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We subdued our giggles and followed along. His voice droned on, but our eyes went from the works of art to the door. Some other visitors came up behind us and listened to his lecture, but neither Rose nor Ms. Fairchild appeared until we were almost finished.

Just as Mr. Longo began his summary. there was Rose again, a great look of satisfaction on her face, her eyes full of glee.

"Did you see Laura Fairchild? She's looking for you," Cinnamon whispered.

"No."

A few moments later. Ms. Fairchild appeared, her face now as red as her neck, her eyes blazing as brightly as sunlight off a tin roof. Some of her perfectly obedient strands of hair were loose and curled like broken piano wires. She glared at Rose, but held back her rage so she could thank Mr. Longo for his tour on behalf of Madame Senetsky and the school. He bowed, looked a bit disgusted at Steven, and then walked off to begin his next tour.

Laura whipped around on her heels and practically lunged at Rose.

"Where were you?" she clamored. "I checked every women's lounge in the museum.'"

"I went to the bathroom, just as I told you I would, Ms. Fairchild. When I came out. I got lost and wandered through the wrong rooms." she added. "I was getting so desperate. I swear I could hardly breathe. Finally, some kind stranger put me on the right path. I'm so sorry for any inconvenience I might have caused you, ma'am."

Laura glared at her. but Rose held her innocent gaze. It served like water dousing a fire finally, and Ms. Fairchild relaxed her shoulders.

"You should have paid attention to where we were and how to get back. It's not very bright to get lost in a museum. You people are supposed to be special."

"The creme de la creme.'' Cinnamon declared. "The icing on the cake," Steven added.

"No," Cinnamon said. "We are the cake."

"All right. That's enough. Follow me out to the van and let's not have anyone else get lost," Ms. Fairchild warned, her eyes still shooting darts at Rose, who continued to look as innocent as a kitten.

We marched obediently behind her. Ice, holding that soft, smart smile on her lips. Cinnamon's eves full of mischief, and me alternating between holding my breath and keeping up with my pounding heart. Howard looked annoyed, of course. but Steven was suddenly very awake.

It was still quite a beautiful, warm day, with some dabs of white moving between the skyscrapers. On the way home. Ice led us in song. Someone would shout out a line from a show tune and she would pick it up and do the verses while we all sang the chorus. It was fun. Even Ms. Fairchild seemed to melt some of her cold facade. I know our driver loved it because he joined in from time to time. We sang right up to the steps of the mansion.

"Be sure you are all down to set the table in time," Laura Fairchild called as we hurried up the steps and into the building.

"I'm exhausted," I admitted.

"It was easier in public school," Steven cried.

"Can't wait to hit that shower," Cinnamon said.

However, when we got upstairs, we waited until the boys disappeared into their rooms and then grabbed Rose and pulled her into her room.

"Tell us what you did." Cinnamon ordered.

"I couldn't believe how long you dared stay away," I said. Rose smiled and sat on the edge of her bed.

"It was wonderful." she said, embracing herself and closing her eyes. Then she opened them and looked excitedly at us, her attentive small audience, far more attentive than we were in the museum.

"What was?" Cinnamon asked, impatient.

"Even after just this short time. Barry somehow looked older, more mature. And much more handsome!

"He was happy to see me. We didn't care. We kissed right in front of a crowd of people and then we snuck outside to the side entrance. We were both talking so fast, trying to act so much in, that we finally both stopped and laughed and just kissed again and again.

"He's enjoying college, has a great roommate and some great new friends. He wants to bring them around to meet y'all. I told him you were taken. Honey, so he'd only bring two. Unless you want me to tell him otherwise," she added, looking at me.

Cinnamon and Ice waited to hear my response.

"You should have agreed to see other people while you're apart, maybe," Cinnamon said when I hesitated.

"I guess that's all right, but I'm not gonna to fall in love with anyone else," I insisted..