Frog Power (3 page)

Abby laughed. “What's Croaker doing out here?”

“Frogs need exercise, too,” Jason explained.

Eric turned around. “Animals need attention, whether they're ugly or not.”

Shawn laughed a high-pitched giggle.

Stacy didn't feel like laughing at all.

FIVE

Stacy was glad school was out early. She went with Abby to pick up Carly after school. Carly was waiting with Dee Dee Winters beside the first-grade door.

Shawn and Jimmy, Abby's Korean brothers, walked with them across the playground.

Jason's mom picked him up in her car. The frog aquarium was too heavy to carry home.

Soon, Eric came with Fran the Ham, and Dunkum with Blinkee. The Cul-de-
sac Kids always walked together. It was one of Abby's ideas. She was the president of the Cul-de-sac Kids—nine kids who lived on Blossom Hill Lane.

Carly and Dee Dee held hands as they skipped. Stacy remembered holding hands with Abby when they were in first grade. That had been the year after Stacy's dad moved out.

“Spring is almost here!” Abby shouted.

The sun was warm on Stacy's back. “And then comes summer!” she squealed.

“Yes! School over in two months,” Shawn yelled.

Dunkum and Eric had their hands full with cages. One for Blinkee and one for Fran the Ham. Shawn helped Eric carry his tape recorder.

Just then, Abby turned around in the middle of the cul-de-sac. “Everyone meet at Dunkum's after lunch,” she said. “We have important things to discuss.”

Carly giggled. “I already know what Abby's gonna say.”

“What is meeting about?” little Jimmy asked.

“Come and find out,” Dee Dee bossed.

“Abby, you tell now!” Jimmy yelled.

“It's not really a secret,” Abby told her brother and all the kids. “But we could surprise our parents for Easter.”

“Yes, let's,” said Stacy. She couldn't wait for the meeting.

“What surprise?” Jimmy asked.

“Stacy is planning a pet parade,” said Abby.

The kids liked the idea. Stacy could tell by the way everyone hurried home for lunch.

She unlocked her front door and went to fix a sandwich. “It's just you and me,” she said to Sunday Funnies. She poured dog food into his dish. Standing up, she saw a note stuck to the refrigerator. “What's this?”

Stacy began to read.

Dear Stacy,

Your father called this morning. He's going to be in town over Easter and wants to see us. We'll talk tonight, OK?

Love you, honey—
Mom

“Listen to this!” Stacy sat down beside her puppy and read the note out loud. She hugged Sunday Funnies. It was a strange name for a dog, but it fit. He could sniff out the Sunday newspaper and find the funny papers. Before anyone else!

A tall paper hat—made from the Sunday comics—would be the perfect Easter hat for him. Stacy could almost see the cul-de-sac pets marching, hopping, and jumping down Blossom Hill Lane. The pet parade would be the perfect Easter surprise for her dad!

Stacy made a peanut butter and jelly
sandwich. She drank a glass of milk with it. Nibbling on an apple, Stacy dashed off to Dunkum's.

She passed Jason Birchall's house on the way. Just thinking about Croaker made her shiver. He was the ugliest creature on earth.

Stacy wished Jason's bullfrog would go jump in a well. Then the pet parade would be perfect!

SIX

Stacy tossed her sneakers beside the steps in Dunkum's basement. Sitting on the floor, she finished eating her apple.

Dunkum whistled and the kids got quiet.

Abby plopped down in her president's seat—the blue beanbag. “OK,” she began. “Is everyone here?”

The kids looked around.

“Someone's missing,” Abby said.

Eric pushed his hair back. “Did we forget to tell Jason?”

“I thought
you
told him,” Dunkum said.

Shawn stood up. “I go get Jason.”

Stacy felt funny inside.

When Shawn came back with Jason, the Cul-de-sac Kids began to plan the parade.

“Stacy is a good fixer-upper,” Abby said. “She should be in charge of arranging the pets.”

