Marigold by Heather Manheim (best books for 8th graders .TXT) 📕

classes or dancing classes on most days. Other days, we use the equipment. And of course, we start our day following along to President Everett’s yoga video.” Davis looked around again. She didn’t know much about exercise equipment, but there seemed to be several types of machines, floor mats, hand weights, and different ropes and bands hanging neatly on the wall. Davis also noticed the four other brown doors that were in the exercise room. In the center of the room, the exit to the main hallway had sizeable frosted glass doors. Davis wanted the second wood door to the left of that glass door; that’s what Namaguchi had told her.

Finally, after leaving the exercise room, Davis and Jessica made their way out to the zoo area. First, they put Parker in with the other capuchin monkeys. There were seventeen monkeys in total. Davis was impressed with how large and spacious their cage was, how many things they had in their cage, and how many playthings they had. Different ladders to climb on and a rope course across the top of the cage. A large tree with lots of foliage and little sleeping bins they could pop into if they wanted to. Davis wondered to herself how someone could have evident compassion for animals and, at the same time, have such a mean streak toward humans.

After dropping Parker off, they went by the macaw cage, and again, Davis was stunned by the cleanliness of the aviary; the space was large and had several trees and bare branches for the birds to perch on. They even had a large rock waterfall flanked by gorgeous tropical plants and flowers. “Those flowers are beautiful,” Davis said.

“They’re fake,” answered Jessica. “President Everett is allergic to bees, so there are no real flowers here. I wish we had a flower garden, but we can’t. You won’t even have flowers to decorate your wedding. He takes no chances.”

Davis could have kicked herself for mentioning flowers; she had forgotten. She shouldn’t risk in any way the plan getting discovered. Davis noticed Jessica sounded a bit disgruntled about the flowers. She decided to change the topic in hopes of leaving the talks of flowers behind. “Mmm hmmm…by the way, can I ask? You called him ‘President Everett,’ and it occurred to me that I don’t know his first name. Does he have one? Do we ever use it?”

“It’s Jack; you’ll hear it at the wedding ceremony when they use his full name. But, probably never again. We never call him by it; we always say President Everett. Don’t worry; after the marriage, you’ll take classes, basically Everett 101. You’ll learn everything. Usually, the classes take place before the wedding, but for some reason, yours isn’t. And we can always help. We sister wives have to stick together.”

Davis couldn’t help but sense a little cynicism in Jessica’s voice, but she didn’t know if it was indeed there or she was just hoping it was there. She had a fleeting thought about if she should take a chance and see if Jessica could help her with her mission. Hastily, she realized there was no time to get to know Jessica or the other girls, so even if anybody could help her, there was no time to sort it out.

As they finished their zoo tour, Jessica told Davis about how their group took care of the monkeys, and the other wives took care of the other animals. But not to worry, it wasn’t hard. She told her that there was a twenty-four-hour staff to feed, take care of, and clean up after the animals. Three veterinarians worked on a rotating schedule, with one always being present for a full day. The wives took publicity pictures with the animals or played with those tame enough to do so. Next, they went by the dolphin aquarium, again, beautiful, spotless, and huge. Davis believed they must have around the clock cleaning, especially as they saw more and more enclosures. The koala bears were more challenging to see, as they were hiding away in their large eucalyptus tree forest. Davis was most interested in the tigers. They looked so large and powerful. Jessica explained they were solitary animals, so even though there were five tigers, they each had their own enclosed space within the larger enclosure. Davis could only spot two as they walked by, and she wished they would slow down to look at them better. It looked as if each cage was quite large with a pool, a few trees and bushes, a swinging tire, and a mountain façade with a cave opening large enough for each tiger to lay in. The only tigers Davis could see was one lying on his side in the shade under a big tree, and the other was pawing at a fish carcass in his water, the only mark of anything not being ridiculously clean. Lastly, they went by the rhinoceroses’ cage, where Davis felt tickled to see a large rhinoceros wading in a mud pool with a baby one. Jessica told her that the baby was about six months old.

Finally, they went back to their room, meeting the other wives who had changed into their casual clothes. Some were reading; others were lounging. After Davis and Jessica washed their hands, they came back out to find the wives and Cox at the dining table. Each place had a simple plate, napkin, and a glass of water. A nutrition biscuit sat on each plate. Cox directed Davis to sit on a chair that was between Lisa and Rebecca. Cox said grace, and then they started quietly chewing their biscuits and sipping their water. Davis had never realized how dry and bland the biscuits were. She found herself missing the food from the bunker. There was some polite, casual banter, but it seemed clear that nobody had much to say. There was a slight awkwardness that hung in the air. The awkwardness that told you it was in