Chicken Pox Panic, the (2 page)

Abby was glad. She was tired of Carly's chatter. And all that dumb cross-your-heart stuff.

She hid the atlas under her bed.

Then she fell asleep wishing she hadn't told anyone about the cake.

THREE

Abby woke up when Carly brought in a supper tray. On it was chicken soup and honey toast.

Stacy Henry came for a visit. She was Abby s best friend.

Stacy pulled a get-well card out of her pocket.

“Here. I made this for you in art today.” She gave it to Abby.

Abby read the card. It was a silly sad face with spots all over. It was Abby's itchy gitchy chicken pox face.

At the bottom of the card was a happy face—
after
the chicken pox.

“Hope you get well quick,” Stacy said. She untied her sneakers and pulled them off.

“Thanks,” Abby said. “I have to. My brother's birthday is in two weeks.”

“And Abby's going to bake him a cake,” Carly said.

Abby stared at Carly.
She better not tell!

Carly put her hand over her mouth. “Oops, I mean, Abby's going to . . .”

“Just be quiet,” Abby warned.

Abby wanted to take back the secret. Phooey, little sisters—what a pain!

Carly's friend, Dee Dee Winters, sneaked into the bedroom just then. She giggled when she saw Abby. “I brought you something, Abby-pox.”

She gave Abby a plastic ring.

“Thanks,” Abby said, sliding it on her pinky.

Carly stood beside the bed. “Wanna see Abby's spots?” She pulled back the covers.

Dee Dee's eyes got big.

“Come look,” Abby said. She propped her
pillows up behind her, showing off the bumps.

“They're everywhere!” Dee Dee said.

Abby leaned against her pillows and grinned. “They kept me out of school all week.”

Stacy sat on the edge of the bed.

“Look out or you'll catch them!” Carly shouted, pulling on Stacy's arm.

Stacy smiled.”It's OK. I had them last year.”

Carly frowned. “You might get them again.”

“Mother says you only get them once,” Stacy said.

“Really?” said Carly.

Dee Dee crept toward the bed. “That's why I came over. My mother wants me to catch them.” She held her breath like she was scared, but then she sat down on the bed.

“We could get them together,” said Carly.

Dee Dee jumped up and said goodbye. She ran out of the room. Carly raced after her.

Abby slipped back under her quilt. “Quick, close the door” she said to Stacy.

Stacy hurried to shut the door. “Good idea. We have to talk.”

“What's up?” asked Abby.

“Promise you won't tell?”

Abby sat straight up in bed. A secret!

“Well,
do
you?” Stacy unzipped the pocket on her jacket. She pulled out a piece of paper.

Abby nodded. “I promise.”

She felt like a jitterbox for sure.

FOUR

Abby looked at Stacy's paper.

There was a tree with a bunch of branches and lines on it.

Stacy pointed to the paper. “Do you know what this is?”

Abby saw the names on the lines. “A family tree?”

Stacy nodded. “It's for school.”

“Wish I could go back soon,” said Abby. “Looks like fun.”

“Not really” said Stacy.

“How come?”

“I asked my mother, and she didn't know very many names,” said Stacy, sadly.

There were lots of blank lines in the branches on Stacy's paper.

Just then, someone knocked on the door.

“Shh!” said Stacy, sadly. She stuffed the paper into her pocket. “Don't say a word about this.”

Abby nodded. Then she called, “Who is it?”

“Shawn,” came the voice through the door. “Is Snow White in there?”

“Come look for your dog if you want,” Abby said.

The door opened. In came Shawn waving a dog collar. “Snow White—gone.”

“Are you sure?” Abby said.

“Carly say—time for Snow White to get chicken pox.” Shawn looked worried.

Abby and Stacy giggled.

Shawn looked puzzled. “Dogs get pox?”

Abby smiled. “Definitely not.”

“Good,” said Shawn, smiling.

“Maybe Jimmy took Snow White for a
walk. Look for him, and you might find your dog” Abby suggested.

Shawn held up the dog collar. “Take dog walking without leash? Not smart.”

“You're right,” Abby said. She thought about Snow White's favorite place. “Look in the secret place, behind Carly's closet,” she said. “Snow White likes to sleep there.”