Dunkum brought a marker board from his father's study. He handed a blue marker to Stacy. “You make a list of all the girl animals.” He drew a black line dividing the board in half. “I'll write the boy animals on this side.”

Stacy turned around. “What about
you
, Abby?”

Shawn leaped off the floor. “Abby play march tape on tape recorder.”

“Good idea!” Stacy said.

“Or, Abby could pull a wagon full of my grandpa's birdcages. He has three canaries and two parakeets,” Eric suggested.

Stacy looked at Abby. “Wanna?”

Abby nodded. “I'll carry the tape recorder in one hand, and pull the wagon with the other.”

“I could buy a
lady
frog for you,” Jason said. “Would you like that?”

“Uh . . . that's OK,” Stacy said quickly. “Abby is our props manager and bird tamer. Besides, one frog on the block is enough.”

Carly and Dee Dee giggled.

“Let's make Easter bonnets for the girl animals,” said Stacy. “Who wants to help me make them?”

Abby shot up her hand.

“What about bow ties for the boy animais?” Eric said. “Hey, Stacy, wanna help me?”

Stacy smiled. “OK!”

“Good idea,” Jason croaked. “I'll help, too. Er-rib-bit!”

Stacy groaned. Had Eric tricked her into touching Croaker? Again?

Abby ended the meeting. “Remember, don't tell your parents. It's a big surprise. Stacy's head of the parade. She'll make sure all the animals are dressed for the show.”

Stacy scrambled for her sneakers. Keeping a secret was not a problem. But tying a bow around a bullfrog's neck?
That
was a problem!

SEVEN

Stacy ran home to clean her room. Something bugged her about Jason's horrible frog. What was it?

She stood on a chair and dusted the shelf in her closet. In the back, Stacy found her old fairy-tale book.

She jumped off the chair and sat on her bed. Slowly, she turned the pages. It was filled with beautiful pictures. And memories of her dad.

Stacy picked up the bookmark. It had marked the spot in the middle of the story.
The one her father was reading to her before he left.

Stacy turned the page. “Oh no!” Staring up from the page was a giant green bullfrog. The story was “The Frog Prince”—the same one that Stacy was reading for school.

Whoosh!
Stacy slammed the book shut. A puff of dust flew out. “I hate this story!” she yelled. “I hate frogs!”

Stacy stomped out of her bedroom and down the hall. It was time to think about Easter bonnets and bow ties. Anything but frogs!

In the living room, Stacy searched through old newspapers. She found the Sunday paper from last week.

Her puppy scampered down the hall. He nosed his way into the comics. He'd found them again!

Stacy held up the color page to her face and sniffed. It didn't smell any different from the other pages. She snuggled her
puppy. “How do you do it, you silly?”

Stacy folded the comics page in half and began to make a tall pointed hat. She found scissors and glue in the kitchen. Then she made a bow tie to match.

Stacy giggled as she dressed Sunday Funnies. She picked him up and ran to her room. Standing in front of the long mirror, she held her puppy up. “You'll be the star of the Easter parade.”

“Woof!” Sunday Funnies agreed.

Stacy heard the garage door rumble. “Mom's home!” She hid the Easter hat and bow tie in her closet. Then she ran to the top of the steps. She couldn't wait to find out more about her dad. Was he
really
coming?

Her mother hugged her close when she came in. “Hi, honey, how was school?”

“OK.” She followed her mother into the kitchen.

Her mother sat at the kitchen table. “Whew! I need a vacation.”

“Disneyland?” Stacy suggested.

Stacy's mother chuckled. “That's not what I had in mind.” She went to the refrigerator. When she opened the door, the note fell off.

Stacy ran to pick up the note. Now was her big chance. “Why is Daddy coming to town?”

“He's coming on business and . . .” Stacy's mother stopped for a second. “He wants to see you.”

Stacy held up the note. “This says he wants to see
us.”
Stacy hoped that meant something. Maybe Daddy was coming back!

“He's coming Friday afternoon,” her mother said.