Cougar: Part 4

By HELEN V. GRIFFITH

"Lindale, look who's back.""I see him," the man said.Joe detached himself from his mother, faced his father.

"This is just a visit," he said. "Mom wanted to meet my wife."

The man tilted his head toward Nickel. "You ain't been married long enough to grow that one."

Starla burst out laughing, the way she did a lot, bright and happy and loud. It sort of stopped everybody in their tracks.

She reached out, put her arm around Nickel. "He was my sister's kid," she said. "He's ours now."

Nickel didn't like being talked about like a lost dog.

"I'm Nicholas," he said to the man, "and I want to know if we're staying here or if you're going to kick us out."

There were surprised looks. Nickel was surprised, too. He hadn't meant to come out with that, but he was tired and he was hungry. He wanted to get somewhere that he belonged, even if it was a motel room, even if it was just the car.

Publisher: HarperCollins
Price: 14.95
Age group: 8-12 years

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