Free Sophie Under Pressure by Nancy N. Rue

captain of the spaceship. Now remember, read the story and imagine yourself playing one of the parts.”
    â€œI can do that.”
    â€œYes, you can. And I’m going to give you a little hint — pay attention to what the little kid does and what Jesus does with that.”
    â€œRoger,” Sophie said.
    She wasn’t crying when she left Dr. Peter’s office. She had the Bible verses tucked in her pocket, and a new idea tucked in her head.
    It’s like another mission. God is Huntsville , and I’m flying the space capsule.
    She was almost smiling when she met Daddy in the waiting room. One look at his face, though, and the desire to grin shattered like a piece of space debris. His mouth was in a tight line she hadn’t seen there since the last time she was in big trouble.

Eight

    D addy didn’t say anything until they got into the truck, and Sophie didn’t ask him any questions. But as soon as he pulled out into Hampton traffic, he said, “I thought we had a deal.”
    Sophie readjusted her glasses to peer at him. “We do!” she said. “I’m not even making any C’s right now.”
    â€œYou will be soon if you pull another stunt like you did in school today.”
    A mental picture of Julia showing up at the LaCroix’s front door telling all flashed through Sophie’s mind.
    â€œMs. Quelling called to tell me that you almost tackled somebody to catch a pea some kid shot out of a straw, just to get the kid in trouble.”
    â€œThat isn’t what happened!” Sophie said.
    â€œI know that isn’t what happened. What happened was you got so wrapped up in one of your daydreams you started acting it out, and suddenly there you were, sprawled out on the floor with a smashed vegetable in your hand.” Daddy pulled up to a red light and lowered his eyebrows at her. “That’s what happened, right?”
    â€œYes!” Sophie said. “But it won’t happen again. I promise.”
    â€œDo you need a little reminder? Do I need to take the camera away for a while?”
    Sophie tried to remain calm, although she had to clutch the door handle to do it.
    â€œNo,” she said. “Dr. Peter helped me with that today.”
    Daddy was quiet for a few blocks. Sophie chewed her hair and swung her legs against the seat. Her feet didn’t touch the floor in Daddy’s truck as it was, and she was feeling smaller by the minute.
    â€œIt isn’t just about your grades, Soph,” Daddy said. “I told you I didn’t want you upsetting your mother.”
    â€œDoes she know about this?” Sophie said.
    â€œNo. Ms. Quelling called me at work.”
    â€œShe interrupted you trying to save the planet to tell you that?”
    Sophie thought she saw the corners of Daddy’s mouth twitch.
    â€œYeah,” he said. “And I think she enjoyed it.” He shot Sophie a Daddy-look. “But that doesn’t mean you didn’t mess up.”
    â€œAm I going to get a punishment?” she said.
    â€œDefinitely.”
    Sophie felt her heart take a dive. It probably wasn’t going to be as bad as banishment from the planet, but still.
    â€œTonight, after you finish your homework,” Daddy said, “you have to bring a glass of milk and exactly twelve cookies to my study and stay there until they’re all gone.”
    â€œI can endure that.”
    â€œIs that a Fiona word?” Daddy said.
    â€œYes, sir,” Sophie said.
    She waited until she got up to her room after supper to really sigh, so Daddy wouldn’t think that she thought she was getting off easy. The feeling didn’t last long though. Fiona called, puffing like a bull on the other end of the line.
    â€œHuntsville, we have a problem,” she said.
    â€œWhat is it, Jupiter?” Sophie said.
    â€œI just went up to Freedom 4 to get my backpack I left up there after we were working today — and the robot arm