Page 48 of Want to Know a Secret?

I was supposed to make brownies for the carnival, but I just realized that I don’t have any eggs in the house! So unfortunately, I’m not going to be able to bring brownies as promised. That is, unless somebody wants to come to my house and bring me some eggs!

To: Fall Carnival Committee

From: Teresa Yu

Subject: Re: Carnival

I just realized that this weekend is my parents’ anniversary! I was supposed to volunteer at the bouncy house for the 2-3 PM shift, but I can’t do it because of this prior obligation.

To: Fall Carnival Committee

From: Julie Bressler

Subject: Re: Carnival

The grocery store sells eggs, Patty.

Can anybody take Teresa’s shift at the bouncy house?

To: Fall Carnival Committee

From: April Masterson

Subject: Re: Carnival

No worries, Patty! I’ll make extra brownies!

To: Fall Carnival Committee

From: Sean Cooper

Subject: Re: Carnival

I am doing the 1-2 PM shift at the bouncy house, so I’ll do Teresa’s shift after. Unless it turns out to be my parents’ anniversary too.

The fall carnival takes place on the first weekend of November.

It’s a massive event. Because of the chilly weather, everything is set up in the large gymnasium of the elementary school. There are two bouncy houses (one for jumping and one with a slide), loads of games, and I am manning—what else?—the bake sale. People were supposed to bring in baked goods early this morning, but unfortunately, nobody ever does what they say they’re going to do. But I have enough experience now that I anticipated it, so about three-quarters of the food on the table was made by me. I spent most of the morning baking.

The silent auction is still going as well and will be active until midnight. We’re going to announce the winners tomorrow. I think we’re going to break some records.

Strangely enough, the bake sale is not going very well. Usually, half the food is gone by an hour into the carnival. And I made all the baked goods everybody loves. I don’t understand why nobody is buying anything. I’ve sold only one brownie and two cookies.

“Would you care for any baked goods?” I call to Carmen Landers, who is passing by the table with her five-year-old son. “We’ve got just about everything!”

“Mommy, I want a brownie!” the little boy cries. “The one with M&Ms!”

I did make two kinds of brownies. One with M&Ms and one without.

Carmen looks down at the table, then up at me, and she flashes me an uncomfortable smile. “I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“But Mommy—”

But Carmen is yanking her son away from the table, even as he’s crying for a brownie. What’s going on? Every other game or event seems to be doing great. Only the bake sale is crashing and burning. I don’t get it.

And then Carrie comes over, looking much more tired and probably a lot older than the infamous babysitter. I feel desperate to make a sale, so I shove a tray of blondies in her direction. “I made your favorite,” I say.

“Um.” Carrie frowns. “I… uh, I’ll pass.”