Free Zera and the Green Man by Sandra Knauf

again, Zera,” Mrs. Tinsel said.
    Zera was startled to see The Toad and Tiffany sitting in chairs across from Mrs. Tinsel’s desk. Theodore nodded hello and Tiffany looked like she had that morning, only happier, if that were possible — the Cheshire Cat who had now swallowed the canary. Zera slowly let out the breath she’d held since entering the room, hoping no one noticed. Okaaaay , she thought. The not-so-dynamic duo is here. No one looks upset. Whatever it is, it can’t be too bad.
    “Hello,” Zera took a couple of steps toward Mrs. Tinsel’s desk. “Hi,” she said to her uncle and Tiffany.
    “Your uncle is here to take you out of school a few days early,” the administrator announced. “I hear you’re going to your grandmother’s this summer.”
    What? Zera’s heart thumped with joy and her stomach now felt like it was filled with fluttering butterflies. Thrilled butterflies, free butterflies. All she could do was stare at Mrs. Tinsel. “Nonny’s?” She turned to The Toad and Tiffany. “Really?”
    They nodded.  
    “We’ve made all the arrangements.” Tiffany said. She rose gracefully from her seat. The Toad attempted to follow suit, but caught his jacket pocket on the arm of the wooden chair, pulling the entire chair forward with a screech. Everyone pretended not to notice as he un-snagged himself. “You just need to collect your things from your locker and turn in your books,” said Tiffany, taking over for Mrs. Tinsel. “I even packed your suitcase for you.”
    The principal stood. “You had only one more final, tomorrow in Biology. Your work in that class has been the best we’ve seen here at Manning, so we don’t really feel we’re stretching the rules by letting you leave with an ‘A.’ Good luck with your new job, Mr. Green.”
    Zera looked at them both questioningly. Tiffany seemed in competition to try to outshine Mrs. Tinsel’s smile wattage while The Toad stood there, looking, if anything, a little uncomfortable.
    “Thanks,” he said, shaking Mrs. Tinsel’s hand. 
    Fine. No explanation for the kid . Now I see what was going on this morning. The two of them were making big plans.
    Jake nodded and smiled at her when she left. A few minutes later, just as the bell rang for lunch, Zera shuffled out of Manning High School behind The Toad and Tiffany.
    “So, this job, it’s a really good one?” she asked The Toad on the way to the parking lot.
    “Yes, it is. But it’s not finalized yet.”
    “When will you know?”
    “Tomorrow.”
    “Is it in Colorado?”
    “L.A.”
    “Los Angeles? Wow. So we’d be moving there? Or . . .” She didn’t want to say it, ask if there was a possibility she might stay in Colorado with her grandmother.
    Tiffany cut in. “Let’s not talk about it right now. We’re in a hurry.”
    Ignoring Tiffany, Zera asked, “And Nonny knows I’m coming? How long am I staying?”
    “Your Uncle Theodore called her last night. We don’t know exactly how long you may be with your grandmother this summer, but we’ll let you know as soon as we know.”
    As soon as “we” know. Tiffany was always talking like they were married.
    Heading toward Tiffany’s car, Zera thought, I don’t know what’s going on, but I couldn’t care less right now. Getting back home is good and I’m going to see Nonny!
    Tiffany, sashaying directly in front of her, wore the pink shirt she had on at breakfast, accompanied with a tight black skirt, black leather flats, and a faux leopard-skin purse. A pink silk scarf covered most of her hair, and, to complete the weird 1950s-era movie star look, she put on a pair of cat-eyed sunglasses.
      “Did you bring my plants?” Zera asked The Toad as they neared the convertible.
    “Of course he did.” Tiffany turned around to face Zera. “It would have been very inconvenient for us to find someone to take care of them as we’ll both be out of town. We’ve had to do a lot this morning, Zera. I had to make at least a dozen