“No solicitors,” a voice rattled through the high-tech electronic speaker. Mina looked around in surprise and saw that a camera next to the gate had zeroed in on her.
Mina pushed the green button once more and leaned in. “Um, I’m dropping off an information packet for Happy Maids. We were told to bring it by this afternoon.” The voice didn’t come back on right away. Mina assumed it was because whoever was working the voice box was checking with the Carmichaels.
“Name?”
“Mina Grime.”
“Enter. Stay on the path. Don’t ride that thing on the grass!”
The giant iron gates swung inward, and Mina rode up the driveway, mesmerized by the extravagance that money provided. What she had originally thought was the main house turned out to be the garage, which housed the family’s vehicles. Mina’s whole family plus the Wongs could all live comfortably in the Carmichaels’ garage.
The main house sat back from the street, three stories tall with a terra-cotta roof. Majestic statues of horses were scattered throughout the estate, and Mina could see gardeners trimming hedges and mowing the manicured grass. Behind the estate were training yards and stables for the Carmichaels’ prized racehorses.
This was the first time Mina felt acutely aware of her family’s small income in comparison to others. She didn’t really care about money, but she understood the phrase “out of her league.”
She was embarrassed when she got to the steps of the main house and couldn’t decide where to leave her bike. With the kickstand broken, Mina tried to lean it against a pillar and got a heated look from a maid. She went to lean it against a bush and received a horrified stare from the gardener. Giving up, Mina let it lie in the driveway, its back wheel spinning pathetically.
She took the front steps two a time and found herself in front of huge mahogany double doors with a silver mustang knocker. Knocking, Mina decided she would count to ten Mississippis, and if no one answered she would do leave the packet and go home. She’d only gotten to seven when Mrs. Carmichael herself opened the door.
Mina recognized the soft eyes and elegant smile, not to mention the signature pearls and perfect coif, from the tabloid magazines.
“Yes?” Mrs. Carmichael asked sweetly.
“Hi, I’m Mina. I’m supposed to deliver this Happy Maids packet on behalf of my mom.” Mina thrust the packet toward Mrs. Carmichael, hoping to get this delivery over with.
Mrs. Carmichael wasn’t cooperating, because she didn’t take the packet.“I’m sorry, what?” Her brow furrowed in confusion.
“My mother’s boss, Terry Goodmother of Happy Maids, said you requested an informational packet. I’m just dropping it off for them.” Mrs. Carmichael still looked confused, and Mina had a sinking feeling that this was a huge mistake. “I’m sorry. I must have the wrong residence.” She turned away in embarrassment.
“Wait! What was your name again?” Mrs. Carmichael called out. Her eyes softened with compassion. Or it could have been pity.
Mina had made it to the bottom steps and turned to look back up at Mrs. Carmichael. “I’m Mina Grime.”
“Mina. You’re the one who saved Brody!” Her confusion disappeared and her face lit with happiness. “We have much to thank you for…oh, Brody, watch out!” she practically shouted.
Just when Mina had begun to wonder about Mrs. Carmichael’s strange re-enactment, she heard a sickening crunch of metal on metal and turned to see her bike crushed to smithereens beneath the wheels of a black car. “My bike!” Mina groaned.
“Brody!” Mrs. Carmichael yelled simultaneously.
Mina froze. She didn’t know what was worse—facing her long-time crush with a brown chocolate milk stain on her jacket, or the fact that he had just run over her pathetic bike with his expensive sports car.
The driver’s door opened, and Brody jumped out of the car. “Mina, I’m sorry! Are you okay?”
Brody started to run up to them but then seemed to hesitate, stopping about halfway.
Mortified that Brody had run over her bike and with no good explanation as to why she was at his house, Mina could only think of one thing to do. Run.