She was showered and dressed, skipping down the steps toward the kitchen when the phone rang. She was reaching for the hall extension when it stopped ringing. She paused with her hand hovering above the phone, suspecting that Zoe was on the other end of the line but unsure if she should take the chance and pick it up. A moment later, Susan settled the debate.
“Penny, phone!”
Penny picked up and heard strange voices already speaking on the other end.
“Hello?”
“Hi, Penny!” Zoe’s voice rose above the others, cutting them off momentarily, and when they continued, Penny recognized the deep baritone that was Zoe’s father.
“Hi, Little Red. We’ve been talking about what’s best for Zoe when school starts again, and we’ve decided she should go back to her school and her friends in Dogwood. Susa
