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Grace drew a sharp breath, offended by his heavy-handedness.
Into the tense moment, Simon piped up, “I can read.”
Amos divided his gaze between them. “Can he?”
Grace reached toward Simon, hiding the cover of the book with her hand so Amos wouldn’t see the title. “He’s making progress.”
“What’s he reading?”
“We’ll demonstrate when he’s proficient.”
“Cartoons!” Simon’s wide grin showed a tooth starting to grow in.
Amos pulled her hand away from the book and frowned at the colorful cover.
“Stinky? What’s this?”
“Simon loves comics, Amos. If you want him to read by the start of school, you let him read what he loves. Look.” She flipped through the pages. “He read eight sight words with me, and this word all by himself. Remember what it says, Simon?”
“Flop.”
“That’s right. Reading is fun, isn’t it, Simon?”
“Yep.”
Amos considered them and nodded. “Carry on, then.” Without another word, he turned and marched out the door he’d just entered.
Simon lifted a worried look at her. “Is he mad?”
“Not at all. He’s very proud of you. Let’s finish this story, and then we can go outside.”
They had just come to the end of Stinky’s adventures when Grace overheard a throaty roar. The table beneath her hands vibrated, as did the entire houseboat.
“What’s happening?” Glancing out the octagonal window, Grace saw the pier sliding away. The houseboat was moving.
Oh, no.She sprang out of her seat, running for the door.No, no, no.
By the time she was out the door, they were backing into the inlet. She cast her gaze about for Amos, unable to see him. “Stop!” Her thin, high voice was carried off by the breeze.
Amos didn’t answer. Where was he? She had to reason with him. He had no idea what this would do to her.
The engine revved, and the boat stalled before revving again and moving forward. He had to be driving it from somewhere. Craning her neck, she spotted him in the pilot room just above the sunning deck. He was standing at the wheel, his eyes focused on the horizon.
“You can’t do this,” she cried up at him. “We’re not even wearing life vests.”
Two orange life vests came sailing down at them, landing at her feet—a big one for her and a small one for Simon. She tried again. “I get seasick!”
“Just don’t puke on the deck.” Amos made some kind of adjustment, and the boat picked up speed.
A cold sweat enveloped her. She eyed the brackish water moving past them, too panicked to bend over and pick up the life jackets. Simon had joined her.
“Wow! We’re goin’ out on the water!”
“S-Simon, put on your life vest.” Grace overcame her terror long enough to snatch it up and thread his arms through the holes
“Why?” he asked as she buckled it. “I can swim.”
“It’s the law.” Oh, how she loathed Amos at that moment. He was undoubtedly having a grand time scaring her out of her skin. That was his sole purpose, wasn’t it? She recalled his words from just a few moments ago.What would it take to scare you, I wonder?
