“Hey, incidentally,” Leighton's mom said, “how's the math tutoring going?”
Hope and Leighton exchanged glances and burst into laughter.
“We got a little sidetracked,” Hope explained, “but I promise we'll make up for lost time before school starts.”
Crickets chirped as puffy clouds swallowed the day's last slivers of peach and orange sunlight.
“I say nobody gets to open presents until the grown-ups find out what R.U. stands for,” Tricia's mom said playfully.
“Relatives Unwelcome?” Elizabeth's dad teased.
“Real Uppity?” Hope's dad tossed out.
“Relationship University?” Leighton's mom suggested.
The girls giggled. Relationship University. That was almost what their summer had felt like.
“Did I guess it?” Leighton's mom asked excitedly.
“No,” her daughter answered, “but you're close.
” “Oh, we're close!” Tricia's mom said. “Let's keep guessing, guys. I'm sure we'll come up with it sooner or later.”
Tricia smiled. “You can try, Mom. But I have to tell you, sometimes an answer is right under your nose and you don't even know it.”
A jasmine-scented breeze wafted through the air as the Right-Unders smiled at each other. Here they were, right under the same patio umbrella. Right under the same velvety evening sky. Right where they belonged.
Acknowledgments
I offer my most heartfelt appreciation to Graham, Greg, and Julianne Deriso, who have filled my life with inestimable joy; to my parents, Gregory and Jane Hurley, who have loved, supported, and inspired me every day of my life; to John Hurley, Anne Cook, Cecilia Raville, and Steve Hurley, the finest siblings on earth; to Beth Antoine for vetting my teenspeak; to Mary Deriso, Sylvia Strelec, and the rest of my extended family for their never-ending encouragement; to my treasured friends, too numerous to name but each with such a special place in my heart; to Christyne Simpson, Kent Hannon, and my other fine teachers in West Point, Georgia, and at the University of Georgia, respectively; to Johnny “Sandman” Sands for teaching me everything I know about the newspaper business and therefore most of what I know about good writing and editing; to Sara Crowe for her patience and guidance; to Michelle Poploff and her colleagues at Delacorte Press for their stellar work; and most of all, to my treasured stepson, Graham Deriso III, for inspiring this book.
About the Author
Christine Hurley Deriso likes writing about things that are right under people's noses without anyone much noticing. Her first novel, Do-Over, was published by Delacorte Press. She and her husband, Graham, live with their children, regory and Julianne, in South Carolina.
Published by Delacorte Press an imprint of Random House Children's Books a division of Random House, Inc. New York
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Text copyright © 2007 by Christine Hurley Deriso
All rights reserved. Delacorte Press and colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.www.randomhouse.com/kids
Educators and librarians, for a variety of teaching tools, visit us at www.randomhouse.com/teachers
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Deriso, Christine Hurley.
The Right-Under Club / Christine Hurley Deriso.—1st ed.
p. cm
Summary: Over the summer, five middle school girls form a club based on the fact that they all feel neglected and misunderstood by their blended families.
eISBN: 978-0-307-49018-6
[1. Clubs—Fiction. 2. Stepfamilies—Fiction. 3. Family problems—Fiction. 4. Friendship—Fiction.] I. Title.
PZ7.D4427Ri 2007
[Fic]—dc22
v3.0
The Right-Under Club Page 16
