Free A Frog in My Throat by Frieda Wishinsky Page B

after school, Kate had almost forgotten about Lionel.
    â€œI hope they give us milk-chocolate samples at the chocolate factory,” Kate told Jake. “Milk chocolate is my favorite.”
    â€œI hope they give us milk-chocolate-with-caramel samples,” said Jake. “I love caramel.”
    â€œMaybe they’ll try out new chocolate bars on us,” said Kate.

    â€œYeah. Like chocolate with spinach?”
    â€œOr broccoli,” said Kate.
    â€œOr chocolate with sardines!” said Jake.
    â€œHow about mashed-up hot dog bits?” suggested Kate.
    Soon Jake and Kate were laughing so hard they couldn’t talk.
    It felt like old times.
    On Friday after school, Jake came over to Kate’s house.
    â€œLet’s play in your walk-in closet,” suggested Jake.
    They loved playing in the closet. It was big and dark and spooky.
    Sometimes it became a jungle, and they hunted lions.
    Sometimes it became a time machine, and they went back to caveman days. Sometimes they went forward in time and became robots.
    â€œLet’s fly to Mars today,” suggested Kate as she opened the closet door.
    â€œLook out!” said Jake. “There’s a green alien behind you.”

    Kate spun around. “Yikes!” she screamed. “His eyes look like slimeballs.”
    Jake grabbed Kate’s arm. “There are three more aliens behind you. And they have ray guns.”
    Kate grabbed a wire hanger.
Pow. Pow. Pow
    â€œGot ‘em!” she said.
    â€œLook. They’ve melted into green mush,” said Jake, pointing to a rolled-up green sweater on the floor.
    â€œBut here come three blue aliens.”
    â€œDon’t worry. They’re carrying signs,” said Jake. “Their signs say
WE COME IN PEACE
.”
    â€œYeah, right. I don’t believe them. It’s a trap,” said Kate.
    â€œListen,” said Jake. “What’s that noise?”
    â€œI don’t hear anything,” said Kate.
    â€œSomeone is saying my name,” said Jake, “for real.”
    Kate and Jake listened. Sure enough, someone was calling Jake’s name. It sounded far away, but the sound was coming closer and closer.

    Kate grabbed Jake’s hand. Jake’s hand was sweaty.
    â€œJake! Jake!” The voice was louder and louder. “Are you in there?”
    â€œOh,” said Kate. “It’s just my mother.” Kate opened the closet door.

    â€œOh, there you two are,” said Kate’s mom. “Your mom wants you to come home, Jake. Your cousin Lionel and his mother have just come over to your house.”
    â€œGreat!” said Jake, and before Kate could say goodbye, he dashed out the door.
    Kate slumped on her bed. Everything had been going so well. Everything was the way it used to be.
    But now it wasn’t.
    Lionel was back.

Chapter Four
NOTHING TO DO
    â€œThere’s nothing to do,” Kate told her mom on Saturday.
    â€œCall Jake. You usually play with him on Saturday,” suggested her mom.
    â€œHe’s probably busy with Lionel. Lionel’s moving to our neighborhood today.”
    â€œCall anyway. Jake might not be busy all day.
    â€ Kate sighed. “Okay. I’ll call, but I bet he’ll be busy.”
    Kate dialed Jake’s number.
    â€œHi, Kate,” said Jake in his usual friendly voice.
    â€œDo you want to come over and watch a movie?” asked Kate.

    â€œI can’t,” said Jake. “I have to help Lionel move his stuff today.”
    â€œHow about tomorrow?” asked Kate. “We could watch a movie and play in my closet.”
    â€œI can’t,” said Jake. “We’re taking Lionel and his parents out for lunch. Then Lionel is showing me his new computer games. Isn’t it great that Lionel lives only two blocks away from me?”

    Kate wanted to scream, No, it’s not great!
    But she couldn’t scream. She couldn’t say anything. She felt like