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was about to cry. She swung around and went back to her father, her pigtails bouncing. She pulled at his pants.
    Alice frowned. A spark of annoyance flared within her chest. She remembered that her mother had said that Mallory was six years old. Alice realized how lucky she was to be nine, almost ten. Six seemed so young.

 
CHAPTER 6
    Throughout the rest of the day—most of which was spent on the beach—Alice tried her best to get used to Ted and Mallory.
    Ted seemed to know more about birds than most people did. He could tell the difference between a least sandpiper, a western sandpiper, and a spotted sandpiper. This impressed Alice. She’d always considered a sandpiper a sandpiper, nothing more. Ted cleared his throat often, and he hummed a lot, too—a low, melodious rumble. If Alice’s father had done those exact things in those exact ways, she would have been embarrassed, but neither Mallory nor Kate seemed bothered by Ted’s mannerisms. There was a smattering of moles on Ted’s back and shoulders that reminded Alice constantly (and sadly) of her speck. However, she did like his bathing suit—it was printed with dogs wearing sunglasses.
    When Ted put his arm around Kate’s shoulders or rubbed sunscreen on her back, Alice could feel a storm well up inside her. She wanted to keep her distance from him, but she wanted to be near Kate.
    Mallory was difficult for Alice to figure out. One minute she was shy and clingy, a barnacle on her father’s leg, and the next minute she’d make some pronouncement with a hard face and a snippy voice: “I’m hot” or “The sun’s in my eyes” or “I’m thirsty.”
    At one point in the afternoon, Mallory heaved handfuls of sand into the air, laughing. There wasn’t much wind, but enough that the sand drifted over the group. Alice felt the sand strike her legs. When Ted told Mallory to stop, she defiantly threw sand at him. He calmly got up off his towel, took Mallory by the hand, and led her away. Mallory pitched a fierce tantrum, stamping her feet and flailing her arms about.
    Alice watched. She narrowed her eyes and craned her head with awakening interest. There was something about the ordeal she found exciting.
    A few minutes later, Ted and Mallory came back. Mallory picked up Munchkey.
    â€œWe’re going to the cottage for a while,” Ted told them.
    Mallory ground her heel into the sand and exclaimed furiously, between gasps, “Munchkey’s not happy.”
    She didn’t seem to be addressing anyone in particular. She wants the world to know, thought Alice.
    Mallory repeated it as she departed, “Munchkey’s not happy.”
    â€œWho is?” Kate said a moment later, lowering her sunglasses and rolling her eyes. She laughed helplessly.
    Alice thought this was her first chance to be alone with Kate, but Kate stood and motioned for Alice’s mother to follow her. “We’ll be right back, sweetie,” said Kate.
    â€œWhere are you going?”
    â€œA short walk.”
    â€œStay with me,” said Alice’s father, patting the towel beside him. His voice came from beneath the opened book that covered his face.
    â€œI thought you were sleeping,” said Alice.
    He chuckled. “Through the wailing?”
    Alice didn’t respond. She settled next to her father on her mother’s towel.
    â€œWhat are you thinking?” The book remained on her father’s face like a little tent.
    It was a question he asked often. A question Alice usually didn’t like to answer truthfully. She curled her lower lip. “Nothing.”
    Without looking up, Alice’s father stretched out his hand, found hers, and pressed it gently. “Maybe you’ll become friends. . . .” His voice trailed off.
    Alice doubted it. She sat up. She felt thick and restless at the same time. She shifted about on the towel. Overhead, gulls circled in wide