James liked our craft project where you had to cut thin strips of paper and staple rings together to make a long chain. The chain is a calendar to help you count down the days of Ramadan, which can be twenty-nine or thirty days long. Our chain included way more links than that because our guests kept adding them. “One hundred thirty-seven,” James said after eyeing the chain for just a few seconds. Then he started attaching more links.
James really liked the surprise I had for him. I put together a collection of photographs of Middle Eastern farms and farming. He sat down and started talking about them and studying them. Seeing James like this made me happy.
Jeffrey surprised us. Once Joey showed up, Jeffrey pulled out this little memory game that he had made, with pairs of matching cards with different Ramadan pictures on them. He and Joey played.
It was a super wonderful day. Mr. Terupt was smiling. So was I.
Jessica
A ct 5, Scene 1
“Hi, honey. How was school?” Mom asked as I climbed into the car. Mom was great about giving me rides home whenever she could. Some kids, like Jeffrey, had to ride the bus every day.
Mom’s trying to get serious about her writing. She’s already very skilled at it, having helped on some of Dad’s plays back in California, but now she’s writing for herself. That’s why she’s free in the afternoons to pick me up sometimes. We’re lucky to have enough money so that my mom doesn’t have to get a steady job right now—she can actually pursue her passion. I hope I can do that someday, too. Mom did get a part-time job at a local bookstore, so she can interact withpeople and keep her mind from wandering back to California. My mind still wanders back there, but not like it did a few months ago. My dad hasn’t called again.
“School was fine,” I said. I buckled my seat belt and away we drove. “Mom, you’ve heard me talk about Anna and Danielle, right?”
“Yes. Is something wrong?” Mom stepped on the brakes harder than usual and we jerked to a halt at the stop sign.
I shook my head. “Nothing’s wrong,” I said. I looked my way. “Coast is clear.” Mom eased off the brakes. “Anna asked Danielle and me over to her house.”
“That’s great, Jessica,” Mom said.
“Yes, but I know Danielle won’t be going.”
“How do you know that?”
I filled Mom in on what I knew about Anna’s mother. And I explained why Danielle’s mom wouldn’t allow Danielle to associate with the likes of Anna. Mom turned right onto our road.
“Well, I’m not going to say no just because Anna’s mother made a mistake once.” We pulled into our driveway and Mom put the car in park. “If Danielle is a nice girl, I bet her mother is, too,” Mom said. “But we’ll make up our own minds about what kind of person Anna’s mother really is.”
“Dad made a mistake. You didn’t want to give him another chance,” I said.
“Your father didn’t want another chance,” Mom said. “He made that clear before we left.” She paused. “The divorce papers came today.”
I sat all quiet. Mom’s bluntness really zapped me.
“I’m sorry, honey,” Mom said. “I’m sure your father will call soon.”
I shrugged. “You don’t need to lie to make me feel better.”
“Okay, you’re right.” She sighed. “I’ve always been honest and up-front with you.” Another sigh. “I don’t know if he’ll call.”
january
Jessica
A ct 6, Scene 1
Anna’s house was small but cozy, just the right size for her and her mother. It was painted white with gray shutters, and there was a nice front porch. Anna met us there. We said our hellos and before I knew it, my mom was shaking hands with Terri (that’s Anna’s mom). Terri invited my mom in for a cup of coffee and they disappeared into the kitchen. Anna led me to her bedroom.
“I hope our moms become friends,” I said.
“Me too,” Anna said. “My mom doesn’t have any.”
Neither does mine, I thought. In California,
James really liked the surprise I had for him. I put together a collection of photographs of Middle Eastern farms and farming. He sat down and started talking about them and studying them. Seeing James like this made me happy.
Jeffrey surprised us. Once Joey showed up, Jeffrey pulled out this little memory game that he had made, with pairs of matching cards with different Ramadan pictures on them. He and Joey played.
It was a super wonderful day. Mr. Terupt was smiling. So was I.
Jessica
A ct 5, Scene 1
“Hi, honey. How was school?” Mom asked as I climbed into the car. Mom was great about giving me rides home whenever she could. Some kids, like Jeffrey, had to ride the bus every day.
Mom’s trying to get serious about her writing. She’s already very skilled at it, having helped on some of Dad’s plays back in California, but now she’s writing for herself. That’s why she’s free in the afternoons to pick me up sometimes. We’re lucky to have enough money so that my mom doesn’t have to get a steady job right now—she can actually pursue her passion. I hope I can do that someday, too. Mom did get a part-time job at a local bookstore, so she can interact withpeople and keep her mind from wandering back to California. My mind still wanders back there, but not like it did a few months ago. My dad hasn’t called again.
“School was fine,” I said. I buckled my seat belt and away we drove. “Mom, you’ve heard me talk about Anna and Danielle, right?”
“Yes. Is something wrong?” Mom stepped on the brakes harder than usual and we jerked to a halt at the stop sign.
I shook my head. “Nothing’s wrong,” I said. I looked my way. “Coast is clear.” Mom eased off the brakes. “Anna asked Danielle and me over to her house.”
“That’s great, Jessica,” Mom said.
“Yes, but I know Danielle won’t be going.”
“How do you know that?”
I filled Mom in on what I knew about Anna’s mother. And I explained why Danielle’s mom wouldn’t allow Danielle to associate with the likes of Anna. Mom turned right onto our road.
“Well, I’m not going to say no just because Anna’s mother made a mistake once.” We pulled into our driveway and Mom put the car in park. “If Danielle is a nice girl, I bet her mother is, too,” Mom said. “But we’ll make up our own minds about what kind of person Anna’s mother really is.”
“Dad made a mistake. You didn’t want to give him another chance,” I said.
“Your father didn’t want another chance,” Mom said. “He made that clear before we left.” She paused. “The divorce papers came today.”
I sat all quiet. Mom’s bluntness really zapped me.
“I’m sorry, honey,” Mom said. “I’m sure your father will call soon.”
I shrugged. “You don’t need to lie to make me feel better.”
“Okay, you’re right.” She sighed. “I’ve always been honest and up-front with you.” Another sigh. “I don’t know if he’ll call.”
january
Jessica
A ct 6, Scene 1
Anna’s house was small but cozy, just the right size for her and her mother. It was painted white with gray shutters, and there was a nice front porch. Anna met us there. We said our hellos and before I knew it, my mom was shaking hands with Terri (that’s Anna’s mom). Terri invited my mom in for a cup of coffee and they disappeared into the kitchen. Anna led me to her bedroom.
“I hope our moms become friends,” I said.
“Me too,” Anna said. “My mom doesn’t have any.”
Neither does mine, I thought. In California,
Similar Books
