Penny from Heaven by Jennifer L. Holm

portable radio on. I don’t even ask him; I just fling open the passenger door and throw myself in and the tears start pouring down my cheeks, pouring and pouring like they’re never gonna stop. I’m bawling my head off, crying so hard, you’d think the fire department would hire me.
    “Princess,” Uncle Dominic says, alarm in his voice. “What’s wrong?”
    But I can’t speak; I’m too busy crying, and it must scare Uncle Dominic, because he grabs me by the shoulders and gives me a little shake.
    “What happened? Did some boy touch you?” he demands, his voice urgent.
    That snaps me out of it like a blast of cold water.
    “No,” I say. “Nothing like that.”
    “Oh,” he says, and his shoulders relax immediately. “Okay, then. What’s with the waterworks?”
    “It’s Mother,” I say.
    “Something happened to your mother?”
    “She’s dating the milkman!”
    He blinks.
    “He came over to the house and talked through the whole game,” I say.
    “The milkman,” Uncle Dominic says.
    “Yes! The milkman!” And then I burst into tears again.
    He digs out his handkerchief. “Here. Come on now, it’s not so bad.”
    This from a man who lives in a car and talks to dogs?
    “Don’t you understand? What if they get married? What if he becomes my father?”
    “Then you have a new father,” he says. “Right?”
    “But he’s all wrong! He’s not the kind of father I want!”
    “Why? Does he drink?”
    “I don’t think so,” I say. “Unless you count milk.”
    “That’s good,” he says. “Does he have a job?”
    “He’s a milkman,” I say.
    “Sober and employed,” Uncle Dominic says. “What more could you ask for?”
    “It’s just that I want someone like, like . . .” and my throat closes up.
    “Your father?” he finishes.
    “Maybe you can marry Mother?” I ask, and start talking fast. “You know all about me. And you know how to fix the toilet. Even Me-me will like that.”
    Uncle Dominic just shakes his head sadly.
    “Princess, your mother and me, we just ain’t never gonna be like that.”
    I lean back against the seat. “It’s not fair.”
    “Life’s not fair,” Uncle Dominic says, and I know he’s right. After all, he could be playing for the Dodgers right now instead of listening to them on the radio.
    “Are you sure you won’t think about it?”
    He shakes his head.
    “Why did she have to pick the milkman?” I mutter.
    “Look at it this way,” he says, putting his arm around my shoulder. “At least you’ll get a lot of free milk.”

    Uncle Dominic drives me home. My mother’s sitting on the front porch swing when we get there, and Mr. Mulligan’s car is gone.
    “Think she’s mad?” I ask Uncle Dominic.
    “Knowing your mother, I’d say so,” he says.
    “But she threw me a slider, Uncle Dominic! Honest, I never saw it coming.”
    He shrugs. “That’s the game, Princess.”
    “Well, I struck out,” I grumble, and I open the car door and get out. I poke my head back through the window. “What should I do?”
    “Apologize and then stay out of her way. She’ll cool off.”
    “Thanks,” I say.
    “Anytime, Princess,” he says.
    I wait until he’s driven away to walk up the steps.
    “I’m sorry,” I say to her.
    My mother doesn’t have to say a word. The door banging behind her as she goes into the house says it all.

CHAPTER TEN
    The Water Boy’s Treasure
    Frankie thinks it’s hilarious.
    “Your mother’s dating Milky Mulligan?” He guffaws.
    We’re sweeping up the store. It’s me and Frankie’s job to put down new sawdust—otherwise the blood from the back gets tracked everywhere.
    “Does he smell like old cheese?” Frankie asks. “You know, how milk bottles sometimes get that old-cheese smell when they’re left out in the sun?”
    “Frankie,” I say.
    “Boy, if they get married, you’ll be Penny Milky Mulligan.”
    “Shut up.”
    He bursts out laughing. “You can serve milk instead of champagne at the wedding! No,