My Mixed-Up Berry Blue Summer Read Online Free Page A

him. Tina and I had just hung around, too young to participate. It was our turn now. She would be in the dairy animals category and I would be in the culinary arts. Maybe it would be OK. Maybe we could talk about the fair and not about families.
    I put on the backpack. “Did you pick up the entry form for the competition?”
    â€œNot yet,” Mom said.
    â€œI’m going to make the best pie ever,” I said as I banged out the door on the way to the marina to get the rigging.
    ***
    IT WAS A short bike ride to the Costa Farm, along the shore, past the town, and then north. Once I left the lake, the day was muggy and hot, and my pedaling slowed. I wasn’t in a hurry to get there, which gave me plenty of time to think. I hadn’t talked to Tina since the game. I missed talking to her. She was probably busy around the farm, though, taking care of Moonbeam. I had been busy, too, so maybe that was why we hadn’t called each other.
    By the time I reached the farm, I was dying for a drink, and I had convinced myself that if Mom and Mrs. Costa were talking, then everything would be fine between Tina and me.
    â€œGood to see you, June,” Mrs. Costa said from behind the farm stand counter. She sounded as if she meant it. “Do you have the rigging?”
    I took it out of my backpack. “Mom said we’ll put it on your tab.”
    â€œAre you sure?”
    I nodded.
    â€œYou tell her that’s very kind,” Mrs. Costa said. “Tina, take a break and give June some lemonade in the kitchen.”
    Tina was weighing a bag of potatoes for a customer. Our summer differences were already showing. I was lake- wet almost all the time, and Tina was dusty-freckled, although her pink nail polish sparkled as her fingers punched the register keys.
    â€œThat’s three ninety-five, please.” Tina hefted the bag over the counter. She was a wiz on the cash register, just like me. When we were in second grade, our teacher had been amazed with our speedy adding and subtracting.
    â€œI want to check on Moonbeam first,” Tina said. “C’mon.” She disappeared out the back door of the stand.
    The barn was dark, cool, and quiet. Moonbeam’s hide shone like a light in the corner of his stall. He was chewing quietly.
    â€œIsn’t he beautiful?” Tina said. “I weighed him this morning and he’s thirteen hundred and sixty-two pounds. That’s champion-size.” She entered the stall with a brush in hand. Moonbeam turned around to nuzzle her. I climbed up on the rail—no need to get too close to something thirteen times heavier than me.
    I was quiet as Tina worked on Moonbeam, grateful that she hadn’t mentioned Eva’s craziness. It felt like old times.
    â€œI hope you win,” I said. “Did you hear I’m entering the pie competition?”
    â€œMaybe we’ll both get blue ribbons,” she said. “What are you going to make?”
    â€œI can’t decide. What’s your mom making?”
    â€œStrawberry, probably.” Tina brushed Moonbeam’s flank. “Whatever you do, I know it will be the best. My mom said the other day you make good pies.”
    â€œShe did?” Liking my pies was the same as liking me and my family, wasn’t it? “I think hers are good, too.”
    â€œAll Moonbeam needs is water. Then let’s go to the kitchen and see what’s left.”
    Tina handed me the hose and turned the water on. I filled up Moonbeam’s water trough and cooled myself down with a quick splash on my head. I shook my hair out like a wet dog as we walked up to the main house.
    The kitchen was full of brothers—Tim eating a slice of pie and Sam pouring milk.
    â€œLook who walked in—did you fall in the lake?” Sam asked. “Or jump? Oh wait, you’re too chicken.”
    I flushed and started to snap back, but Tina spoke first.
    â€œWhat are you talking about? June lives in