Chapter 252

“Was that just right, Uncle Andy?” Billie beamed, all brilliant smiles. “You can be Aladdin.” She wormed her way under Andy’s arm until she was sitting in his lap, arms around his neck. “And Uncle Scooter can be the sultan, and…he can be Jafar, except he needs a beard to be all twisted.”

Scooter and Simon exchanged a look, disturbingly identical. “I’m gonna go with having no clue what she’s talking about. You?”

“I confess to general ignorance in this matter as well,” Simon responded. He stood up, lean and graceful. “Come along, princess. Let us go out of doors before your Aladdin gets us forcibly removed from the library premises. And we will discuss what has been decided if you would like?”

Billie nodded, hopped down. “C’n we get a Slurpee?” She looked down at her clothes, then said, “Huh. I’m wearing red today. Guess that means I like you best.” And she grabbed Simon’s hand, batting her eyelashes at him like she was flirting. “Tall, dark…and handsome…”