Coming Attractions by Robin Jones Gunn Page B

should be glad for that.”
    “Well, keep your lips closed so no more surprises leak out.”
    Just then the door opened with a jerk. Both Katie and Christy opened their mouths and nearly in unison drew in a gasp of surprise.
     The off-guard gasps were followed by unladylike hiccups.
    Standing in front of them were two surprises.

8
    T odd!”
    “Rick!”
    “What in the world — hic — are you guys doing here?” Katie spouted between hiccups.
    Rick and Todd looked pretty pleased with their surprise.
    “Surprising you both,” Todd said.
    “It worked,” Christy said with another hiccup. “Now you have to scare us so these hiccups will — hic — go away.”
    “Seriously, though.” Katie pressed her cheek against Rick’s chest and received his big hug while Christy and Todd gave each
     other a hello kiss laced with a hiccup.
    “What’s with the hiccups? What have you two been doing?” Rick asked.
    “Just eating.”
    Todd lowered his voice. “Your aunt isn’t going to like that. She made dinner reservations, and apparently you’re late.”
    “Late?” Christy and Katie looked at each other and hiccupped again, followed by shared laughter.
    “We didn’t know we were supposed to be here at a certain time,” Christy said.
    “Christy, darling, is that you?” Aunt Marti’s shrill voice called from the living room.
    Rick put his finger up to his lips and gave Katie a warm grin. “She has plans. It seems best we just go along with them.”
    “By any chance would the two of you be part of her plan?” Katie asked.
    “She called and asked if we could come up and surprise you.”
    “Why?” Christy asked. “What is she up to?”
    “I have no idea. Come on in, and we’ll find out.”
    “I need to get my bag out of the — hic — out of the car,” Christy said.
    “I’ll get it for you,” Rick offered.
    “I’ll go with you,” Katie said. She and Rick walked hand in hand a few feet away from the front door before Katie felt an
     overwhelming need to burp. She put her hand over her mouth and tried to silence the culprit.
    Rick turned and looked at her as the muffled belch rumbled behind her closed lips. “Are you okay?”
    Katie nodded but didn’t dare open her mouth quite yet. She felt much better. Her hiccups were gone as well.
    The first thing Rick commented on when they opened the door to the car was the unmistakable scent of fast food. “What were
     you two eating?”
    “Chilidogs and milkshakes. And onion rings and fries. But the chilidogs and onion rings weren’t our idea.”
    “What?”
    “Nothing. Never mind. The bags are in the trunk. So how did you manage to get away and come here? I’m stunned.”
    “Are you glad I came?”
    “Yes, of course. Very glad. I thought I was going to spend my time here working on projects for school, but this is much better.
     It’s going to be lots more fun being with you.”
    “And shopping for a car,” Rick added.
    “Oh, Uncle Bob told you?”
    “Marti did.” Rick closed the trunk, picked up both overnight bags and stood in front of Katie with a not-so-happy look on
     his face. “Why didn’t you tell me, Katie?”
    “Tell you what?”
    “That you were ready to buy a car.”
    “I knew you were busy. I called Uncle Bob awhile ago and asked him if he could help me.”
    “I’m not so busy that I can’t be there for you at times like this. I want to help you with important decisions. You know that,
     don’t you?”
    “Christy said I should have told you. I just got so busy, and to be honest, I didn’t think you would mind.”
    “It’s not that I mind. I mean, it’s your car and your money. But I just don’t understand.”
    “Don’t understand what?”
    “First of all, where did you find the money to buy a car, and second, why didn’t you tell me?”
    “Tell you about the money or about buying a car?”
    “Both.”
    “Well, I… I, um…”
    Rick looked impatient, standing there holding both bags.
    “Can we go inside, and then