Chapter 9

“Are you Sean’s brother?” asked an older woman with a cruel face.

“No,” said Marshall. “I’m his friend.”

“Oh,” she said, looking him over. “I should have known.”

After the pinched-face woman had wondered off, Marshall was feeling very awkward. His few other attempts at conversation were almost instantly shut down. This was a closed group and he was not getting in.

Marshall was relieved when the back door to the house opened and out walked Sean dressed as Woody from Toy Story. “Is everyone ready?” he loudly asked the assembled family members. “If you’re not ready by now, you better get ready quick ‘cuz here he is—the birthday boy himself—Buzz Lightyear!”