The Granny Game

by Beverly Lewis

  Beverly Lewis Books for Young Readers

  PICTURE BOOKS

  In Annika’s Secret Wish • Jesse’s Shoes • Just Like Mama

  What Is God Like? • What Is Heaven Like?

  THE CUL-DE-SAC KIDS

  The Double Dabble Surprise

  The Chicken Pox Panic

  The Crazy Christmas Angel Mystery

  No Grown-ups Allowed

  Frog Power

  The Mystery of Case D. Luc

  The Stinky Sneakers Mystery

  Pickle Pizza

  Mailbox Mania

  The Mudhole Mystery

  Fiddlesticks

  The Crabby Cat Caper

  Tarantula Toes

  Green Gravy

  Backyard Bandit Mystery

  Tree House Trouble

  The Creepy Sleep-Over

  The Great TV Turn-Off

  Piggy Party

  The Granny Game

  Mystery Mutt

  Big Bad Beans

  The Upside-Down Day

  The Midnight Mystery

  Katie and Jake and the Haircut Mistake

  www.BeverlyLewis.com

  © 1999 by Beverly Lewis

  Published by Bethany House Publishers

  11400 Hampshire Avenue South

  Bloomington, Minnesota 55438

  www.bethanyhouse.com

  Bethany House Publishers is a division of

  Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

  www.bakerpublishinggroup.com

  Ebook edition created 2012

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

  ISBN 978-1-4412-6086-4

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

  Cover illustration by Paul Turnbaugh

  Text illustrations by Janet Huntington

  Cover design by Lookout Design, Inc.

  To

  Carol Johnson,

  a fun-loving grandma,

  who enjoys both broccoli

  and chocolate cake.

  Contents

  Cover

  Beverly Lewis Books for Young Readers

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  The Cul-de-sac Kids Series

  About the Author

  Other Books by Author

  Back Cover

  ONE

  Abby Hunter felt like a jitterbox.

  Grandma Hunter was coming for the weekend. The pickiest grandma in the west.

  Abby dusted and mopped. She checked under the guest room bed. She looked behind the dresser.

  Everything must be spotless and neat.

  Abby stepped back for a final look. “Double dabble good,” she said.

  Mother came in just then. “Thank you for helping, Abby. What a nice, clean room,” she said.

  “Will Grandma notice?” Abby asked. She really hoped so.

  Her mother nodded. “Only one thing is missing,” she said with a smile. “Can you guess?”

  Abby looked all around the room. “Flowers! Grandma likes fresh flowers,” she said.

  “You’re right.” Mother gave Abby a big hug. “We’ll buy some at the florist.”

  She looked up at her mother. “I’m going to miss you and Daddy while you’re gone.”

  “We’ll miss you, too, honey. But Grandma will take good care of you. And your sister and brothers.” Mother kissed the top of Abby’s head. “The weekend will go fast.”

  Suddenly, Abby remembered something about Grandma’s cooking.

  Her stomach churned.

  Her taste buds faded.

  Her nose twitched.

  Grandma’s favorite foods were yucky. She liked to cook things like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and asparagus. The greenest, smelliest vegetables in the world!

  Quickly, she told her mother, “Carly and Jimmy will make a fuss about Grandma’s cooking. And you know how Shawn likes Korean recipes.” She sighed. “What’ll we do?”

  There was a twinkle in her mother’s eye. “Your grandma’s very wise.”

  “Oh,” said Abby.

  She thought about being very wise. Did it mean eating dark green foods? And keeping the house perfectly clean?

  Mother was grinning. “Grandma raised your father. Just think what a fine man he turned out to be.”

  Abby had heard her father’s childhood stories. “Grandma and Grandpa had a bunch of children,” she said. “Did all of them eat broccoli?”

  Mother laughed out loud. “You’ll have to ask Grandma about that.”

  Abby would ask, all right.

  First thing tomorrow!

  TWO

  It was Friday morning. School was out for a teacher work day.

