Rebel McKenzie by Candice Ransom Page B

Doublewide eats. I could have told you gingersnaps give you the runs.” Lynette set the bag back on the shelf.
    I spotted a package of vanilla and chocolate cookies in different shapes. Some were frosted and some were plain. Stella D’Oro Lady Stella assortment. “These look delicioso.”
    â€œFour ninety-nine!” Lynette exclaimed when she saw the price. “Rebel, there are only about twelve cookies in that package.”
    â€œWith that classy name, they’ll be worth it.”
    While Lynette fixed us a payday supper of tomato soup, grilled cheese sandwiches, and Tater Tots, Rudy and me put the groceries away. I tore the package of Stella D’Oro Lady Stella assortment open.
    â€œDon’t spoil your supper,” Lynette warned.
    â€œâ€˜Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first.’ I read that somewhere.”
    Lynette stirred the soup. “I don’t think school will ever get any better. Today Marcie—her station is next to mine—she begged me to cut her hair. She knows we’re only allowed to work on our mannequin heads. But she went on so, I took her in the break room and gave her a haircut.”
    â€œDid she like it?” I bit into a white-iced chocolate cookie.
    â€œAre you kidding? She said it looked like I used a chain saw. I told her she didn’t have the kind of hair for a choppy bob, but did she listen? So now Marcie’s telling the other girls I ruined her hair on purpose.”
    â€œSic Lacey Jane on her. She’ll straighten her out,” I said.
    â€œSpeaking of Lacey Jane,” Lynette said to me, “what were you and her up to today?”
    â€œWe served the food and washed the dishes at Miz Odenia’s card party.” The chocolate cookie didn’t have much taste. I nibbled on a square pink-frosted vanilla.
    Lynette pretended to reel backward. “If I ask you to pick a poppy seed off the floor, you whine and carry on something awful. And you’re serving and washing dishes for Miz Matthews?”
    The pink-frosted cookie wasn’t any better. I tried a plain round vanilla. “Every day you tell me stuff to do and I do it, plus watch Rudy, which isn’t the easiest job in the world.”
    â€œHey!” he protested.
    Lynette took the pan off the burner and poured the soup into two bowls, flipped our sandwiches over, and checked the Tater Tots in the oven. I marveled that she could do all of those things at once. I could pour the soup or flip the sandwiches or open the oven door, but only one thing at a time. Even then I’d probably mess up.
    â€œYou know why I was working at Miz Odenia’s today?” I asked her.
    â€œI’ve been waiting.”
    â€œShe’s teaching us how to be beauty pageant contestants.”
    â€œSay what?” A grilled cheese sandwich leaped out of the skillet. Lynette didn’t even bother to scrape it off the floor.
    â€œYou heard right. Lacey Jane and me entered the Frog Level firemen’s carnival beauty pageant.” I didn’t tell her I borrowed the entry fee. Or that I forged her signature on the form. “Miz Odenia is showing us how to walk right. She was once—well, she knows about that stuff. In exchange, me and Lacey Jane serve at her parties.”
    Rudy piped up. “Miz Odenia told us a story about a turtle she was gonna marry.”
    Lynette didn’t even hear that ridiculous remark. “I can’t believe you of all people entered a beauty pageant !”
    I shrugged. “It’s something to do.” Like heck it was. I’d commit capital murder to get to that paleontology dig.
    Lynette came over and lifted my hair off my neck. “We should definitely put your hair up. With a few curls off to one side. And of course I’ll do your makeup.”
    I pushed her hand away. “No makeup. And no weird hairdos, Miss Chain Saw Stylist. I want to look like myself.”
    She gave my shoulder a little slap.