The Mystery on the Great Wall of China

90 <strong>The</strong> <strong>Mystery</strong> on the Great Wall of China
Just then Papa returned from the
bedroom. He wore a grim face.
“Uh, oh,” said Christina, “what’s wrong,
Papa?” She feared he had changed his mind.
Papa shook his head. “Mimi isn’t coming
with us. She’s sick. She says maybe it’s
something she ate last night or perhaps she
caught a cold, or even the flu, on the airplane.
She wants us to go on while she recuperates.”
Christina felt like crying. “But it won’t be
the same without Mimi!”
Grant surprised his sister and grandfather
by insisting, “Sure it will. I mean, it’ll be OK.
She can get well and we can take pictures and
show her everything.” He hung his head and
looked like he might cry.
“Grant!” said Christina.
“No, no, it’s ok,” said Mimi. She stood at
the bedroom door, looking like she felt just
awful. She wore the hotel’s thick terrycloth
bathrobe and hugged a box of tissues to her
chest. “<strong>The</strong>re’s no sense me giving you guys
germs. I’ll just rest and read. But if you don’t go
on, then I’m afraid we will run out of time. It’s
just one of those things.”
“Oh, Mimi,” said Christina, “I’m sorry.”