McMummy by Betsy Byars Page A

they shared.
    “Like last year I was in the mall,” she continued, but she was still struggling with what she had to say, “and there was a lot of noise, but over all that noise, as clear as I hear my own voice right now, I heard your father’s voice call, ‘Lily!’
    “And I turned around and I expected to see him and when I didn’t see him, I was almost physically sick with disappointment. I could hardly drive home. Mozie, the imagination is a powerful, powerful force.”
    He felt almost sick himself, but he said stubbornly, “I’m not imagining.”
    She straightened. “Then that is all the more reason to stay away from the greenhouse.”
    They watched each other for a moment. His mother was looking into his eyes as hard as if she were trying to see what was going on behind them.
    She turned her eyes to the ceiling. She seemed to be reaching for some other argument. But when she looked back, she sighed. “Well, let’s go to bed. We can hash this out in the morning. Good night, Mozie.”
    “Good night.”

Hummmmm
    “I ’VE COME FOR MY dress,” Valvoline said. She spun into Crumb Castle.
    Mrs. Mozer said, “I guess you’ll want to try it on.”
    “Yes! I can’t wait to see myself in it.”
    Mozie said quickly, “I’ll be in the kitchen.”
    Mozie’s mother brought out the dress on a hanger. Mozie went through the kitchen and onto the back steps. He sat down. Pine Cone came out of the bushes and rubbed against his legs. Pine Cone had been very friendly since the storm.
    “Ah, Pine,” he said. He put his hand on the cat’s side and felt the comfortable purr.
    Inside his mother said, “Now, aren’t you glad you didn’t have me take it in? It fits perfectly.”
    “Hold the mirror so I can see the back.” There was a pause, then an explosion of pleasure. “I love it. I love it. I want to show Mozie. Mozie, where are you?”
    “I’m here,” he said, getting to his feet.
    Valvoline swirled onto the back porch, creating a small eddy of sweet-scented air. Mozie’s head snapped up and his mouth opened.
    Valvoline was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. She was radiant.
    “Am I going to win or am I going to win?”
    “Oh, you’ll win, all right.”
    “I wish you were one of the judges.” She started back into the house, then turned. “Are you coming? Please—to cheer for me.”
    Mozie hesitated.
    “Your mom promised she’d come.”
    “Oh, all right.”
    “I’d hug you if I didn’t have on this beautiful, exhilarating, fascinating, pageant-winning dress!”
    She disappeared into the house. Pine Cone came back for the last half of his neck rub. Mozie put his hand on Pine Cone’s side. He felt the deep humming, the purring.
    Valvoline’s perfume hung in the still summer air.
    Pine Cone’s purr grew louder. “Wow, you really are happy,” Mozie said, and then he realized the faint hum was not coming just from the cat.
    He shook his head to clear it. This humming had been recurring in his mind since that moment when he had stood in the scented bower and first heard it. He imagined this was because that was the moment he became aware of things beyond his understanding, things alien to all he knew, a world where anything could happen.
    Valvoline went out the front door and called, “See you at the pageant,” to Mozie. Mozie walked slowly around the house to watch her back out of the drive.
    The hum was stronger now. It seemed to be coming from the woods.
    Mozie stood without moving. Pine Cone came to join him and then stopped. The hair rose on Pine Cone’s back. Pine Cone let out a low yowling sound.
    Mozie bent to pat him. “What’s wrong, Pine Cone? I’m not leaving. I’m just …”
    Eyes wide, Pine Cone turned and ran for the house. Mozie could hear him scratching on the screen, begging to be let in.
    Mozie didn’t have time for the cat. Already the sound was fading. He started toward the woods.
    Mozie located the direction of the humming sound and quickened his pace. He