Magic in the Mix Read Online Free Page A

mother’s face and knew that she didn’t need to be good for the rest of her life. Mom bent over the kitten, enchanted. “Look at that little lovey,” she murmured. With a single finger she stroked the fluff at the kitten’s neck, cooing and clucking softly. Suddenly, there was a sniff, and Miri smiled as she saw her mother squeeze Ray’s shoulder. “You boys,” Mom choked, “you boys are sweethearts.”
    Behind Mom’s head, Robbie gave his brother a thumbs-up. Score! he mouthed as Ray patted his mother’s hand and tried to look sensitive.
    â€œIt’s a girl,” explained Robbie, glancing between Miri and Molly. “Like you guys.” He pointed toward them, in case they hadn’t noticed they were girls. “We thought that would be good.” He gave the kitten a gentle pat. “That’s good, huh?”
    â€œYeah,” said Molly. “That’s completely perfect.”
    â€œYou guys are the best brothers in the world,” said Miri, watching the soft fluff rise and fall.
    Ray and Robbie smiled at each other smugly. They were the best brothers in the world. “We paid four dollars for her. Of our own money,” said Robbie. They were generous, too.
    â€œWhere’d you get her?” murmured Mom, reaching out to stroke behind the kitten’s tiny ear.
    â€œPaxton. There was a guy outside the Snakn-Go,” explained Ray. “They were five dollars, but we talked him down to four.”
    â€œOh, Lord, she probably has some horrible disease,” sighed Mom, but Miri could tell she didn’t need to worry. Her mother had begun to love the kitten, and once she started, she would never stop.
    â€œThe guy said to give her milk,” said Robbie. He stared at the kitten and gave her another soft poke. “And jeez, me too. We spent all our money on the kitten, so we didn’t get anything after school, and I’m gonna die of starvation in, like, four seconds.” He moved toward the refrigerator.
    Ray lunged after him. “I call the cereal if there’s not enough for both of us.”
    â€œ
Pfff
,” snorted Robbie, elbowing his brother in the ribs. Ray flicked his head. They were back to normal.
    At the table, Molly and Miri hunched over their precious bundle, their brown hair falling together to make a little house for three.

    It was hard to concentrate. Inside the dirty T-shirt, the kitten snoozed, first on Miri’s lap and then on Molly’s. Polynomials, factors, kitten, what should we name her, polynomials, what should we name her, look at her nose, it’s so cute, factors, look at her ear, it twitched, what about Milly, sort of a combination of our names, that’s cute, but would it be too confusing, maybe you’re right, factors, what about—oh, look at her stretch!
    â€œMom better hurry up with that food,” said Molly, glancing at the clock.
    Kittens, it had turned out, needed other things besides milk. Including kitty litter. Miri and Molly had heroically volunteered to be peed and even pooped on while Mom took a quick trip to the store.
    Ray looked up from his Spanish book. “You should call her Snowy. ’Cause see? She’s white.”
    â€œWow,” said Molly. “That’s really original.”
    â€œYou like it?” he said, pleased.
    Miri’s eyes strayed to the cupboards they had unsuccessfully ransacked for cookies. “What about Cookie?”
    â€œCookie,” said Molly experimentally. “That’s kind of cute.”
    Miri stroked the warm bundle pressed against her stomach. “I think so, too. Cookie. Cookie,” she cooed, “Cookie, Cookie-Wookie.”
    â€œHow about Corn Chip?” said Robbie. He was hungry.
    â€œNo,” said Molly. “Corn Chip sounds like we’re about to eat her. Cookie.”
    â€œCookie,” agreed Miri, gently rubbing Cookie’s chin. A small, rattling motor came to life