Charlotte Morgan and the Lemonade Stand--Chapter 12--Six Days

   This is my next book. Charlotte Morgan and the Lemonade Stand.  

It is still in the work-in-progress phase. The cover I am posting here is a temp cover derived from the first book.  But I like sharing my work here first.  The book is leveled for third grade readers and up.

I am using the #steemiteducation tag because the book is about using math and earning money.  

 To read what has happened earlier click the link for each individual chapter for chapter 1. Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11

Summary: Charlotte and Gavin discuss new ideas to make more money.

Chapter 12 Six Days 

I got off the school bus and headed for home. Mom was waiting at the door with Charlie and his leash. “Remember our deal. You need to walk him and train him.” Charlie looked like he was going to throw his back out as he wagged his tail. 

“Okay,” I replied. I tossed my backpack on the ground, grabbed Charlie, his leash, and a bag to clean up after him, and bolted out the front door. Charlie only walked a few steps before he relieved himself. 

“You stole my idea!” Gavin shouted from down the street. He got on his bike and began riding towards me. 

I waved at him. “You’re not mad, are you? I thought it was good idea. And I owe my mom some money for my dog chewing up her shoes.” 

He stopped his bike a few feet from me. He smiled, “I’m just messin’ with you. Maybe we should start a competition. I can run a lemonade stand that weekend as well, and let’s see who earns more money!” He grinned from ear to ear. 

My stomach felt nauseated, I didn’t want to compete with him. I didn’t need that sort of stress, and he might take away from the people that come to buy lemonade from me! 

“Relax! I’m not going to set up another stand.” I let out my breath. “I could see it on your face, relax, I’m just teasing you.” 

“It wasn’t funny. I need that money.” 

“Alright! Alright! Alright! I get it. So, he chewed up some of your mom’s stuff?” He pointed at Charlie who was busy investigating the grass with his nose. Something had been there to get his attention. 

“Yeah, I have to replace a pair of her shoes. I need to make a profit around $50.”

 “That would be a good haul. I only got about $34 from mine.” 

“Did you have to pay your parents back for the lemonade?” I asked.

 “No. Why would I do that? I just used the lemonade that we already had in the kitchen.”

 I shook my head, “I’m just curious.” I turned around to continue my walk with Charlie. And for whatever reason Gavin decided to follow me. Charlie was difficult to walk on the leash, as he kept wanting to follow Gavin on his bike. I reached the end of the street and turned right onto Rosewood Drive. Charlie still had not done his business, so I kept walking.

 “Hey Charlotte!” shouted Sally. She ran out of the front door of her house. I stopped and waited for her. She ran up to us. I could tell by the look on her face she was wondering why Gavin was with me. “I’m allowed to hang out with you while you walk Charlie, that’s not against the rules?” 

“It’s fine. Just no coming over.”

 “Wait! You’re grounded,” Gavin pointed at me. 

“The Number Investigators can’t come over during the week until I pay my mom back.” 

“Yeah, you’re grounded,” he replied. 

“So, what if I’m grounded?” I asked Sally, while referring to Gavin.  

“Who knows what he is thinking.” she replied. 

“I’m just saying that Charlotte Morgan is never in trouble!” Gavin said. 

“Yeah, that ain’t true,” I replied. 

“I never see you get into trouble at school,” he shot back. 

“That doesn’t mean anything. I still get into trouble at home.” 

“Okay, fine. It’s just nice to know that even Charlotte Morgan gets into trouble once in a while. You’re not so perfect.” I was stunned. 

Someone thought I was perfect. “It doesn’t matter. What matters is that I have to find a way to pay my mom back, and we have bought all the materials to do a lemonade stand, and we made all the posters to advertise it.” I pointed at a poster that was still on the telephone pole. 

Gavin looked impressed, “That’s cool.” 

I kept walking, Sally and Gavin followed. “Where else did you put up signs?” he asked.

 Sally made a circular motion with her index finger, “We hung posters all around the neighborhood.” 

“That’s why you wanted to hang that one at school,” Gavin replied. “I guess you could have a lot of people come to your lemonade stand. What happens if you have too many people and they can’t fit on the street?” 

I looked at Sally, and I shrugged my shoulders, “I don’t know.”

“I think that would be a wonderful problem to have,” Sally said. 

“I think the real problem would be having no one come to see us.” Charlie stopped and did his business. 

“Yeww!” moaned Gavin.

 I rolled my eyes as I picked up Charlie’s poop with the bag. “What are you? Four?”  

“Are you going to be helpful or not?” said Sally, clearly exasperated with Gavin. 

“Okay! Okay! I’ll stop. If you want me to help with the lemonade stand I can.” 

“How?” I asked.

 “Umm…I can make lemonade Popsicles.” Sally and I looked at each other. 

“Lemonade popsicles? That’s actually not a bad idea,” said Sally. 

“Instead of using all the lemonade to make drinks. We could use some of it to make popsicles.” 

“And we could charge more for the popsicles!” I said. “

That’s a good idea Gavin! But we don’t need you to make the Popsicles. I already have the stuff.” 

“Actually, now we would need to get the sticks for the Popsicles,” Sally informed me. 

“I got the idea when someone at my stand said I should do it. It was hot enough for them to ask for something even colder. And I was like ‘I don’t have time to do that, too!’ I told them.” 

“That’s wonderful customer service Gavin,” replied Sally.

 “Remind me to not have you behind the table at our stand.” 

“Whatever! If you need my help, you know where to find me,” He waved off Sally, turned around, and rode his bike back to his house. 

“His Popsicle idea is very good,” I said once he left. 

“I know. But he was being a pain. We could charge several dollars for each popsicle. And I think we could get more popsicles out of the lemonade mix than we would drinks.” 

“We could do really well with popsicles,” I said.

 “Now, I just need to know how to make them. And I need to do it without the rest of the Number Investigators.” 

“Here’s a plan. You walk Charlie every day after school around the block, and we will have a Number Investigators meeting as you walk Charlie. And we’ll do the math together,” Sally smiled at her thought.

 “I’m good with that.”  

I now had less than six days to get ready for the lemonade stand. And now I had to figure out how to sell popsicles as well.