Sophie Under Pressure by Nancy N. Rue Read Free Book Online

freaking out?”
    Kitty pointed toward the Corn Pops’ table.
    The Fruit Loops were sitting with them, talking and waving their arms all around like they were running for office.
    No boys ever sat with girls. But the Fruit Loops looked like they were right at home.
    Why not? Sophie thought. They’re all rich and popular and mean.
    Still, with the seven of them teaming up, it couldn’t be good.
    It couldn’t be good at all.

    That night after Zeke was tucked in, Mama went out to her Loom Room over the garage. When Sophie went downstairs to check out the flight food in the space kitchen, Daddy was in front of his computer again. Sophie wondered what could possibly be so interesting on there for hours on end.
    When she came out of the kitchen with a neat stack of Mama’s double-fudge brownies and a glass of milk, Daddy called from his study, “Hey, Soph. What are you up to?”
    â€œJust having a little snack,” Sophie said. She headed for the stairs.
    â€œCome in here a minute.”
    Sophie turned reluctantly toward the study. Maybe she shouldn’t have helped herself to quite so many brownies.
    Daddy took one look at her plate and said, “A little snack?
    Were you planning to share that with Lacie?”
    â€œNo,” Sophie said.
    Daddy grinned. “I love that honesty. Lacie wouldn’t eat those anyway. She’s now decided that boys don’t like her because she’s fat.”
    â€œShe’s not fat.”
    â€œI know that, and you know that, but you can’t convince her of that.” Daddy nodded toward the recliner next to his desk. “Let’s have at those brownies.”
    Sophie climbed into the big chair and tucked her feet up under her. She put the milk on Daddy’s desk so they could both dunk.
    â€œHow’s that science project coming along?” Daddy said. “You need any more info?”
    Daddy had been as good as Boppa about helping the astronauts, only instead of showing them how to make things, he taught Maggie how to set up a system for keeping track of their data — that’s what he called their results — on the computer. He even gave Kitty an official NASA clipboard so she’d feel more scientific when she was following Fiona around the space station, writing down what Fiona told her to.
    â€œI do have a question for you,” Sophie said.
    Daddy churned a brownie around in the milk and said, “Shoot.”
    â€œDo you ever have people on your crew disagreeing with each other?”
    â€œAre you kidding? That’s how we get to the truth of things, by debating. That’s the way scientists work.”
    Sophie nodded in her most scientific way. “Are they ever mean to each other?”
    â€œSome people might say that. Tempers can get pretty hot.”
    â€œWhat do you do then?”
    Daddy chewed thoughtfully on another mouthful. So far he’d eaten three brownies to Sophie’s one. They were going to need a milk refill soon.
    â€œI tell people to go cool off,” he said finally. “Then I get them back together and we look at the ideas again.” Daddy grinned. “Sometimes I take a batch of your mother’s cookies in with me. That almost never fails.”
    â€œDo you ever take a vote?” Sophie said.
    â€œWe vote on things like where to have lunch. Most of our decisions are made scientifically though. It’s whatever is best for the project we’re working on. You want some more milk?”
    Sophie nodded, and Daddy headed for the kitchen. He was whistling.
    That was a scathingly brilliant conversation , Sophie thought.
    â€œI put a little chocolate syrup in it,” Daddy said as he set the glass down between them again.
    Sophie was glad he hadn’t brought two different glasses. Sharing was — well, it wasn’t scientific, but it felt good.
    â€œSo what else you got on your mind?” he said.
    â€œWell.” Sophie formed her