Rebel McKenzie by Candice Ransom Page A

hustled Rudy toward the door. Doublewide jumped off Miss Odenia’s lap.
    â€œTime we were getting home,” I said, shooing Doublewide ahead of me. “Lynette will worry. Thanks for the lesson, Miz Odenia. See you later, Lacey Jane.”
    â€œThanks for serving,” Miss Odenia hollered after me. “Be here tomorrow morning at ten. We’ll learn to pivot turn.”
    The Clunker was parked in the driveway. Its engine cracked and popped in the heat, which meant Lynette had only been home a few minutes. She trudged from the cluster of mailboxes, gripping a fistful of mail.
    She fixed me with an angry glare. “I walk in after a long hard day and what do I find? Doublewide’s throw-up on the bathroom rug, laundry strung all over the floor, and no supper.” Then she noticed Rudy, whose neck, knees, and elbows were caked with dirt. “ Where have you been?”
    â€œDigging fossils down by the sewer. Rebel and Lacey Jane went to a party,” the little snitch replied. I could have throttled him.
    â€œThe sewer! You know you’re not supposed to go down there! Rebel, why weren’t you watching him? What kind of a babysitter are you?”
    â€œThe free kind.”
    Lynette shifted her weight so one hip jutted out. “Well, I’m glad you were having a big time while my son was wallowing in filth.”
    â€œI was not having a big time, unless you call being a waitress at Miz Odenia’s card party a blast,” I tossed back.
    â€œI didn’t notice Doublewide’s accident or I would have cleaned it up. The way that cat eats, no wonder he gets sick. I told Rudy three times to pick up his clothes. And like Old Mother Hubbard said to her dog, the cupboard is bare.”
    I folded my arms over my chest, daring Lynette to rip into me some more.
    But she said, “Shoot. I’ve been so busy with school I forgot to go grocery shopping. Look, I just got Chuck’s check. We’ll stop by the bank on the way to Kroger. And I’ll fix us a good supper when we get back.”
    â€œI want Tater Tots!” Rudy said.
    Lynette steered him toward the trailer. “You aren’t going anywhere like this.”
    I hurried in after them, wiping up Doublewide’s mess on the rug and collecting Rudy’s underwear. Fifteen minutes later, we were tooling down Frog Level Road in The Clunker. Lynette zipped by the drive-up window of the bank, then mashed the gas to Kroger.
    â€œWe’re all starved cockeyed,” she said, swerving into the parking lot. “The absolute worst time to go grocery shopping. Don’t buy too much junk.”
    Even though he was way too old, Rudy hopped into a cart. His knees tucked under his chin, he hung on to the sides as I raced down the aisles. We filled the cart with all sorts of nutritious stuff like Hostess Sno Balls (pink and white), Clark bars, Nesquik, and Lucky Charms for Rudy, who finally decided to brave a bowl of cereal for breakfast. I didn’t think Lucky Charms was much of an improvement over RC floats, but if he didn’t eat it, I would. Gotta love that leprechaun!
    We met Lynette at the cookie aisle. Her cart was loaded with soft drinks, grape jelly, peanut butter, saltines, Wonder bread, milk, Velveeta, TV dinners, tuna potpies, and Rudy’s Tater Tots.
    She eyed the package of pink Sno Balls Rudy was holding. “Rebel, I told you not so much junk.”
    â€œYour cart wouldn’t win any home ec prizes, either,” I said. “We need cookies.”
    Lynette reached for the two-pound bag of gingersnaps that were on sale.
    â€œNot those,” I said hastily. “I don’t really like them.”
    â€œThen how come you ate a half a bag last night?” Rudy blabbed. “Mama, Rebel stayed in the bathroom a looong time this morning. Doublewide had to go in the yard.”
    I poked him. “Do we have any secrets in this family?”
    â€œAnd you complain about the way