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Time goes by. Trouble keeps right on bringing desserts (and once a quiche and once a loaf of bread with nuts in it). The Swans are uncomplaining. On Christmas Eve he brings two kinds of cookies and an astonishingly edible fruitcake and stays overnight on the couch. (Andi, self-servingly, got him a little box of assorted Genuine Maple Products. Bella got him an inexpensive yet adorable miniature sewing machine.) Robin comes over too, Christmas day (Andi gives her a packet of guitar strings and sheet music for assorted Green Day songs. Bella gets her a tiny tape recorder.)
School is back in session in January, after New Year's. (The twins set off small fireworks in the driveway - well, Andi does. Robin is invited to this event; Trouble is not, it somehow does not seem wise.)
Now it is the first weekend after the resumption of school.
Robin's supposed to be over any minute for practice for Nameless Band Which Kind Of Needs A Third Person But Bella Doesn't Want To. Andi taps out beats on her drums. Taptaptap. Taptaptap-kish. Taptaptap. Taptaptapkish.
pandion
pandion
"It's okay," says Andi. She remembers the tea, goes and nukes the water an extra thirty seconds to get it hot again, and drops in a teabag and brings it out to steep.
palmofyourhand
The day yields no more practical results. Eventually, Ethan takes Robin home - to his or hers, it isn't really clear.
A few days later, he catches Bella in the hall between classes.
"I've found out something absolutely fascinating," he says, "which I'd like to tell you privately. Very privately. When's a good time?"
A few days later, he catches Bella in the hall between classes.
"I've found out something absolutely fascinating," he says, "which I'd like to tell you privately. Very privately. When's a good time?"
"Ooh. A fascinating thing," says Bella. "Let's see. Renée is meeting friends for dinner, so we're fending for ourselves, but Trouble might decide to appear with baked goods."
palmofyourhand
"For the purposes of this discussion, Trouble is very private," says Ethan. "I'll see you after school, then? When?"
Bella would like to know in advance if Trouble is liable to appear with baked goods. So she sits with him at lunch.
"Hi, Trouble! If it should happen that you come over for dinner tonight no one will make you eat your vegetables."
