第21部分(第3/7 頁)

　to　wear　a　tie？”

“No；　but　some　sort　of　button…down　instead　of　a　T…shirt　would　be　nice。”

I　went　down　to　my　room　and　ripped　through　my　closet　looking　for　something　with　buttons。

There　were　lots　of　buttons；　all　right。　Lots　of　geeky

………　Page　64………

buttons。　I　thought　about　boycotting　my　mother's　dress…code　requirements；　but　instead　I

started　putting　on　shirts。

Twenty　minutes　later　I　still　wasn't　dressed。　And　I　was　extremely　ticked　off　about　it　because

what　did　it　matter？　Why　did　I　care　what　I　looked　like　at

this　stupid　dinner？　I　was　acting　like　a　girl。

Then　through　a　gap　in　my　curtains　I　saw　them　ing。　Out　their　front　door；　down　their

walkway；　across　the　street。　It　was　like　a　weird　dream。　They

seemed　to　be　floating　toward　our　house。　All　five　of　them。

I　pulled　a　shirt　off　my　bed；　punched　my　arms　in；　and　buttoned　up。

Two　seconds　later　the　doorbell　rang　and　Mom　called；　“Can　you　get　that；　Bryce？”

Luckily；　Granddad　beat　me　to　it。　He　greeted　them　all　like　they　were　long…lost　family　and　even

seemed　to　know　which　one　was　Matt　and　which　one

was　Mike。　One　was　wearing　a　purple　shirt　and　the　other　was　wearing　a　green　one；　so　it

shouldn't　have　been　that　hard　to　remember　which　was

which；　but　they　came　in　and　pinched　my　cheeks　and　said；　“Hey；　baby　brother！　How's　it

goin'？”　and　I　got　so　mad　I　mixed　them　up　again。

My　mother　zoomed　in　from　the　kitchen；　saying；　“e　in；　e　in。　It's　so　nice　you　all　could

make　it。”　She　called；　“Lyn…et…ta！　Rick！　We've　got　pa…

ny！”　but　then　stopped　short　when　she　saw　Juli　and　Mrs。　Baker。　“Well；　what's　this？”　she　asked。

“Homemade　pies？”

Mrs。　Baker　said；　“Blackberry　cheesecake　and　pecan。”

“T