Episode 4: Holding It Together (The Extraordinarily Ordinary Life of Cassandra Jones): Walker Wildcats Year 2: Age 11, #4

By Tamara Hart Heiner

When Cassandra's parents begin a pattern of fighting, Cassandra's friends warn her about the D-word: Divorce. Cassandra enlists her younger sister Emily to help their parents fall in love again. But when each of their attempts backfire pathetically, she panics that none of her efforts are enough to make a difference.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tamark Books
• Release date: Jun 15, 2016
• ISBN: 9781533768353

Tamara Hart Heiner

Tamara Hart Heiner lives in Arkansas with her husband, four kids, a cat, a rabbit, and several fish. She would love to add a macaw and a sugar glider to the family collection. She graduated with a degree in English and an editing emphasis from Brigham Young University. She's been an editor for BYU-TV and currently works as an editor for WiDo Publishing and as a freelancer. She's the author of the young adult suspense series, PERILOUS, INEVITABLE, the CASSANDRA JONES saga, and a nonfiction book about the Joplin tornado, TORNADO WARNING. 

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Matchmaker Matchmaker

WHAT ARE YOU WORKING on? Emily Jones leaned over her sister Cassandra’s headboard on the bed, watching with interest as Cassie measured and cut out pieces of cardboard boxes.

A replicator, Cassie said. Sometimes she did her homework at the kitchen table, but lately the tension had been high between her parents, so she’d opted to do it in her room.

A replicator? Emily repeated. She wrinkled her nose. Like, from Star Trek?

Like, exactly, Cassie replied.

But those aren’t real. Emily sounded a cross between condescending and confused.

Neither is this, dummy, Cassie said. She cut out a fourth side and taped it to the other three, making a three-dimensional rectangle.

So what does it do?

Nothing. Cassie faced her sister and held up the rubrics sheet her sixth-grade teacher, Ms. Timber, had given. I have to pretend to invent something. It doesn’t have to actually work, but I have to pretend like it does, present it to my class, and demonstrate it. It’s supposed to be like a commercial.

How can you demonstrate something that doesn’t work?

Cassie had already thought of this. She had it all worked out in her head. Okay. See right there? It’s a little keyboard. She showed Emily the tiny keyboard with her best handwriting on the letters. It will go right here, on the base of the replicator. She placed it against a cube she’d already cut out and taped together. This long thing— she held up the rectangle she’d just put together, is the machine. I’ll cut out an opening here at the bottom where the food is supposed to appear, but I’ll leave the opening attached like a swinging door so you can’t see inside.

But it’s not really going to make any food. So how will you demonstrate it?

Cassie turned back to her replicator, beginning to cut out her swinging door. Ms. Timber already told us when we’re presenting, and I’m on Friday. So Thursday night, I’ll buy a hamburger and stick it inside the replicator when I get to school. When it’s my turn, I’ll type it in, pull it out, and wha-la! I have a hamburger.

That’s cool. Emily watched Cassie a bit longer. If only it were real.

Yeah, Cassie agreed. Chocolate milkshakes whenever we want them.

Or spaghettios.

Or ice-cream. Cassie lowered her voice, glancing toward the bedroom door to make sure it was closed. Do you think our parents are fighting more than usual?

I don’t know. Emily shrugged. They’re definitely fighting.

You don’t think that they could be . . . Cassie chewed on the side of her finger. She had to force herself to say the words out loud. Falling out of love?

Emily didn’t say anything for a moment. How could they be? she finally said. They have us.

Maybe we’re not enough.

Well . . . what can we do if they are?

All kinds of romantic notions of candle-lit dinners and roses and holding hands along the beach jogged through Cassie’s mind. Maybe there’s a way we can help them.

How?

I don’t know yet. I’ll think of something.

WHEN CASSIE GOT OFF the bus at school, she spun her body around, searching for Riley Isabel. Sure enough, she saw the other girl—her former best friend—getting off the bus behind hers.

Cassie strode right up to her, waiting until she was closer so she wouldn’t have to yell. Riley.

Riley turned around. Her features pinched together when she saw Cassie.

Well? Cassie said. Did you bring it?

Yes, Riley said stiffly. You thought I’d forget, didn’t you?

Or keep it, Cassie agreed.

Riley reached into her pocket and pulled out the chain of their best friend necklace. I don’t want it. I wouldn’t keep it.

Cassie held out a hand, and Riley dropped the necklace into her palm. A small rock fell into Cassie’s heart, a tiny ache at losing her friend. But she brushed it off. Everything she’d said yesterday when she asked for the necklace back was true. Thanks.

Riley shrugged, then turned around and continued into the school.

Cassie unrolled the necklace and examined the half of heart. Best. She already knew she wanted to give it to Andrea Wall. She planned out how she would ask her while they ran, role-playing the conversation in her mind.

Do you have a best friend, Andrea? she would ask.

No, Andrea would say.

Cassie would pull out the necklace, hold it out to Andrea. Will you be my best friend?

Of course, Andrea would say, and they’d hug, and Andrea would put it on, and they’d be best friends.

There