"Replica14 - The Beginning - Kaye, Marilyn" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kaye Marilyn)

That was why Amy felt pretty confident at lunchtime, when she told her best friend, Tasha Morgan, about the plans for the class trip.

"Washington!" Tasha squealed.

"Shhh," Amy hissed. "It's not official yet. But if Dr. Noble approves our suggestion, she'll announce it tomorrow."

Tasha obediently lowered her voice. "That is so cool. We're going to Washington!" Then, after a second, she said, "Well, at least I'm going to Washington."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Amy asked.

Tasha answered her with another question. "How do you think your mother's going to feel about this?"

Amy didn't respond right away. She knew what Tasha was implying. Other kids' mothers or fathers wouldn't have any problem agreeing to a school-sponsored trip. But Amy's mother was a little Ч actually, a lot Ч more cautious than other kids' parents.

She'd be particularly nervous about Amy's going to Washington, D.C. Ч for the same reason that Amy was so excited about going. The city where it had all begun could give Amy more understanding, more knowledge of herself. But it could also be one of the most dangerous places on earth for her to be.

Yes, there was definitely a possibility that her mother might object to the trip. She might even refuse to give Amy permission to go. But Amy suddenly had a bright idea, a way to get around any problems.

"What are you grinning about?" Tasha demanded.

"I was just thinking," Amy mused. "Don't they always ask parents to chaperone these trips?"





2



"I can't believe I let my daughter talk me into this," Nancy Candler grumbled as she carefully folded a sweater on her bed.

Her friend and next-door neighbor, Monica Jackson, spoke from her perch on the edge of Nancy's dresser. "I would have thought you'd appreciate a free trip to D.C. Didn't you used to live there?"

"A million years ago," Nancy replied, placing the sweater in her suitcase.

"You must have some friends still there," Monica said.

"One or two," Nancy admitted. "We haven't really kept in touch. I haven't been back to Washington in thirteen years. I won't even be able to remember how to get around."

"Washington can be a lot of fun if you know where to hang out," Monica remarked. "There are a lot of great new restaurants. And I know some terrific jazz dubs."

"Monica, I'm chaperoning seventh-graders. I don't think I'll have much opportunity to hang out in any jazz clubs."

"You don't have to be with the kids every minute, do you? There are other chaperones, right?"

"Twenty adults are going," Nancy told her. "But even so, after a day of hitting all the sights with a bunch of twelve-year-olds, I don't think I'll be feeling up for any nightlife." She paused in her packing, trying to remember what the weather in Washington would be like at this time of year. Maybe she should bring a heavier sweater.

She didn't realize she'd been biting her nails until Monica brought it to her attention. "Are you nervous about this trip? How many kids will you be responsible for, anyway?"