear. “Well, I’d sure like to get to know my grandkids, too, Meg.”

  The twins smiled at each other and at their grandfather.

  CHAPTER 33

  Matilda and Rhyme spent the day at Silas’s with the twins, playing croquet on his court, swimming in his inground pool—both of them—and eating so many foods they couldn’t pronounce that Conrad swore he would vomit. But soon, the sun was setting, and the twins and Silas were leaving the next day for Asheville.

  After Silas thanked Rhyme and Matilda for their help, promising to give support if they ever needed it, the twins walked them out to Matilda’s car. “We’ll see each other again,” Conrad said, though they knew they probably wouldn’t.

  “Of course,” Rhyme and Meg said at the same time. Meg said bye to Rhyme first, gripping her in a tight hug and thanking her for being the coolest girl she had ever met. “You feel sort of like my little sis,” Meg said at one point, and Rhyme had to hold her jaw from dropping. “Call me if you ever want to talk. You remind me a lot of myself at your age, and I’d love to help you avoid the same mistakes I made.” Rhyme could feel her throat catching, so she just pulled Meg in for another hug.

  Conrad rubbed the back of his neck as Rhyme peeled off from Meg and approached. “I guess now’s goodbye,” he said. He rolled his eyes and grinned, that infectious smile that pulled at the corners of Rhyme’s mouth. “I’m gonna miss you, Rhyme. And …” He seemed to be struggling with how to articulate what he wanted to say next. “And whatever guy you’ve been texting all summer … If he doesn’t realize how smart and special and perfect you are, then he’s not worth your salt.” Rhyme didn’t know exactly what that meant, but she knew what Conrad was trying to say.

  “I was that obvious?” Rhyme finally said, impressed at how perceptive Conrad was.

  “Meg figured it out,” he said, which made much more sense. Rhyme laughed, already spilling tears as she pulled him in for a hug. They all made promises to keep in touch as they separated.

  Matilda and Rhyme rode home in silence, both knowing neither would ever acknowledge this experience at school, but also that they shared something secret. Something special.

  When Rhyme got home, her house was empty. “Mom? Dad? Harmony?” she called out, reviving the fear she thought she’d put to bed. Had Uncle Fiske come back for one final blow? But she heard a whistle, her father calling her out back, where he stood grilling burgers and veggies and wearing the ratty KISS THE COOK apron she didn’t remember him ever not having.

  “What’s going on?” Rhyme said, as she saw a tray of jars on the outdoor table. Harmony already had one in her hand, chasing a blinking light that rose out of reach.

  “We’re celebrating your passing the Test Test,” her mother said, not able to feign casualness long before running to Rhyme and grabbing her in an ecstatic hug. “The school just called!” Rhyme didn’t know what to say, she had completely forgotten about the test.

  “We’re also catching up with the fireflies,” Rhyme’s father said, as if it were obvious. “They’re very upset we didn’t properly greet them this summer.” Rhyme’s eyes, which seemed like faucets today, ran over as she grabbed a jar.

  “Well then, we must make it up to them,” she said, brushing her hair out of her eyes as she joined her sister catching fireflies.

  EPILOGUE

  A few days later, Rhyme was walking Reggie when a brightly painted bus full of screaming girls drove by before screeching to a halt. Out bounded several girls with duffel bags and suntans and friendship bracelets. Leading the pack were Ellie and Kayla, followed by Quinn. Neither Rhyme nor the girls could speak for the first several minutes, just grabbing and looking at each other and then screaming before repeating the cycle.

  “I’m so happy to see you guys,” Rhyme finally said as the streetlights turned on. “I really missed you.” They exchanged another round of hugs before Ellie and Kayla launched into a detailed description of their summer at camp, which had involved a lot of bonding with PowerSurge, a reality almost stranger than the one Rhyme had lived.

  “So how was your summer?” Ellie finally asked, and Rhyme walked several paces as she considered her response.

  “Nothing special,” she said. “Pretty much as boring as expected.” Rhyme smiled to herself as they moved onto discussing plans for dance team next year. Even if she had told them the truth, they never would have believed her.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Matilda Higgins is the former editor-in-chief of the Attaway Appeal and an aspiring novelist and historian. She helped Ms. Sharpe, the Attaway librarian, create an incredible historical exhibit for the county fair. She’s the youngest of five daughters and an eighth generation Attawinian. In her spare time, Matilda competes in triathlons and scours the town for a new lead. She hopes to matriculate to NYU and study journalism. This is her debut novel.