  Abby brushed her sister’s hair. “Hold still. I’ll make a ponytail.”

  “Ouch, you’re hurting me!” Carly wailed.

  “Sorry. I’ll be more careful,” Abby promised. She tried to keep her mind on Carly’s wavy blond hair. It was so pretty.

  She tried not to think about the long weekend.

  “When’s Grandma coming?” asked Carly.

  “Right after breakfast,” Abby replied.

  “She won’t make that horrible dish, will she?” Carly asked.

  “Which one?” Abby laughed. “They’re all icky, aren’t they?”

  Carly pinched her nose. “What if we die from Grandma’s cooking?” She was laughing, too.

  Abby shushed her. “Don’t say it so loud.”

  “Why?—because Mommy and Daddy might not go on their trip?” Carly’s eyes spelled mischief.

  “Grandma won’t poison us,” Abby assured her. “You know that!”

  “Maybe . . . maybe not,” added Carly, frowning.

  “She loves us, you silly sister,” Abby insisted.

  Carly nodded. “I know. But she cooks terrible stuff.”

  Abby understood Carly’s worry.

  What a weekend ahead!

  When Carly’s ponytail was done, Abby snapped in a bow. “Now you’re ready for our prissy grandma.”

  Carly looked in the dresser mirror. “Goody!” She touched her hair and the bow. Then she turned toward Abby. “Why didn’t Mommy ask Granny Mae to come?”

  Abby smiled. “I think you know why.”

  Carly wrinkled up her nose. “I do?”

  Abby leaned down. She whispered in her sister’s ear. “Granny Mae is crazy for sweets. She only has eyes for junk food and goodies.”

  “That’s not why!” Carly insisted. “It can’t be!”

  “Ask Mom,” Abby said. “You’ll find out.”

  Carly shook her head. “You ask.”

  “I don’t have to. I know I’m right,” Abby said.

  Carly tossed her head. Her ponytail brushed against her cheek. “Okay, I’ll see for myself.” She dashed out of the bedroom.

  Abby sat on the bed and sighed.

  When would her sister ever believe her?

  Abby helped Dad carry the suitcases to the car.

  Her parents kissed her good-bye.

  They kissed and hugged Carly, Shawn, and Jimmy, too.

  Dad’s face was serious. “Please obey your grandmother.” He looked at
each of them.

  “We will,” Abby said. She glanced at Carly. “Won’t we?”

  Carly was trying to keep from smiling. Abby could tell by her sister’s flat lips. A giggle might burst out any minute!

  Jimmy was whispering to Shawn in Korean.

  Abby recognized several words.

  Jimmy was telling Shawn something about broccoli.

  Abby listened more carefully.

  Oh no! she thought. Shawn was telling Jimmy not to eat the broccoli!

  Dad caught Abby’s eye. He must’ve heard, too. “Now, boys,” he began. “You must eat your vegetables while we’re gone.”

  “We have to?” Jimmy whined.

  “Grandma will be in charge of you,” Dad said.

  Jimmy’s eyes rolled around. “Green vegetables make little boy very sick.” He was pointing to himself.

  Shawn’s face was droopy, too.

  But the boys weren’t going to fool Dad. Probably not Grandma Hunter, either.

  “You’ll eat whatever your grandmother makes,” Mom said. Her words were firm.

  Jimmy started to groan.

  He held his stomach.

  He pretended to be too sick to stand up.

  Ker-plop-ity! He fell over and slammed onto the floor.

  Then . . . Shawn and Carly fell over, too.

  There were three kids on the floor, faking it good.

  Abby shook her head. She felt like joining them, but she knew better. Her parents were watching.

  “We’re counting on you,” Mother said. She was giving Abby “The Eye.”

  “The Eye” was nothing to fool around with. It meant important business.

  “No funny stuff,” Daddy warned. “We want a good report when we return.”

  Suddenly, Abby wished she wasn’t the oldest. Why did the oldest kid have to behave the best? Always!

