Free Double Dutch by Sharon M. Draper Page A

very carefully, and double-checked his change. He had put back a couple of boxes of cereal and a six-pack of soda at the last minute so he wouldn’t be completely broke. In his pocket, he had seventeen dollars left—no morehidden emergency money. Just seventeen dollars. And all of the groceries fit into two brown bags.
    When he got home, he fixed himself a can of soup and three hot dogs. It was filling, but he knew he’d be hungry again before he went to bed.
Dad will come home soon,
he told himself.
Then we’ll go out to dinner and get us two of the biggest steaks on the menu—maybe even three—one for the cat!
    He called Delia then, hoping he would hear the little interrupting beeping sound that indicated there was another call on the line, a call from his dad. Delia sounded glad to hear from him. “You finish dinner?” he asked.
    â€œYeah, me and my mom were both hungry when we shopped, so we got all kinds of goodies that she usually doesn’t buy. We had a huge dinner and even a pie for dessert.”
    â€œSounds great,” Randy said with a little envy.
    â€œDid you hear from your dad yet?” Delia asked.
    Randy hesitated and considered telling her everything, but he could see nothing but trouble if he did. Besides, he had enough food to last for another week or so, if he was careful. And he was sure his dad would be back before then. So he said, “Uh, yeah, he did. I talked to him just a few minutes ago. He’ll be home soon.”
    â€œThat’s good. Randy, if you ever need anything, you know you can call me. You told me the other day that you’d protect me from the Tollivers, and I appreciate that. I doubt if I can be much protection to you, as big as you are, but you just understand you can call me if things get rough. You got that?” Randy could hear Delia let out a deep breath.
    â€œI gotcha,” Randy replied softly. He didn’t want Delia toknow how much her offer meant to him, so he changed the subject as well as his tone. “Now, what are we gonna do about this stupid English project?”
    â€œWell, in class we talked about a skit. I thought we could do something that shows how fear can take over a school, you know, like one of those schools they show on the TV specials.”
    â€œSounds a little too real,” Randy said, sighing. “Everybody at school is so jumpy. Maybe we should do something funny instead,” he suggested.
    â€œGood idea. How about if everybody at school believes they’re about to be invaded by Martians?”
    â€œWe can ask Yolanda to do the research. She’s probably been to Mars three or four times!” Randy laughed.
    â€œHow about if the kids at this school in our skit are afraid of being taken to Mars to be dissected?” Delia offered.
    â€œYeah, and somebody says there are lists going around the school with names of kids who are about to be shipped out.”
    â€œOf course nobody has
seen
any list.”
    â€œFor that matter, nobody has seen any Martians,” Randy added. “It’s all based on fear and rumors.”
    â€œI think this is gonna be good, Randy,” Delia said. “It will be fun to do, too.”
    â€œI wonder what the Tollivers will do for their project,” Randy mused.
    â€œSomething scary, I’m sure,” Delia replied. “Hey, my other line is beeping. I gotta go. At least we got something to tell Miss Benson tomorrow. Catch you later.”
    Delia hung up, and Randy sat on the sofa in the silenceof the small apartment. His stomach growled a little, but he ignored it and stared at the phone, hoping it would ring once more with his dad on the other end. But the phone, like the rest of the apartment, was silent.
    Randy leaned back then, trying not to think of what might have happened to his father, and dozed a little. The ringing of the phone startled him awake, and he sat up and grabbed the phone on the second