Emma and the Minotaur by Jon Herrera Read Free Book Online Page A

front of check-out lane number ten, there was a hallway that led to a lunch room. She took them in there and sat with them at a lunch table.
    “So what’s up?” Mrs Milligan said. “It’s nice to meet you, Emma. Thank you for the backpack. I can’t believe you did that. I told Jake he shouldn’t have accepted it but the boy has no shame, really. Don’t worry, we’ll pay you back for it. Actually, since you’re here now I can get you the money right this minute if you’ll just wait in here.”
    “Oh, no,” Emma said. “Please, don’t worry about it. It’s not a problem, Mrs Milligan.”
    “Vicky,” she said. “Call me Vicky. But really, you must let me pay you back. We do appreciate it, of course.”
    “Okay, maybe another time, Mrs Vicky,” Emma said. “Thank you. We’re here to ask you something though. Can Jake come over this weekend for dinner?”
    “Sure he can,” she said. “You didn’t need to come all the way out here to ask me that, but I appreciate the visit. Come over to see me whenever you want, Emma. One of these days you’ll have to come over to our place too. We’ll be happy to have you.”
    “Thank you, Mrs Milligan.”
    “Vicky, Emma. Call me Vicky. What a nice, polite girl you are. I’m glad Jake finally made such a nice friend. He didn’t keep the best company back home. They were a bunch of trouble-makers, really. I was afraid they’d have a bad influence on him.”
    “Mom!” Jake protested.
    “Sorry, kid,” she said. “But it’s true.”
    “They were my friends,” he said.
    “Well,” she said. “Now you have Emma here and I’m glad for it.”
    Emma blushed. “Thank you, Mrs Milligan,” she said.
    “Vicky,” Mrs Milligan said.
     
    Saturday night came around and Emma was sitting on the window sill waiting for Jake to come over.
    It was close to six o’clock when she saw the boy walk down the street and up the driveway. She waved at him and ran to the front door and opened it.
    “Hey,” he said when he walked in. As soon as he had his shoes off, Emma grabbed him and dragged him to the dining table.
    “Hello, Jake,” Mr Wilkins said.
    “Hello, sir,” said the boy.
    “Did your mother drop you off? I didn’t hear a car.”
    “No, sir,” Jake said. “My mom is at work. I took the bus.”
    “I would’ve picked you up if I had known.”
    Emma and Jake sat down at the table. Mr Wilkins went to Will’s room to tell him that dinner was ready.
    “Hey,” Jake said. “After dinner I want to go look in the forest.”
    “I can’t,” Emma said. “I’m not allowed.”
    “I know. But I can go alone. I just need you to tell me which way to go, that’s all.”
    Emma shook her head. “It’s going to be almost dark after dinner.”
    “Don’t worry,” he said.
    Mr Wilkins came back with Will. The older boy sat down at the table and waved hello to Jake. Emma’s father brought a lasagna from the kitchen and gave them each a portion to go along with steamed vegetables.
    “What does your mother do, Jake?” Mr Wilkins said when they were all digging into their dinners.
    “She works at grocery store,” Emma said.
    “Let Jake answer, Emma,” he said. “Which store, Jake?”
    “Agostino’s, sir.”
    Dinner went on in that manner, with Mr Wilkins alternating between asking Jake questions and hushing Emma whenever she tried to speak for him. For Emma, it was a good time.
    After dinner, Will went back to his room and Mr Wilkins locked himself in his office for violin practice. It was Emma’s turn to clear the table and Jake helped her. They talked as they carried plates and pots and utensils to the sink and put left over scraps of food into the compost bin, but the screeching from the violin kept interrupting. Nevertheless, they managed some semblance of a conversation that eventually got around to the subject of going into the forest.
    “It’s going to be dark,” Emma said.
    “I’ll take a flashlight. I’m not scared.”
    “My dad is going to