2 SURPRISE!

CHAPTER 2 SURPRISE! Margaret!" the lady on the porch called again. "Now!" "We'll see you later, Margaret," Kenya said as she and Olivia started to walk away. "No, girls. I'd like to talk to all of you," the lady said, her arms folded across her chest. "Uh-oh. Is Claire in trouble?" Little John asked from inside the water bottle. "I don't know," Kaz said. Claire shifted the water bottle on her shoulder and followed the other girls into the brown house.

The lady glanced curiously at Claire. "What's your name?" she asked as she closed the front door behind them. "I don't think I've seen you before." "That's Claire, Mom," Margaret said. "She's here to help us catch the ghost in the tree house." "I see," Margaret's mom said with a funny smile. "Why is that lady smiling?" Little John asked. "She probably doesn't believe in ghosts," Kaz told his brother. Lots of grown-up solids didn't. It was weird. "We can show her ghosts are real!" Little John said. He passed through the bottle and expanded in front of Margaret's mom. "No!" Kaz shouted. Before Little John could start to glow, Kaz charged through the bottle, grabbed his little brother around the waist, and swam with him behind the couch.

"We don't need to let them know we're here. Or that we're real," Kaz said. "Let's just listen for now." "Okaaaay," Little John said. The ghosts floated behind the couch. "You girls know how I feel about secret clubs," Margaret's mom said. Henry leaned against the doorjamb and chewed on his thumb.

"It's not a secret club," Margaret told her mom. "It's just a club." "For girls," Kenya added. Margaret's mom shook her head. "We're all friends in this neighborhood. Girls and boys can be in clubs together." "Fine," Margaret said, slumping back against the wall. "Henry, do you want to join our club?" Kenya's eyebrows shot up. Olivia's mouth dropped open. "No." Henry shook his head. "I just don't want you to say I can't join it." He ran across the room and charged up the stairs. He was happy now. The girls looked relieved. "Well, I'm glad that's settled," Margaret's mom said. "Come into the kitchen and I'll make you girls a snack." "What about the tree house?" Little John asked. "When do we get to see the ghost in the tree house?"

"Probably after they eat their snack," Kaz said as they followed Claire and the other girls. Little John groaned. "Solids are always eating. I bet they can't even go one whole day without eating something." "Little John?" came a voice from behind them. It was a man's voice. "Kaz? Is that you?" Kaz, Little John, and even Claire whirled around. "POPS!" Kaz and Little John cried out when they saw the ghost man. They all flew into one another's arms. "I thought I heard voices I recognized," Pops said as he hugged his boys. "Where have you been?" Little John asked Pops. "Where have you been?" Pops asked. The smile disappeared from his face as he looked beyond Kaz and Little John. "Why is that solid girl standing there with her mouth open? She's staring right at us."

"That's because she can see us," Kaz said. He swam over to Claire and floated beside her. Margaret, Kenya, and Olivia were already in the kitchen. "Pops, this is my friend Claire." "Hi, Kaz's dad," Claire said softly. She gave a little wave. "Your friend?" Pops snorted. "This solid girl is your friend? And what do you mean she can see us? We're not glowing." "I know. But she can still see us," Kaz said. "She's nice, Pops," Little John said, joining Kaz and Claire across the room. Pops looked doubtful. Margaret came back into the living room then. "Claire?" she said. She looked where Claire was looking, but all she saw was an empty wall. "What are you doing?" "Uh, nothing," Claire said. "I just... spaced out for a second." "Well, come have a snack with us." Margaret grabbed Claire's arm and pulled her into the