Boiling Point by Diane Muldrow Read Free Book Online

was still shocked.
    Then she got mad.
    “Yes, I do know what to say! Molly, you thought you were going to have big fun, didn’t you! And no one was going to find out. Well, what you did was very dangerous. And very irresponsible. And Amanda, I’m surprised at you, too. It’s not like you to lie like that.”
    “Well, at least I didn’t go with them.” said Amanda meekly.
    Mom didn’t even hear her. Her eyes bore down on Molly.
    “Amelia, you’re grounded for a week,” stated Mom.
    Amelia! Whoa! She never calls me that, thought Molly. Amelia was her real name.
    “...And that means no computer time, either,” Mom went on. “Amanda, you’re off the computer, too. And you can forget about your little shopping trips and our outings to the nail salon for a while.” Lately, Amanda and Mom had enjoyed getting manicures together at a neighborhood salon.
    “I’m sorry, Mom,” said Molly, fighting back tears. “I really am.”
    “Me, too, Mom,” said Amanda. “I’ll never lie to you again.
    Then the worst thing happened.
    Mom looked sadly at the twins and said softly, “I trusted you girls.” She coolly walked into the house as Molly jumped out of her way.
    Now the twins were alone in the garden. Usually they loved hanging out there. The garden was long and narrow, made private by a high wooden fence. A one-hundred-year-old tree provided lots of shade. Colorful flowers, a picnic table, and lawn chairs made it the perfect summer hangout. But right now the garden just seemed lonely.
    “Oh! This is such a drag,” moaned Molly. “Mom’s never gonna trust me again.”
    “All you think about is yourself!” snapped Amanda. “Look at me. I’m in trouble, too. Because I lied for you.”
    “Well,” countered Molly, “you didn’t have to lie for me.
    “Didn’t—didn’t have to!” sputtered Amanda. “Well, don’t worry—I never will again. But now I’m really in trouble. Because we got two cooking jobs today while you and Peichi were running around Chinatown. And I’ll bet Peichi gets grounded, too, so we’ve lost her, and we’ve lost Shawn, and guess what? We have to do it all. And there’s no way Mom will help us now.” She folded her arms over her chest and stormed out of the garden, leaving Molly all by herself.

    Molly and Amanda weren’t able to go online. Shawn, of course, didn’t know that.

chapter 7
    “M om, can you please help us?” asked Amanda late that night. “I’m really sorry for lying to you. But now we have all this work, and I have no idea how we’ll get it done. Peichi is grounded, too, and Shawn’s gone.
    “Sorry, Amanda, but I think you will have to work this out on your own,” replied Mom. “You should never assume that I can help you. You know I love to cook with you girls every chance I can get, but you need to ask me first. I’m very busy with my own work right now. Dish is your business, and you need to learn what the responsibilities of having a business are all about.”
    “Yeah, I know, but I didn’t think Molly and Peichi would be grounded.”
    “That’s what I’m talking about,” said Mom firmly. “If you’re going to have a business, you all have to behave in a way that won’t hurt your business.”
    Amanda sighed. Deep down, she knew Mom was right.

    The next morning, as Molly practiced the piano, Amanda took her parents’ work clothes to the dry cleaners down the street. She did it as a favor to Mom, to try to get back on her good side. Plus, she really needed to go outside. At least she was allowed to get out of the house—unlike Molly!
    As she walked home, she daydreamed about what she could say to get out of the two cooking jobs.
    I’m sorry, Mrs. Jamison, I’m sorry, Ms. Barlow, but something terrible happened. We’re all in the hospital. For food poisoning! from something we cooked! Right, so you wouldn’t want us to cook for you anyway...
    Suddenly, up the street, Amanda saw a familiar-looking ball cap.
    Justin McElroy’s ball