  She guessed she knew why.

  It was important to be a good example. For Carly, Shawn, and Jimmy.

  “Okay, enough of this,” Dad said. He looked at the wiggling threesome on the floor. He snapped his fingers. “C’mon! Up you go!”

  Shawn, Carly, and Jimmy were on their feet. But they were still holding their stomachs and moaning.

  “Don’t worry,” Abby told her parents. “I’ll make sure everyone obeys Grandma.” She glanced at her sister and brothers. “All weekend!”

  “Since when is Abby the boss?” Carly said, making a face.

  Mother and Daddy set her straight. “Abby’s the oldest. She’s going to help Grandma,” Dad said. “End of story.”

  Carly made another face. A pickle face!

  What a weekend, thought Abby. What a wacky weekend!

  THREE

  Grandma Hunter arrived in a yellow taxi cab.

  She stepped out, wearing her pink Sunday dress. And a pretty apron. A single strand of pearls hung around her neck. And there were earrings to match.

  “Let me look at you, children.”

  Smack! She planted a kiss on each face.

  Jimmy turned around. When no one was looking, he wiped off the kiss.

  Abby saw him do it. She frowned hard at him.

  Jimmy shot daggers with his eyes.

  But Mother and Daddy didn’t notice. They were smiling, almost too pleased. Especially Mother.

  Grandma Hunter greeted Mother and Daddy. “My grandchildren and I are going to have a splendid time.” She glanced at Abby and the others. “Aren’t we, children?”

  Suddenly, Grandma wanted to hug again, starting with the youngest.

  Little Jimmy got squeezed almost to nothing.

  Carly and Shawn were next.

  And last, Abby.

  Grandma’s big, chubby arms pressed in around her. “My, my, you’ve grown,” said Grandma.

  Abby was pleased about that. She was glad she was getting taller. The oldest kid should be the tallest kid.

  Double dabble good!

  Stepping back, Grandma smiled sweetly. “I have the most delicious recipe for supper,” she announced. “It’s a surprise.”

  Abby shuddered. Not tonight, she thought. Not the very first night.

  Then she caught her mother’s eyes. Her parents had asked the kids to obey. They were expected to be polite. They must eat exactly what their grandmother cooked.

  Yikes!

  Abby was a jitterbox again.

  Abby led Grandma to the guest room. “Here’s where you’ll sleep,” she said.

  Silently, Abby waited.

  At once, Grandma began to inspect! She ran her fingers over the dresser. And over the top of the mirror. She looked under the bed and behind the nightstand.

  Abby was glad she had cleaned so carefully.

  At last, Grandmà sat down. Her eyes discovered the flowers. “How very pretty,” she said with a sigh.

  Abby grinned. “The flowers were Mother’s idea. But I cleaned your room.”

  Grandma was nodding. “Abby, you’re an excellent housekeeper.”

  “Thanks.” She stayed in the room. Her grandma might need some help unpacking.

  Then Abby noticed a giant shopping bag. It was bursting with strange objects. Especially something round and silver.

  Gulp!

  The vegetable steamer!

  Abby had seen the silver thingamabob before. It had come with Grandma the last time!

  She thought of falling on the floor. She thought of holding her stomach. But Abby was the oldest. She had to behave. Dad and Mother would be unhappy if she didn’t.

  Abby didn’t dare gag. She didn’t dare faint on the floor. But she did take a deep breath. She’d have to eat steamed vegetables. Tonight!

  “Grandma?” she said softly. “What’s for supper?”

  “Just you wait and see,” Grandma said. Her eyebrows flew up over her big blue eyes. She seemed terribly excited.

  Abby got her hopes up. Maybe tonight’s supper wouldn’t include broccoli, after all. Maybe . . .

  She crossed her fingers. She didn’t hope to die, though. That came easily with eating yucky vegetables!

  “Did you feed Daddy broccoli when he was little?” Abby asked.

