Mrs Decibel once won an award for Best Dressed at Roarington Elementary Today’s dress was especially award-winning Rosalind swiveled her wheelchair to get a better look at the embroidered musical notes on the puffy dress Paisley noted that while Mrs Decibel dressed elegantly her hair and her facial expression didn’t quite match The music teacher’s hair was up in a bun and it was messy like Paisley’s only unlike Paisley’s it usually didn’t look that way Suki raised her hand and before Mrs Decibel could call on her she blurted out What’s the deal with your outfit Yeah are you about to get married to a conductor or something Arjun asked I’m already married My MaestraSingers group is about to perform with the orchestra but I’m not sure it will be so special Mrs Decibel tugged at her bun and frowned Will you please move that xylophone off of the risers Suki she added I’m Sumi 8
Mrs Decibel glanced at Suki and then at her identical twin sister Sumi They were hard to tell apart Ben could get it right most of the time but Paisley was correct at identifying them a hundred percent of the time Sorry to confuse you two Mrs Decibel said I’m actually Sumi the real Sumi said with a grin I just can’t help myself Suki giggled as she moved the xylophone out of the way She clanged one of the keys loudly by accident Arjun held his hands over his ears Ow My ears are ringing now I think you fractured my stapes he said Paisley and Ben both knew the stapes was the bone in the middle of the ears of humans and mammals that conducts the sound vibrations to the inner ear It paid off that Paisley’s dad was a biologist Normally Mrs Decibel would’ve laughed at the students antics but she just pulled a few more strands of hair out of her bun Okay okay Let’s begin our exercises for today Mrs Decibel said 9
Time to exercise Rosalind yelled She pumped her arms in the air before clapping She wheeled in front of the risers then spun around in a circle on only one wheel of her wheelchair The entire class broke into a mixture of laughter and applause Mrs Decibel’s hair was lopsided now Her lips quivered and her eyes filled with tears It was rare to see a teacher cry at Roarington Elementary and if it did happen it was usually just Mrs Decibel’s eyes watering from laughing so hard Their music teacher was a gifted singer and even had a musical laugh At this moment she was completely silent Uh oh something is really wrong Paisley whispered to Ben Ben nodded Paisley had been friends with him so long that she could tell that he was worried about their teacher too just by the way he moved his head Rosalind pulled off another spectacular trick in her wheelchair but Paisley didn’t have time to be impressed She moved forward to give Mrs Decibel 10
