Fathom L. Standage (books for 8th graders .TXT) 📖

to Oceana to retrieve the hidden cameras they had installed for my and Calder’s mission. Cordelia sat on the couch looking bored and dangerous as she toyed with one of her knives. Samantha was, once again, out on the back steps with Seidon.

I wanted to feel useful, so I volunteered to wash up the breakfast dishes. Cordelia kept casting dark grimaces at the back door.

“I tried to talk her out of it,” I said to her. She pursed her lips.

“All will be set to right soon. His conduct will be reported.”

I gave a silent snort.

The front door opened, and Natasha walked in with some large sacks of clean laundry.

“Olivia, could you give me hand?” she asked. I put down the washrag and walked over to help her with her burdens. She sighed.

“Tell the guys to do their own laundry,” I said while we dumped blankets, clean towels, and socks out of the bags.

“It’s just a few things. I really don’t mind separating it. They can fold it themselves.”

“Who’s making you wash their socks?” I asked as I held one up in disbelief.

“It’s the only thing I agreed to wash for them,” she said with a grin.

“At least they don’t make you wash their underwear.”

“Ha! Only because I threatened to cut out the crotches if they tried.”

I laughed. Cordelia stared at us with a combination of wonder and disgust.

When we finished separating the laundry and folding the blankets and towels, Natasha asked me to take the socks and a couple towels upstairs while she packed away the rest. I piled everything in my arms and headed toward the stairs.

“Which ones go to which room?” I asked her over my shoulder as I went up.

“Just leave them in a pile up there, they’ll sort them,” she said. I smiled and turned to step onto the landing but collided with Calder. The socks flew in every direction and the towels tumbled out of their folded stack.

“Oh my gosh, I’m sorry,” I said, bending quickly to pick up the mess, scared of what his retort was going to be this time. I picked up the socks on the stairs, then turned and faced him on his hands and knees, gathering the rest of them. I paused out of surprise for a second, then reached for the towels.

I left my stack outside the bathroom door. He finished folding the last one and placed it on top.

“Thanks,” I said. He nodded once. For a second, we stood there like a couple of idiots. He looked like he wanted to say something. Or maybe I just wanted him to. But he stepped around me and went downstairs without a word. No hint of hatred in his face, no trace of his usual annoyance. Definitely an improvement. Bewildered, but glad, I went back down the stairs to finish the dishes. I didn’t get to though—Calder beat me to the sink.

“You wash, I’ll dry,” I said, picking up a drying rag. I glanced at him. He glanced at me. There. That was definitely a half-smile.

Nothing in this world makes a person feel more at home than waking to the smell of bacon and eggs. Happy to roll out of bed, I got up and went down the stairs.

“Morning, Liv,” said Sam from where she sat next to Seidon on the floor with a paper plate of breakfast. I smiled as everyone else greeted me.

“Hope you like scrambled,” said Eamon as he held out a plate for me.

“Scrambled is perfect. Thank you.”

“There’s bacon in the skillet.” He pointed behind him, where Calder stood at the stove, putting bacon on his own plate. A bit of his hair stuck up on the back from sleeping. I padded barefoot into the kitchen and waited for him to finish with the bacon tongs. He handed them to me with another sort of smile.

I went to sit by Samantha and Seidon to eat.

“Oh,” said Eamon with aggravation. He was bent over the ice chest. “We’re out of coffee creamer. Cal, you don’t mind going back to the market, do you?”

“Not at all. Anything else you need?”

“Don’t think so.” He straightened up and looked around. His eyes rested on me a second. “Oh, yes, actually. We need to gather the mail at Shannon Gibbs’ house. You don’t mind the drive, do you?”

“Olivia, didn’t you need something at your aunt’s house?” said Samantha. I stared at her with confusion and shook my head.

“No.”

“Yeah, you do, you told me yesterday. Was it your phone charger? I can’t remember.”

Well, since my phone had been submerged in sea water for the past few weeks, and I hadn’t had a chance to buy a new one, I had never said anything of the sort. I felt my anger return. I glanced at Calder to see his reaction. His face remained impassive as he ate his breakfast.

“No, I don’t have a—”

“That’s right, it was that fancy shampoo you needed! You left it at your aunt’s house. That was it. Oh, come on, you said it yourself! Remember, Seidon?”

“Yeah. Why don’t you go with him, Olivia?” said Seidon. “You were stuck in this house all day yesterday, you look like you need to get out.” I stared at him with my face warming. He gave Samantha a surreptitious wink. She pressed her lips together, trying hard not to grin.

“Uh no, I’m okay…” I started to say.

“You don’t mind, do you Calder?” Seidon continued.

“Uh…” He looked between me and Seidon awkwardly.

“Course he doesn’t mind,” said Samantha. I opened my mouth, then closed it again. Sam nudged me.

“All right,” I murmured. Anything to get her and Seidon to shut up. Calder shrugged.

I finished my breakfast without looking at anyone, then hurried upstairs to change out of my pajamas. And okay, I admit it—I did put some makeup on.

“Bye, Liv,” said Sam in a soft, suggestive voice as I passed her on the stairs. I glared at her in warning. Calder walked out the front door with the car keys in his