Free It's Raining Cupcakes by Lisa Schroeder Page A

the backyard for about amillisecond, and she freaked out. Okay, so there was a pool of water involved and she had every right to be furious, but still. Firing me was kind of extreme, wasn’t it?”
    She nodded. “Very.”
    â€œSecond part. My recipe’s all ready to go for the contest. I just need the address.”
    â€œHoly guacamole, I have to get cooking,” she said. “Literally.”
    â€œYeah, Soph, you better. August first is just a few days away.”
    She leaned back in her seat, tucking her hair behind her ears. “No problem. I’ll whip something up tonight or tomorrow, and get it in the mail. Remind me to give you the address when I get home. Okay, what’s the third part?”
    â€œThe third part is the worst.” She leaned in when I said that, her eyes big and round. “Beatrice’s Brownies is going to open just a few blocks away from us. Mom is devastated. Like so devastated, I think she wants to give up.”
    â€œNo!” Sophie said. “She can’t give up. You guys have worked so hard.”
    The waitress brought our fries and milk shakes. We started sipping on our shakes, both of us quiet for a minute.
    â€œWe have to figure out a way to help her,” Sophie said. “I know we can make the cupcake shop work. I just know it.”
    â€œYou’d better come over a lot in the next couple of weeks,” I told her as I took the ketchup bottle and squirted some on the french fry plate. “You need to rub some of that determination onto my mother.”

    The next morning I got out the contest address Sophie had given me the day before and wrote it down on the envelope that held my recipe. I found a stamp in the desk in the family room, walked down to the corner and, with my fingers crossed, dropped the envelope into the big blue mailbox.
    The magazine didn’t say when finalists would be contacted, but I guessed it would be awhile. I wanted to be selected more than anything I’d ever wanted, but it was out of my hands now. I had other things to worry about, anyway.
    The construction workers were back in fullforce. A truck sat out front, and guys were carrying enormous boxes from the truck into the shop. I figured the glass cases had finally arrived. The cases where the cupcakes would be beautifully displayed, causing little kids to lean onto the glass, oohing and aahing, their grimy fingerprints a gift they’d leave behind for me to wipe away with a bottle of Windex and a good rag.
    â€œGood morning,” Grandma’s voice said from behind me.
    I turned around. Today she wore a navy blue skirt with a pale yellow jacket and a big floppy navy blue hat.
    â€œGrandma,” I said, “you’re here early.”
    â€œWe need to have a family meeting. You know, get our cupcakes in a row. Your mother and I didn’t discuss business at all yesterday. She loosened up a couple of hours into our shopping trip, and I think she had a good time. But now it’s back to work.”
    I nodded. “Grandma, we’re so lucky to have you. What would we do without you?”
    She looped her arm through mine, and we went inside. “Well, Izzy, I’m glad I have you, too.”
    Upstairs, Mom made pancakes while Dad read the newspaper.
    â€œGrandma’s here,” I called out as we walked in.
    We sat at the table, and Mom brought a plate of steaming pancakes over along with a small pitcher of warm syrup. “Would you like a plate, Mom?” she asked.
    â€œNo, thank you. I’ve already eaten. I’ll take some coffee, though, if you have it.”
    Dad and I started piling pancakes on our plates, while Mom poured Grandma her cup of coffee.
    â€œThis week,” Grandma said, looking very businesslike, “we all need to focus on advertising. Every minute of every day needs to be getting the word out about the cupcake shop. I ordered some postcards with coupons we can send out. We definitely