Brody nodded. “That sounds like fun.” He followed the girls to the washtub. Emma placed three shovels full of opal dirt into the tub then Rose and Max showed Brody how they cleaned the finer particles off the rocks with buckets of water. He and Emma dug their hands into the wet pile of rocks looking for the biggest pieces they could find to test for colors.
Max and Rose carried the buckets back to the water trough.
Rose suddenly fell backwards onto the ground. “Hey, why did you push me?” Rose was yelling at Max and starting to cry.
“I didn’t,” Max said. “You just fell.”
Rose got up and walked quickly toward Max. She pointed a finger at her and poked Max in the shoulder. “You pushed me.”
Max backed away.
Rose followed her, still poking her shoulder.
“No, I wasn’t near you. I didn’t push you,” Max yelled.
“Yes, you did!”
“No, I didn’t!”
They reached the tubs and Brody stepped between the two girls. “Stop you two, we are all friends here.”
Rose tried to get to Max. Brody placed his hands on Rose’s shoulders. She lurched backwards falling into Emmett and they both tumbled to the ground.
Emma ran to Rose and Emmett. “Let me help you up,” she said extending her hand. Aspen ran over to the group.
“I can get up by myself but you kids need to cut this out.” Emmett pulled himself from the ground.
“You’re not helping me either,” Rose snapped. She stuck her hand out toward Emmett. He sighed and rolled his eyes then pulled Rose off the ground. After she was up, Rose gave Emmett a hug. “Thank you.”
Emmett shook his head. “Just go back to work and leave me alone.”
Rose burst into tears and stormed away from the group. Aspen ran after her with Max, Emma, and Brody close behind. She was almost back to the entrance of the mine by the time they caught up to her.
“Stop.” Emma grabbed Rose’s arm and spun her around. “What is wrong with you?”
“Nothing.” Rose turned, revealing a huge grin on her face.
“I’m confused,” Max said, shaking her head.
“Will this help?” Rose opened her hands to reveal Emmett’s opal sample.
“You stole that?” Max said.
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