Read Online Bobby the Brave (Sometimes) by Lisa Yee - Free Book Online Page A

“Pretty good,” Bobby said. “We need to bring in our costumes tomorrow for the dress rehearsal.”
    Worry washed over Mr. Ellis-Chan’s face. “Oh,” was all he said. “Um, how about we go to the fabric store? There was a little accident. Well, not an accident, but, well, we need more fabric.”
    â€œWill it be done in time?” Bobby asked. It would be embarrassing to be the only kid without a costume.
    â€œWell, it won’t be ready by tomorrow, but I promise it’ll be done in time for the show.”
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    Casey was happy to be back at Sew What. She took dozens of spools of thread from the shelves and then stacked them into towers on the floor. Bobby helped her put them back as the store lady stood over them and glared. “And make sure the colors are in the correct places,” she snapped.

    Once that was finished, Casey tagged along as Bobby went in search of the furry fabric. “Here it is!” Bobby called out to his father once he found it. “Ah-choo! Excuse me!” Bobby sneezed all the way to the cash register as he carried the fake fur.
    The grumpy store lady frowned when she saw him and Casey, but then gasped when she recognized who was with them. “The Freezer!” she exclaimed as she tilted her head back and looked up. “Wow! Wait one moment.” She dialed the phone and handed it to Mr. Ellis-Chan. “If you could just growl to my husband, he’ll be thrilled. We’re both big fans! Oh, and these must be your darling children. Don’t they look sweet? Here, kids, have a lollipop! Have two!”
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    At the dress rehearsal, Holly’s hair and costume were all old fashioned-y, just as one would expect of Miss Hannigan. St. James stood taller wearing his Daddy Warbucks suit, and Swoozie made the perfect Little Orphan Annie and even wore a red wig. Everyone looked like they just stepped off a Broadway stage.
    Except, of course, for Bobby. Instead of a Sandy costume, he was wearing his usual — skater shorts and a Troy Eagle T-shirt.

    â€œMy father says to tell you that my costume will be done in time,” Bobby mumbled to Mrs. Carlson. He kept his eyes on the ground as he spoke.
    As the rehearsal progressed, Bobby got swept up in the show and forgot he wasn’t dressed as a dog. His barking had never been better. He even added some yelps and a long, inspired howl that made everyone laugh. Was this how Dad felt when he scored a touchdown? he wondered. His sister Annie might be a good quarterback, but could she be half the mutt Bobby was? He couldn’t wait for the show and imagined his father proudly telling the other parents, “See that dog? That’s my boy!”

T he next days rushed past. The students of Room 15 practiced and practiced, and no one even complained. Not when they were asked to skip recess to rehearse, not when they had to be very quiet backstage, and not even when Mrs. Carlson announced that she wanted the boys and girls to hold hands when they took their bows.
    PE had been going a lot smoother ever since Mr. Rainerhaus and Bobby had their talk. Bobby still didn’t enjoy football, but at least it didn’t make him want to throw up or break both wrists. However, the best thing about PE was that his teammates never got mad at him, or any other player, when they lost, which was often. The same could not be said for Jillian Zarr’s team. Those girls were scary when they won, and even scarier when they lost.
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    The night of the show, Mr. Ellis-Chan ordered dinner from Pizza Wheels. Bobby was happy his father had done this instead of cooking, since he didn’t want to risk getting a stomachache.
    Bobby plucked a pepperoni off his pizza and popped it into his mouth. “Is my costume ready yet?” he asked his dad.
    He had asked this every day since they bought the new material, but every day his father would just smile mysteriously and say, “Soon enough, soon