The Many Mysteries of the Finkel Family

now I’m working on number seven.”
Aviva, still pacing on the sidewalk, spoke. “Maybe he is busy at work.”
“That’s not possible,” Caroline said.
She realized her mistake the moment she tapped “speak” on her app. Aviva stopped pacing and stared.
Arms crossed over her chest, Lara looked at Caroline. “Our dad lost his job,” she said flatly.
Her cousin frowned. “I do not understand,” she said. “Why does your dad losing his job mean he cannot pick us up?”
It was an entirely reasonable question, and one that Caroline couldn’t begin to answer adequately. Fortunately, Lara had a response as always.
“That is very complicated.”
“Complicated how?” A crease appeared on Aviva’s brow.
“You wouldn’t understand,” Lara said, in a tone that made Caroline wince. “You don’t know Dad like we do. Sorry.”
Lara did not sound very sorry.
Aviva didn’t say anything more, but Caroline was thoroughly annoyed with her sister. She searched her brain for the right words to express her displeasure at Lara’s meanness and began to tap at her tablet. She was nearly ready to press “speak” on her rant when Lara spoke again. This time her voice was light and airy.
“Well, I don’t think Dad is coming. But that’s okay. We can just get home ourselves. I have enough emergency money for the bus.”
Aviva’s hands began to flap at least 10 percent faster than before in Caroline’s estimation. “The bus?” she repeated. “Are we allowed to do that?”
“I’ve done it before,” Lara said, which wasn’t exactly an answer to the question that had been asked.
While Lara explained, in her most annoying Big Sister voice, how taking the bus home was totally the easiest thing in the history of ever, Caroline composed a new paragraph on her tablet. It was full of rational points about how they should simply try to contact their parents again rather than attempt something that was sure to go wrong. Something that was most certainly Against the Rules.
Of course Lara only rolled her eyes at Caroline’s well-considered points. “Lina-Lin, don’t worry so much. The bus will get us home in no time. And Dad and Ima can’t very well get mad at us, since Dad didn’t pick us up in the first place.”
“We should at least try calling Ima first,” Caroline said, although she could tell she was on the very edge of losing the argument.
“I already texted her twice. She hasn’t responded. She’s probably busy delivering a baby or doing another doctorly thing.” Lara made a face. “Come on. You guys aren’t afraid of going on the bus, are you?”
“Of course not,” Aviva said quickly. Caroline shook her head, even though she was still convinced it was all a terrible idea.
And so when Lara marched toward the bus stop, Caroline followed a mere half step behind.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: A MOST UNUSUAL SIGHTING
LOCATION: Outside of Pinecone Arts Academy, 3:00 p.m.
EVENT: Dad doesn’t pick us up from school.
QUESTION FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION: Has he forgotten about us?
Lara peered out the bus window, fingers flapping lightly against her jeans. She wasn’t about to admit it to Caroline and Aviva, but she didn’t feel completely sure they’d gotten on the right bus. She was more like mostly sure. Okay, mostly-ish.
Caroline tapped Lara on the shoulder for about the twelfth time in as many minutes. She didn’t have her speech app open, since she was currently engrossed in doing something on her phone, but Lara understood the gesture’s meaning perfectly.
“Yes, we’re on the right bus,” Lara said for the twelfth time. “Trust me.”
In a seat across from them, Aviva swung her legs back and forth. She kept flitting her gaze about, as though someone might descend at any moment to catch them riding the bus without permission.
“Don’t you have buses in Israel?” Lara asked, irked by Aviva’s skittishness.
Aviva straightened her back and stopped swinging. “Certainly,” she said. “Although they usually smell better than this.”
“Of course they do,” Lara muttered. She didn’t bother resisting the impulse to roll her eyes.
“This bus is going to take us home, right?” Aviva asked.
“For the millionth time, yes. I’m sure of it,” Lara said. It was only a tiny lie. Hardly a lie at all, really. “I’ve taken the bus home from school before.”
She very purposefully did not mention that the scenes rolling past in the windows didn’t feel quite right to her. After all, it had been months since she’d last taken the bus. In another few minutes she’d start to see more familiar sights—the park in the Finkels’ neighborhood, the Dairy Queen they sometimes visited together. She just had to wait a little.
The bus lurched to a stop. Lara groaned when she spotted a horde of people entering. They looked like high school kids, and while Lara generally didn’t mind high schoolers, high school kids on the bus was another matter altogether. In Lara’s experience, they tended to be even louder than most other bus riders. The presence of a whole group of them was sure to generate a truly unbearable level of noise.
Lara flapped her hands a bit harder as the group invaded the bus. She soon found herself staring at a purple backpack just inches from her face. Ugh—why did high school kids have to carry such enormous bags all the time?
After the bus made a few stops, the crowd thinned and Lara found it easier to breathe. She glanced out the window again, hoping to catch sight of a landmark she recognized.
Instead, she was met with a very familiar face reflected in the glass.
“Noah!” Lara blurted out. “What are you doing here?”
Lara stared at her brother. He stared back. Noah didn’t seem particularly surprised to see her, and she wondered if he’d spotted her first. Why hadn’t he said hi?
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
He gave a slight smile. “I could ask you the same question. I probably should, being the older brother and all.”
“We are going home from school,” Lara informed him. He didn’t really need to know anything