lavender gown that matched Mia’s Her face was also a lovely shade of bright red Just what exactly is going on here She yelled Mia Kesley Pendlebury What on earth are you doing in your brand new dress I’m sciencing Mia said with a grin What She’s being a scientist Paisley said helpfully She’s exploring the habitat of the lumbricina the segmented earthworm Mrs Pendlebury’s face turned an even brighter shade of red Mia has a very important photo shoot appointment today She is competing in the Little Miss Roarington Pageant How do you expect her to win looking like this I’m sorry ma’am Paisley said even though she hadn’t done anything wrong I’ve had just about enough of you Paisley Atoms Mia is a perfectly respectable young lady except when you’re around Your bad influence turns her into a wild creature eating worms and whatnot and playing in dirt 8
Paisley’s cheeks grew warm She dug her fingernails into her palms I’m sorry you feel that way ma’am I don’t think I’m a bad influence I’m a scientist and inventor And dirt is a perfectly fine medium for exploring our environment Don’t you get smart with me And that’s when Mia placed a fat squiggly worm on top of Mrs Pendlebury’s strappy sandaled foot 9
Awwwk She shrieked Steam nearly boiled right out of Mrs Pendlebury’s ears She hopped on one foot trying in vain to bend down in her too-tight dress swatting and flailing her arms That was Paisley’s cue to escape She dashed back to her house and slammed the door behind her Ahhh The messy comfort of a regular house Textbooks and huge stacks of paper filled the living room bookcases and stuffed several corners Mom’s exotic plants grew from every available surface and overflowed the hallway leading to the basement Dad’s various awards knickknacks and framed biology and anatomy prints covered the walls It was home Paisley’s pet Indian gray mongoose Newton slid down the stairway bannister and leaped onto Paisley’s shoulder He poked his wet nose into her ear to say hello Mom had found him as an orphan during one of her research projects in India Paisley rubbed Newton’s brown fur Hey buddy she said with a sigh Dad walked out of the kitchen Paisley glimpsed a 10
mess of pots and pans spices fresh herbs and chopped veggies on the counters Paisley could smell her favorite chicken-avocado soup simmering on the stove Dad liked to cook as a break in his work as a biologist and part-time professor at the state university He was currently compiling research on undiscovered marine species Dad wiped his hands on his pants and adjusted his black-rimmed glasses How’s my girl Not so great Why don’t you video chat with Mom She just called me a few minutes ago and said she wanted to talk to you I’m sure she’d like to hear about it Mom was a botanist She was currently in Mexico researching the chocolate cosmos a beautiful burgundy flower that smelled like chocolate which was thought to be extinct in the wild Dad led Paisley to his office where it looked like a paper bomb had exploded Dad pushed aside a pile of photographs and opened his laptop Paisley picked up a photo of a strange transparent creature shaded red yellow and an almost glowing blue It looked like it 11
