It was the first day of our new school, and attentions were diverted elsewhere. Dana had been late coming to breakfast, and even now she was complaining of aches and pains. Mom tried to question her, wondering if she might be coming down with another flu, but there seemed to be no symptoms other than the aches. We’d already nursed her through an episode of flu since we had moved into the new house, and now I was a little perturbed. Surely she wasn’t doing this just to get out of school on the very first day. But in my heart I knew this wasn’t in Dana’s nature. “How’d you sleep?” Dad inquired. Everyone was so preoccupied with Dana that no one was paying any attention elsewhere. I decided since no one else had noticed the dribbles of oatmeal running across the table from the pot to Corey’s bowl, I’d better step in. “Corey, I think you’ve had plenty.” He looked at me crosswise. “I’m big today.
