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I was sailing gently on the clear, calm sea. 

Above me a bird was circling lazily.

I reached out my hand to feel the...

"MARGARET!" 

Thump, thump. Ow! 

I cracked open one eye and saw my brother Nathan 

preparing to jump on my stomach again. 

"Wake up! It's errand day!"

Groaning, I thought, The world would be so much 

better without brothers. 

At breakfast, Nathan took the last of the good cereal.

He also spilled jam all over my favorite shirt. 

"Who's turn is it to unload the dishwasher?" Mom 

asked.

"Not mine!" said Nathan and I.

"Margaret, please unload it so Nathan can go brush 

his teeth. We need to get out the door."

I sighed. Brothers are such a bother. 

Dad saw my glum face. 

"Cheer up, Sweetie. Can you imagine what would 

happen if Nathan didn't brush his teeth?"

I had to smile. "I guess unloading the dishwasher 

is better than having a dragon at the grocery 

store." 

Dad tied my shoe, even though I was too old for 

that sort of thing, and hugged me goodbye. 

I finished the dishes and jumped into the car. 

Errands went exactly as I expected. 

When we arrived at the grocery store, Nathan 

accidentally bumped the apples stand, sending 

them rolling across the store. 

Then he took away one of the twin's toys, causing 

Carrie to howl. 

In the checkout line, he sneaked in some gum 

without Mom noticing. 

I was so embarrassed. Couldn't Mom and I just 

shop by ourselves like we used to? 

At the pet store, Nathan let some of the animals out of 

their cages. He then chased them around the store. 

Mom tried to cheer me up. 

"How does that poem go...? 

I had a little brother 

And I brought him to my mother 

And I said I want another 

Little brother for a change."

I just pretended not to know him. 

Errands seemed like they would never end. 

Nathan tried to pick up all the fake presents on a 

display case.

He dropped all of them.

Mom checked her list. 

"Just the clothing store and then our last stop, the 

library!" She helped Nathan pick up the boxes and 

gave me a wink. "Almost finished!" 

Nathan fell in love with a SuperBoy suit at the 

clothing store. 

"Aren't you a little old for that?" I asked. 

"You are never to old to be a superhero!" Nathan 

replied. 

"Can I wear it into the library?" he begged Mom.

"Not today, Nater." she replied.

I heaved a huge sigh of relief. 

At the library, I saw my friend Anne. 

"Can I trade Nathan for your sister Emily?" I asked.

"Trust me, sisters are worse." she said. 

I wasn't so sure. 

Mom waved at me from across the library. 

I scooped up my books. "See you later!" 

The car ride home was quiet. 

The twins were sleeping. 

I was reading. 

Nathan was reading - at least, I think he was. I 

was too much into my Nancy Drew to notice. 

Once home, we all piled out. 

"Where's Nathan?" my mom asked. 

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