Bittersweet Sixteen (A Dodie Jenks Novel) by Lexi Witcher Read Free Book Online Page B

my dad pulled me to him. He didn’t say anything, but he hummed a tune I recalled from when I was a toddler. He’d held me in his arms and we’d danced around the room to it often. “I love you, baby girl.”
    “I love you too, dad.”
    “I’ll take good care of her, Robert.” I heard Grandma’s voice, but couldn’t see her because dad still held me in his arms.
    “You’d better.” He stepped back, tousling my hair which I’d left unbraided again today.
    Brody came out of the house, running. “Who’s the strange dude in the suit that’s in the living room?”
    “That’s Leopold,” Grandma told him.
    “He’s here already?” I asked.
    “He arrived about an hour ago. Would you like to meet him, Robert?” Grandma inquired.
    “No. Let’s go folks. We’ve got a drive ahead of us.”
    “See you this weekend, Squirt,” Brody said.
    “Are you all coming down?” I asked.
    “No, just Brody.” My father looked grim and he toyed with the key to the SUV.
    “Oh. Okay. Well, see you then.”
    “Bye, dear.” My mom slowly turned toward the car. Dad opened her door for her and she got in.
    Grandma and I waved as they turned and headed down the driveway. “So are you ready for this adventure to begin?”
    “I think I am.”
    “Want some ice cream?  I have rocky road.”
    I nodded and we went into the house.

 
     
    Chapter Ten
     
    My alarm sounded too early. Grandma and I had stayed up talking late last night so getting up before seven this morning was difficult. Plus, I didn’t really want to crawl out from beneath the warm downy comforter on the bed. The temp had dropped overnight and there was a slight chill in my room.
    After a quick knock at my door, I heard Leopold’s voice calling from the other side. “Good morning, Dodie. Breakfast in fifteen minutes. Please be dressed and ready for the first round of observations.”
    “Okay.” I frowned and pushed the covers away before getting up. I made the bed, fluffed the pillows and then made sure the bedroom door was locked before I went into the bathroom to shower. I didn’t want to be a minute late and have him barge into my room unannounced as I was dressing or something.
    With a towel wrapped around me, I emerged from the steamy bathroom a few minutes later wondering what one wore to an observation. I opened up the double closet doors and peered inside. I felt overwhelmed by the abundance of clothes in there and knew I’d not get to wear half of them. So to play it on the safe side I pulled out a warm-up suit in peach with white piping and stuck with my kicks. In the bathroom I brushed my hair several times and then pulled it into a messy pony tail. I noticed the haphazard splotch of freckles across my cheeks and nose and recalled how Sasha York had said the right makeup could hide it. Maybe I should purchase some.
    With a minute to spare, I headed downstairs. Grandma was already seated at the dining room table having her coffee and half a grapefruit.
    I took the place setting beside her and removed the plate cover to discover a few bugs, insects, worms, and a couple of grasshoppers on the plate. I clamped the cover back in place. “What is this?”
    “Your breakfast. I think,” Grandma said with her coffee cup halfway to her mouth.
    “Oh no it isn’t. I’m not eating that.”
    Leopold came out of the kitchen dressed similar as the day before, except instead of a black tie, today he wore a red one. He carried a notepad in his hand and scribbled a few notes on it. He stuck the pad inside the suit pocket and the pen behind his ear before he picked up the covered plate. “Observation complete.”
    I stared after him wondering what in the heck kind of observations he would be doing on me if that was one. When he returned, he brought out a plate with an omelet and toast.
    “There’s no crawly creatures fried in it are there?” I asked, hesitant to put the napkin in my lap and dig in.
    “No. It’s egg, cheese, bacon, yellow pepper,