• "So what are we gonna wear to Tess's party?" Mackenzie asked from her perch on Claire's pink comforted bed. Claire sat at her desk in front of her MacBook, checking her e-mail. She was currently reading the e-mail from Tess about her summer party. Cliare clicked out of her e-mail and snapped her MacBook closed. She wheeled over to her bed in her small pink plastic wheely chair, slowing only when she crossed the pink shag rug in her desk area.
    "Mackenzie. It is June 21st. The party is on July 1st. We have plenty of time to decide that," she said.
    Mackenzie shook her head. "It's June 28th. The party is in 3 days. We should start thinking."
    "No kidding! It's already June 28th?!" Claire exclaimed.
    Mackenzie nodded and pulled out her cell phone. She flipped it open and showed her the date. It was June 28th. Claire pulled out her own cell phone and consulted it. It said June 28th.
    "Wow. Well, okay. So what did you have in mind?" Claire asked, resting her chin in the palm of her hand. Mackenzie shrugged her small shoulders. "I don't know. That's why I asked you."
    "Good point," Claire admitted.
    Just then, they heard the tap-tap-tap of something running up the wooden stairs. They heard muffled thumping as whatever it was rand down the narrow rug in the hallway.
    Claire smiled. "Peanut!" she exclaimed.
    Claire's peanut-colored Lab puppy skittered into the room. She stumbled over to the bed and jumped on her hind legs at the bottom of the bed, desperatley trying to climb on top.
    "Aww! Peanut!" Mackenize cooed, peering down at the dog over the edge of the bed. Claire scooped Peanut up and plopped her down between her and Mackenzie. Peanut ran excitedley back and forth from Claire to Mackenzie, practically falling over in her rush of excitement.
    "Ok Peanut! Lie down now!" Claire ordered.
    Peanut instantly calmed and layed down on her side in between them. Cliare gently stroked her behind her ears.
    "Good girl," Claire cooed softly.
    Peanut moaned happily.
    Claire suddenly remembered that she was going to tell Mackenzie her plan with The Girl.
    "Mackenzie?" Claire asked.
    "Mhm?"
    "You know The Girl?"
    "What girl?"
    "The Girl."
    "Oh yeah. What about her?"
    Claire took a deep breath.
    "Aren't you curious about what happened to her? How she got here? Where she lives?"
    Mackenize shrugged and started petting Peanut.
    "I don't know," she said.
    There was silence as they both gently stroked Peanut.
    "Why? Do you?" Mackenzie asked.
    Claire bit her lip. "Yes. I was actually thinking of a plan to find out stuff about her," Claire admitted sheepishly. Now her brilliant idea sounded stupid when it was said aloud.
    It was silent for a while.
    Claire became nervous Mackenize thought it was stupid.
    "I'll help you," Mackenzie finally said.
    "Really?" Claire said brightly.
    "Sure! I mean how cool will it be to be the first people to find out what happened to The Girl! And to find out what her real name is!" Mackenzie said, obviously starting to get very excited.
    "So when do we start?" Mackenzie asked, beginning to bounce a little.
    "Well we have to think of a plan first!" Claire pointed out.
    Mackenzie stopped bouncing and slumped over a little. "Oh. Yeah. I forgot about that part."
    "Don't worry! If we put our heads together we'll be able to think of a plan faster!" Claire reassured her.
    Mackenzie perked up a little. "I guess so."
    "Well c'mon. Let's go get some brainfood. Cookies?" Claire suggested.
    At the word "cookies", both Mackenzie and Peanut perked up and jumped off the bed. Claire giggled. "Cookies it is then!"