“Good thinking,” Shawn said. He turned to Stacy. “Stay there. Do not leave soon.” Then he ran out of the room.

Stacy looked surprised. “I wonder what he wants.”

Abby said, “Quick! Show me your family tree again.”

Stacy unfolded the paper. “Hurry, I don't want Shawn . . . uh, or anyone to see.”

“Why not?” Abby asked.

“Because, I think I'm adopted.” Stacy looked like she was going to cry.

“You do?” Abby said, surprised.

Stacy played with the zipper on her jacket.
“My mother can't find my baby pictures. Not a single one.”

Abby scratched the bumps on her feet. “Maybe they got lost when you moved here.”

“That was a long time ago,” said Stacy.

“Wait a minute!” Abby said. “You can't be adopted. Everyone says your eyes look just like your dad's.”

“That's what my mother says. But I don't remember him. He moved out years ago.”

Abby took a deep breath. She wished Stacy's father lived at home. Right here on Blossom Hill Lane—the best cul-de-sac ever!

“I have an idea,” said Abby. “Look at your birth certificate. It will tell you the truth.”

“I tried that,” Stacy said. “My mother can't find it either.”

Abby frowned. “Is it lost?”

“I told you—I must be adopted,” Stacy said. “Just like your Korean brothers and Snow White and . . .” She stopped.

Abby threw the covers off and scooted
across the bed. She put her arm around Stacy. “And what?”

“And if it's true, I don't even know where I came from.”

Abby grabbed a Kleenex box off her dresser. “Here, wipe your eyes,” she said. “Why don't you ask your mother?”

Stacy shook her head. “I did. She's too busy.”

Now Abby was
really
worried.

Something was going on. She had to find out exactly what.

And fast!

FIVE

Someone pounded on Abby's bedroom door.

“Who's there?” Stacy called.

“Snow White and Goliath,” said a tiny voice.

Abby giggled. “That must be Jimmy, my little brother.”

Stacy tossed her family tree paper under the bed.

Jimmy came in carrying a fluffy white puppy. “Snow White sleeping in secret place . . . waiting for kiss from Goliath . . . to wake up,” he said.

Abby and Stacy giggled.

“You have a fairy tale mixed in with a Bible story,” Abby said. “Snow White is
not
in the Bible.”

“And Goliath would never kiss a puppy,” said Stacy.

“Jimmy's still learning about the Bible,” Abby said. She liked telling her adopted brothers the story of David and Goliath. In Korea, they had only heard Bible stories in the orphanage. Nowhere else.

Jimmy grinned and put the puppy down. Snow White hopped up on the bed and licked Abby's face.

“No, no, Snow White,” shouted Jimmy. “Must not get itchy pox.”

Just then, Shawn came in with his school notebook.

Snow White leaped up on him, too.

“You are here!” said Shawn, petting his puppy. He put the collar on Snow White.

Then he showed his notebook to Stacy. He opened it to his family tree. He pointed to
the grandfather line. “What did teacher say if person die?” he asked Stacy.

“You still write his name. Then the year he was born and the year he died. If you know it,” Stacy said.

“Oh,” Shawn said. “I do not know when grandfather die. Mother in Korea not know, too.”

Abby scratched her neck. “Let's see your family tree,” she said to Shawn.

There were two names on each line. One for his Korean birth parents and one for Abby's parents.

Shawn's eyes shone. “I have two families now.”

Stacy peeked at Shawn's family tree. She pointed to the line on the left side. “Is this your birth mother's name?”

Shawn smiled. “Yes. First mother live in Korea. She very sick. Mrs. Hunter, Abby's mother, now my mother. She adopt Jimmy and me. We very lucky.”

Stacy thought for a moment. “I think you're lucky, too.”

Abby handed the notebook back. “Your writing is getting better, Shawn. I think it's an A + paper.”

Shawn's eyes lit up. “Good. I think, too.”

Then he and Jimmy left the room.

Stacy sat on the rug, beside the bed. “I want to know if I'm adopted,” she said.

“I'm good at solving mysteries,” said Abby. “I'll help you.”