I know it's the wrong season, but here's a first look at Eavesdropping on Easter!
Becky Bananski squinted at the bright spring sunlight streaming through the living room window, her orange kitten, Ginger, purring in her lap. Ghost, the white kitten with blue eyes, darted across the floor, skidding to a stop beneath the couch where a wayward ball of yarn had rolled. The kittens had been part of their family for about two months, and though they’d brought life back into their quiet house, they also brought plenty of chaos.
“Ghost, no!” Becky lunged forward, but it was too late. Ghost had already sunk her claws into the edge of the couch, dragging herself further underneath as the yarn un-spooled behind her. Becky sighed, brushing her hair out of her face. “This place is falling apart without Mom.”
Caleb looked up from his spot at the kitchen table, where he was working on a school project for fifth-grade socials. “She’s just playing. Maybe she’s bored.”
“Or maybe she’s trying to shred our furniture,” Becky shot back, lifting Ginger and setting her on the floor before getting onto her hands and knees to fish Ghost out from under the couch.
Finn, their youngest brother, wandered in-to the room holding a half-eaten granola bar. “Ginger chewed the end of my math homework this morning. Does that mean I don’t have to turn it in?”
Becky rolled her eyes. “Nice try. And if I hear one more story about how the kittens destroyed something, I’m putting both of them in a giant hamster ball.”
Ghost squirmed as Becky gently pulled the kitten out from under the couch. “You know,” she muttered, holding the kitten up to eye level, “you’re lucky you’re cute.”
Caleb chuckled from the kitchen. “You say that like it isn’t the only reason we keep them around.”
Becky managed a small smile. Caleb’s humor was a rare spark of light these days, and she treasured it when it showed up. The past few months had been hard on all of them. After their mom’s sudden death in October, nothing had felt normal. Not Halloween, not Christmas. The house felt quiet-er, emptier, even when Dad was home. He tried his best, but Becky could see the weight he carried.
Adopting the kittens had been Dad’s idea. He thought they’d bring some com-fort, maybe even help distract Caleb and Finn. So far, they’d done exactly that—when they weren’t chewing on homework or clawing at the furniture.
The sound of footsteps on the porch broke her thoughts. Becky stood, Ghost still in her arms, as the door swung open. Dad walked in, balancing a stack of mail and a grocery bag.
“Hey, kids,” he said, giving them a tired smile. “How’s everyone doing?”
“Finn’s trying to get out of math home-work, Ghost was under the couch, and Gin-ger’s planning her next escape,” Becky re-plied, setting Ghost down. “The usual.”
Dad chuckled softly, dropping the mail on the counter. “Sounds about right. I picked up the extra litter you asked for. It’s in the car.”
“Thanks, Dad,” she said, brushing past him to grab her shoes. “I’ll go get it.”
As she stepped outside, the fresh spring air hit her. The trees lining the street had started to bloom, their delicate flowers a reminder that Easter was just around the corner. Normally, the Bananskis would be gearing up for the big town Easter egg hunt, but this year, Becky wasn’t sure if they’d even go. Caleb and Finn seemed interested, but Becky wasn’t sure if she could handle being around so many happy families.
She grabbed the bag of litter from the car and headed back inside, the sound of Finn and Caleb arguing over something—or nothing—greeting her as she opened the door. Setting the bag down, she let out a sigh and glanced at the kittens, now curled up sleeping together on the couch like they hadn’t caused any trouble all day.
“Figures,” she muttered, plopping down in the armchair. Ghost stirred slightly, her blue eyes flicking open to meet Becky’s gaze.
For a moment, Becky let herself relax, the sight of the kittens and the faint hum of Caleb’s and Finn’s voices grounding her. But just as she began to settle, her ears picked up something strange.
“. . . might have to cancel,” a voice said, low and serious. It was coming from outside the window, where two women stood chat-ting near the sidewalk.
“What about the kids? They’ll be so disappointed,” the other replied.
Becky leaned closer to the window, careful not to make a sound. Cancel? What were they talking about?
“The eggs are gone,” the first voice continued. “Without them, we can’t hold the hunt.”
Becky’s stomach dropped. The Halloway Hills Easter egg hunt? Canceled? Even though she wasn’t sure her family would go, it seemed sad to cancel it for the whole town. But what could they do without any eggs to hide? She sat back, her mind racing.
Ghost let out a soft meow and pawed at Becky’s hand. “Not on my watch, Ghost,” she muttered under her breath. Ghost tilted her head as if to say, “What now?”
Becky had no idea where to start, but one thing was certain—she wasn’t about to let Easter slip away without a fight.
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