"A sardine chocolate cake," I said.

My sister Maria made a gagging noise and went off into a storm of giggles. When she'd managed to get control of herself, she answered, "A broccoli milkshake with chopped onions."

"Euuuuuw," I said, grabbing my throat and making a face.

Maria began to giggle again.

We both looked at Tiffany. But she didn't seem to be listening. She just stared out the window as our school bus pulled to a stop in front of our house.

The three of us got out, Maria with a hop, Tiffany with her head down, and me last, with a wave to the driver. As the bus pulled away, I paused to look up and down our street. The day was bright and quiet and still, and you could feel spring just waiting to happen in Stoneybrook, where we live. My sisters Maria

and Tiffany and I had been playing an old game of ours on the bus ride home fromSto-neybrookDay School : Gross Food.

At least, Maria, who is eight, and I had been playing. Tiffany hadn't said anything at all.

I looked over at Tiffany as she walked beside me. Her head was still down and she was holding her backpack across her chest. Maybe now that she was eleven, Tiffany thought she was too old for the Gross Food game. Maybe she thought her older sister (that's me) shouldn't be playing it either. Maybe I'd embarrassed her and that's why she was ignoring us.

Or maybe she hadn't even noticed what Maria and I had been doing. It was hard to tell with Tiffany these days. She'd gotten very quiet lately, even quieter than usual.

"Marshmallow and spinach pie," said Maria.

I smiled. "Hmm," I said. "That doesn't sound so bad."

"Shannon!" shrieked Maria in delighted disgust.

"I'm raising spinach in my garden," said Tiffany softly.

I looked back at Tiffany in surprise. She had been listening after all.