Free A Simple Case of Angels by Caroline Adderson

and spoons.
    But tonight the houses on Nicola’s street looked as asleep as June Bug, the heavy blanket of snow drawn right up to their porches. No Christmas lights, no inside lights.
    Oddly, all the icicles were hanging at a slant.
    After what felt like a long time, Nicola returned to the kitchen and checked the clock. Ten past midnight. No pot banging. No distant pop and crackle of the fireworks at city hall.
    â€œHappy New Year, June Bug,” she whispered.
    At the sound of her voice, June Bug sat up and looked at Nicola with such a funny expression on her face.
    â€œWhat is it, June Bug? What?”
    June Bug lunged for her water bowl and lapped it up. Nicola refilled it, and June Bug drank the second bowl. Her tail twirled like a propeller, winding her up.
    Off she shot, tearing through the sleeping house, around and around, hours of pent-up June Bug energy released at once.

14
    â€”
    Little bloody spots of toilet paper were stuck all over Mr. Milton’s hollow cheeks. He smelled like soap.
    â€œHappy New Year,” Nicola and Lindsay told him.
    Along with the treat container, Nicola had brought three pancakes. Lindsay, a mandarin orange.
    The fresh tang of the orange made Mr. Milton’s eyes widen in surprise. Lindsay put a segment in his hand, and he immediately lifted it to his mouth.
    Gratitude filled his gaze.
    Nicola said, “Last night we told our futures in melted wax. My little brother’s already came true. We had pancakes for breakfast. Eat everything, Mr. Milton. But that mush stuff? It’s got pills crushed in it. If they try to give it to you, don’t eat it. And don’t swallow the blue pill. Just pretend.”
    Lindsay nodded and handed him another orange segment.
    â€œI only pretend to eat celery,” Nicola told him. “Then I spit it in my napkin and drop it on the floor. June Bug takes care of it.”
    Mr. Milton looked from Nicola to Lindsay in wonderment.
    â€œI think you’ll feel a lot better without those pills. But don’t go around yelling about strangers. That’s probably why they’re giving you those pills. Try to stay calm. Then tomorrow, when you’re wide awake, June Bug will show you her tricks. You’ll really like it.”
    What June Bug really seemed to want was one of Mr. Milton’s pancakes. She stared at Mr. Milton chewing while Mr. Milton stared at Nicola and Lindsay.
    Pierre came in with a pill cup and a glass of water.
    The last pancake was still in Mr. Milton’s hand. He seemed in a hurry to finish it. It was as though he was worried they would take it from him, the way June Bug gulped down the awful things she found on the ground that she wasn’t supposed to eat, like cigarette butts and old chicken bones.
    â€œThat’s got to taste better than the usual. Right, Mr. Milton?” Pierre said. He turned to the girls. “Except it’s against the rules. So don’t bring him anything else, okay?”
    â€œOkay,” Nicola said.
    Nicola watched Pierre feed the pills one by one to Mr. Milton. Mr. Milton’s Adam’s apple didn’t move when he took the blue pill.
    Pierre said, “Okay, girls. Mr. Milton needs to nap.”
    â€œJune Bug wants to do a quick trick before we leave.” Nicola took out the treats and got June Bug to Crawl across the bed.
    They all laughed, except for Mr. Milton.
    â€œWe’ll have a good visit tomorrow, right?” Nicola said, patting his speckled hand.
    â€œDo not forget,” he gasped, and the blue pill fell out of his mouth into his lap. Nicola plucked it out of the covers and slipped it in her pocket.
    â€œThat’s his favorite expression,” Pierre told them as they filed out. “‘Do not forget to entertain strangers.’ Maybe he ran a nightclub or something.”
    * * *
    â€œLet’s look it up,” Lindsay said when they were walking away from Shady Oaks.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œThe thing he