Page 19 of Hearts and Hidden Secrets

Dear Diary,

My plan is brilliant! Miss Adler came to the pizza place tonight and she totally has a crush on Dad.

She even came over for game night. He couldn’t stop staring at her, and I think they were like touching feet or something beneath the table.

I don’t really know what that means but I’m guessing it’s love.

Katy

Hey Diary,

It worked! So easy!!! Dad and Miss Adler are together.

Like, together together. I woke up early this morning and heard noises so I snuck down a few stairs.

They were whispering and touching and then he kissed her.

She slept over! I know what that means. The girls in eighth grade were talking about sex in the bathroom one day.

(Eww.) Anyway, this is the best day ever!

Do you think they’ll have kids when they get married?

I really want a brother or sister. Okay, it’s really early and I’m really tired so I’m going back to bed.

Katy

Dear Diary,

My plan is falling apart. It was going perfectly and now it’s all wrecked.

They messed it up. Miss Adler hasn’t been here in weeks.

Every time I bring up her name to Dad, he changes the subject.

Do they not like each other anymore? I just don’t understand.

They like each other. I just know it. When they’re together, I can tell.

They smile a lot and always sneak looks at each other.

What happened? They need to see each other again.

Be together, and then they’ll remember. I think I need to do something big. Time for a new plan.

Katy

Diary,

Okay, here’s what I’m going to do. I bought another diary at the book fair yesterday. It’s going to be my fake. I’ll write a bunch of stuff in it and then leave it out at Mom’s. She’ll read it for sure. She doesn’t even kind of care that it’s private.

I think that if I write some stuff about Miss Adler, she’ll say something to Dad. Mom doesn’t even know what mind her own business means. I’m counting on her being her. Whatever she says, it will mean that Dad and Miss Adler will probably have to talk. I just need them to talk.

Tomorrow is the last day of school and this is my only hope. If they go the whole summer without seeing each other, they’ll never get together. What if she starts dating someone else and doesn’t even know that she was meant to be with Dad? I can’t let that happen.

Wish me luck. Oh, and I’m sure Mom will ground me forever too. Yay me.

Katy

Dear Diary,

It worked! Dad and Miss Adler are dating!

They came to get me from Mom’s today and we went to dinner and they held hands the whole entire time.

I think they might even be in love? I can’t believe this is happening.

Like I hoped it would work but I wasn’t really sure.

Mom is still super mad. Worth it. My plan worked!

Miss Adler told me before bed I could start calling her Della now that she’s Dad’s girlfriend.

SHE’S HIS GIRLFRIEND! I wonder if she’d help me convince him to get a puppy?

I like the name Daisy for a girl and Ollie for a boy.

Katy