Forever - Chanda Hahn Page 0,13

that plan.” Nan grinned.

Mina couldn’t help but smile. “Of course you do. You love food.”

“Hey, I’m a growing girl, and I can out-eat a boy any day. This awesome figure is totally a pizza and chocolate ice cream body.”

Brody flexed his bicep. “Burgers and fries.”

Ever laughed and smiled. “Lollipops and Pixy Stix.”

Nan’s eyes went wide. “You’re serious?”

“Pixies love candy,” Mina explained. “I mean really really love candy.”

Ever pulled a lollipop out of the pocket of her dress, tore off the wrapper, and shoved it in her mouth, which had already been full with other candy. “Yep.” She swirled the lollipop to her other cheek so she looked like a giant chipmunk. Then, she popped it out of her mouth and held the stick. “But we can’t just live on candy. We need to get stuff for my Grimm. I’m not going to let her starve.”

“I’m not going to starve,” Mina argued, but Ever held up her hand.

“Nope, starve. You’re worthless.”

“Oh gee, Ever. Seems like you’re back to your chipper self.”

Ever looked down at her yellow dress. “Not yet.” She waved her hand, and her dress transformed into black pants and a top. “Now I’m back to my chipper self,” she said. “Let’s get you some supplies.”

“I don’t know, is it safe to take her out, with that maniac after her?” Brody looked over to Mina for affirmation.

His question mirrored her very own fears.

“That’s fine. We can stay in this house forever, but let me just say that Teague can come and go in this house as much as he wants. Since Jared has been here, Teague technically has too, and the wards won’t keep him out.”

“You’re right,” Mina said. “We can’t cower from him forever. I think this will show him we’re not scared of him.”

Nan’s hand shot straight up in the air. “I’m scared of him.”

Charlie grabbed her hand, pointed to himself, and shook his head no.

“Well, if Charlie’s not scared then I’m not scared,” Nan amended.

“Okay, but we don’t go anywhere alone. We stay in groups. You got that?” Mina said.

Nan made a salute, and Charlie copied her, slipping his hands into hers.

Brody smiled at Mina. “Aye, aye, Cap’n.”

Mina laughed and turned to Ever who looked aghast.

“Nuh-uh. There’s no way I’m saluting you. You can’t even lead a silkie to water.”

“You mean horse?” Nan corrected.

“No, I mean silkie.”

Nan’s face furrowed in confusion as Ever opened the door and they piled out into the driveway.

Chapter 5

Mina didn’t follow them outside into the driveway right away. She went back to the kitchen, and her footsteps slowed. The glamour of flowers and the celebration had disappeared. The room was back to the way it had been right before her mom disappeared. This was the last place she had spoken with her mom.

Moving on so soon seemed wrong. But these weren’t normal circumstances. Mina was a young girl trying to protect her little brother in the best way possible. Helping him heal was what was most important right now. But they didn’t have time to mourn, not when she had a feeling there was so much more to come.

She stared at her mother’s purse but couldn’t open it up to take money out of it. It felt wrong. Instead, she went into the pantry and pulled out an old coffee tin, to take money out of their emergency stash. Her mother was always prepared in case they had to pick up and move again, so even though they felt strapped for cash, there had always been a couple hundred in there.

The wad of money was even larger than Mina remembered. Probably because they weren’t paying rent on this place, her mom had been able to add to their fund.

Mina took three hundred dollars and shoved it into her jeans pocket. Then she placed the lid back on the tin and pushed it back up onto the top shelf.

She grabbed her jacket and locked the door before following the others. They’d apparently split themselves up into two cars instead of taking one—Nan in her Volkswagen Beetle and Brody in his SUV. Ever already sat in the front seat of Nan’s car, and Mina could see Charlie strapped into the back seat. The girls were talking very animatedly, trying to keep him entertained.

Mina didn’t feel like being surrounded by false joy, so she willingly jumped into the front passenger side of Brody’s car. She had barely gotten her seatbelt buckled when Nan meeped impatiently. Nan’s car horn wasn’t threatening at all. It was kind