Sink or Swim Read Online Free Page B

do I do now?” Madison said. Her knee was bouncing up and down. Her arms flapped like wings. Madison couldn’t keep any body parts still.
    “Maddie.” Dad laughed. “Just relax. I’ll drive you over there in the morning and you can meet. I’m sure she’s going to offer you the position. She sounded enthusiastic. She just wants to see how you and Eliot get along in person.”
    Madison’s skin felt all hot like it did when she ran too fast or when she bumped into Hart in the hallway at school. She was about to get her first job. She had to remember to breathe.
    “What if Eliot doesn’t like me?” Madison asked.
    Dad shook his head. “That’s impossible,” he said in a booming voice.
    The morning ride over to Mrs. Reed’s house took forever. Madison plucked at the seat belt pulled across her chest and kicked at the car floor mat. On the way to the Reed house, she and Dad drove past Madison’s house on Blueberry Street, which seemed weird. As much as she loved staying at Dad’s, she missed her room and the half-full closet of clothes she’d left behind.
    Madison turned so she could see the front porch, wishing she were there right now.
    “This must be the place,” Dad said as he pulled into a driveway around the corner.
    It was the house Madison had guessed it would be. Mrs. Reed lived in a brick, two-story house with rows of black-eyed Susans along her fence. Madison and Phin had passed it on their daily walks before.
    Dad walked Madison up to the door and rang the bell. When Mrs. Reed opened it, he reached out to shake her hand, but her arms were full. She was holding her newborn baby girl.
    “Hello!” Mrs. Reed said. “You must be Madison Finn!” She juggled the baby girl into one arm and reached out to shake with the free hand.
    “She’s so cute,” Madison said softly.
    The baby cooed.
    “This is Becka,” Mrs. Reed introduced her. She opened the door wider and invited Madison and her father inside. “Please have a seat. I know Eliot will be right down.”
    Dad and Madison went into the living room. There were colored plastic toy trucks and trains piled at the side of the room. Madison and her dad took a seat on a long leather couch.
    Mrs. Reed called upstairs. “Eliot! Eliot! We have guests! Come downstairs, please.”
    Madison squirmed in her seat. She couldn’t wait to see her new friend. She hoped he wouldn’t spit in her face or run screaming from the room as soon as he saw her sitting there.
    Eliot loped down the stairs slowly, clinging to the banister rails. “What, Mama?”
    “I’d like you to meet our new friend, Madison. She’s going to be helping Mama this summer. Remember I told you that we would have a friend take you to the pool and play in the water?”
    Eliot nodded. He jumped off the bottom step and ran right for his mother’s left leg. He clung so hard his fingers left white marks on Mrs. Reed’s sunburned skin.
    “Okay, now, Eliot. I want you to say hello to Madison. Can you do that?” Mrs. Reed pushed him gently off her leg, and he let out a little scream.
    Dad leaned over to Madison. “He’s a cutie,” Dad said. “He’ll warm up to you in no time.”
    Eliot stared at Madison without moving. She was beginning to panic.
    “Go ahead and say hello,” Mrs. Reed said, encouraging him. “Why don’t you show Madison your new blue truck?”
    Madison searched the floor for the truck. She lifted it into the air. “Is this yours?” she asked aloud. “Should we play with it?”
    Eliot stuck his thumb into his mouth and started to suck hard. He shook his head and murmured. “Mmmmnnnnnn,” he said. Madison didn’t know if that was a yes or a no.
    Becka let out a teeny squeal, and Eliot turned around to face his sister. He pointed at her. “My baby,” he said. “My baby sistah.”
    Madison nodded. “She’s nice. How old is your sister?” she asked.
    Mrs. Reed smiled. “Eliot, why don’t you show Madison your train set in the other room?”
    Eliot shook his