  A smile swept over Grandma’s face. “Ah, broccoli,” she whispered. “Doesn’t it have a nice ring to it?”

  Abby listened. She didn’t hear anything. “What ring?”

  Grandma waved her hand. “Oh, never mind that,” she said. “It’s the taste that counts.”

  “The taste?” Abby wanted to choke. How could Grandma think such a thing?

  Grandma held up the vegetable steamer. “Do you have any idea about this marvelous thing?” She stared at it, admiring it. Like it was a treasure or something.

  Abby tried not to frown . . . or cry. “Did my father eat broccoli when he was little? Did his brothers and sisters?”

  “Is the sky blue?” Grandma Hunter replied. She touched the flowers in the vase. “Are these daisies yellow?”

  Abby didn’t get it. Why was her grandma asking questions right back?

  Of course the sky was blue. And the flowers were yellow. Anybody could see that!

  Grandma folded her hands in her lap. “Well, Abby?”

  All of a sudden, she understood. Grandma was trying to say that her children did like broccoli.

  “They ate many kinds of vegetables,” Grandma added. “Back in those days, children weren’t so picky.”

  “So everyone ate broccoli in the olden days?” asked Abby.

  Grandma laughed. “My dear girl. I don’t think you understood a word I said.”

  Just then Abby was wrapped into a big hug.

  “I love you anyway,” Grandma said with a grin.

  After that, Abby decided something. She would try to forget the broccoli question.

  She would try very hard!

  FOUR

  “Eeyew, gross,” Jimmy said at supper. He was staring at Grandma’s vegetable surprise.

  Abby felt jittery. Her little brother had zero manners. None!

  The dark green vegetable
was smothered in cheese sauce. But the green yuck poked through anyway.

  Grandma’s big surprise was a broccoli casserole!

  Abby didn’t know what to do. Should she kick Jimmy under the table? Should she give him “The Eye”?

  She frowned hard at her brother. She hoped he might look her way.

  But he didn’t.

  Jimmy kept it up. “AAAUUUGH!” he hollered. “I hate broccoli!”

  Shawn’s eyes popped wide.

  Carly’s mouth dropped open.

  But Jimmy was just warming up. “Grandma not love little boy from Korea,” he wailed. “Not . . . not . . . not!”

  Grandma Hunter was on her feet. She hurried over to Jimmy and touched his forehead. “Are you sick, child?” she asked.

  “Very sick,” he cried. “Jimmy very, very sick boy.”

  It sounded like velly, velly.

  Abby almost burst out laughing.

  Carly and Shawn had trouble keeping a straight face, too. Abby had never seen Jimmy carry on like this.

  Well . . . she had. Once before.

  It was the night of Jimmy’s first bath. He squealed and yelled. She thought he’d never stop. So Abby had gone to look for her old plastic duck. When she found it, she gave it to Jimmy. He stopped crying. Just like that.

  Now Abby picked up her fork. She tried to ignore her loud-mouthed little brother. It wasn’t easy.

  He fussed. Louder and louder.

  Shawn hollered something to him in Korean. But that made things even worse.

  Jimmy pushed away from the table. He looked terribly white. He was holding his stomach. Like before Dad and Mother left for the weekend.

  Only this time he looked sick. For real.

  Grandma began to fan him with her napkin. “Oh, dear boy,” she said. “Let’s get you to the washroom.”

  Jimmy was nodding his head. “Yes, hurry, hurry.”

  Abby couldn’t believe it. Jimmy had made himself sick.

  After Grandma left with Jimmy, Abby had a funny feeling.

  Both Shawn and Carly were looking at her.

  “What’re you two staring at?” she asked.

  “You’re the oldest,” Carly piped up. “Why didn’t you do something?”

  “About Jimmy?” asked Abby.

  Shawn’s eyes were big. “Jimmy not really sick, is he?”

  Abby didn’t know. “He might be faking. I’m not sure.”