everything this ev ening. Can you promise not to pest er me for one more day?”
Lola nodded. She ’ d promise anything if it meant having her sister as a friend once more. Anyway, it was just for today—however long that might seem to her.
“In the meantime, I need your help. Something wonderful is going to happen this evening, and I want to look my best. I want to wear my pink dress to dinner, but it ’ s too small for me and I need you to help me let it out.” Enriqueta’s eyes were shining, and her face almost glowed as she spoke.
“What’s going to happen?”
“That’s the surprise—and the reason I ’ ve been so secretive. It ’ s been very hard, and I do want to tell you, but I promised not to say anything until this evening. I ’ m so excited!” Enriqueta jumped up and pulled Lola with her. “Come and help me with my dress. Please, please. Just be patient for a few more hours, and you ’ ll see.”
Lola soon caught Enriqueta’s excitement, and the two girls busied themselves discussing the best way to let out the pink dress. They giggled happily as they bumped heads and hands while trying to work on the same dress at the same time. Lola was ecstatic to have Enriqueta to brighten her life again. She decided that since Enriqueta was so excited about the evening event she ’ d wait to share her special news tomorrow. This must be Enriqueta’s day.
“Lola . ” The laughter died on the girls’ lips as Jacoba’s strident voice was followed by the sound of her approaching footsteps. “Have you finished that tablecloth yet?”
“No, I ’ ve been helping Enriqueta . ” Lola heard her own voice quiver with fear as Jacoba appeared in the doorway. T o her surprise , Jacoba did not answer. Instead, she stared at Enriqueta standing in the pink dress with the side seams ripped open. Jacoba’s mouth opened; she started to speak, but stopped and clamped her mouth shut, pursing her lips together. Her eyes widened and then narrowed as she spun on her heel, and the girls heard her footsteps receding.
“What was that all about?” asked Lola.
“I don’t know, but p lease promise you ’ ll stay with me every minute today.” Enriqueta ’s face no w appeared pale and frightened. The girls were subdued as they went back to work. It was almost time to dine before they were satisfied.
“How do I look?” Enriqueta had regained the excited flush, and the pink dress was the perfect complement to her dark hair and creamy white complexion.
“ Lovely . ”
“Señorita Enriqueta . ” The two girls looked up in surprise to see Rosa at the door. “Your father wants to see you in the library— now .”
“I’m coming, Rosa. I’m coming.” Enriqueta looked radiant as she grabbed Lola’s hand. “Please come with me, Lola. I want you to share my happiness.” Lola hurr ied to keep up with her sister who fairly flew along in her excitement.
When Enriqueta stopped short at the library door, Lola almost ran into her. Not wanting to miss anything, she edged past her sister and slipped into a chair by the door, thankful that the only light came from a lamp on the desk. Her father and Jacoba were staring intently at Enriqueta. Jacoba had a cruel smile on her face ; their father was frowning. From Enriqueta’s stricken expression, this was not the scene she had expected.
“Enriqueta, come here,” demanded her father.
“Do you see?” said Jacoba with triumph in her voice.
“What were you doing this afternoon?”
“Altering my dress. I wanted to look my best, and my favorite dress was getting too small.”
“Why?”
“I guess I’m still growing. I’m barely fifteen, you know.”
Jacoba said something in a low voi ce that Lola could not hear. Enrique shot her a fierce look and she fell silent.
“And why did you wish to look your best tonight?” he asked in a quieter tone.
“Because…” Enriqueta
Lola nodded. She ’ d promise anything if it meant having her sister as a friend once more. Anyway, it was just for today—however long that might seem to her.
“In the meantime, I need your help. Something wonderful is going to happen this evening, and I want to look my best. I want to wear my pink dress to dinner, but it ’ s too small for me and I need you to help me let it out.” Enriqueta’s eyes were shining, and her face almost glowed as she spoke.
“What’s going to happen?”
“That’s the surprise—and the reason I ’ ve been so secretive. It ’ s been very hard, and I do want to tell you, but I promised not to say anything until this evening. I ’ m so excited!” Enriqueta jumped up and pulled Lola with her. “Come and help me with my dress. Please, please. Just be patient for a few more hours, and you ’ ll see.”
Lola soon caught Enriqueta’s excitement, and the two girls busied themselves discussing the best way to let out the pink dress. They giggled happily as they bumped heads and hands while trying to work on the same dress at the same time. Lola was ecstatic to have Enriqueta to brighten her life again. She decided that since Enriqueta was so excited about the evening event she ’ d wait to share her special news tomorrow. This must be Enriqueta’s day.
“Lola . ” The laughter died on the girls’ lips as Jacoba’s strident voice was followed by the sound of her approaching footsteps. “Have you finished that tablecloth yet?”
“No, I ’ ve been helping Enriqueta . ” Lola heard her own voice quiver with fear as Jacoba appeared in the doorway. T o her surprise , Jacoba did not answer. Instead, she stared at Enriqueta standing in the pink dress with the side seams ripped open. Jacoba’s mouth opened; she started to speak, but stopped and clamped her mouth shut, pursing her lips together. Her eyes widened and then narrowed as she spun on her heel, and the girls heard her footsteps receding.
“What was that all about?” asked Lola.
“I don’t know, but p lease promise you ’ ll stay with me every minute today.” Enriqueta ’s face no w appeared pale and frightened. The girls were subdued as they went back to work. It was almost time to dine before they were satisfied.
“How do I look?” Enriqueta had regained the excited flush, and the pink dress was the perfect complement to her dark hair and creamy white complexion.
“ Lovely . ”
“Señorita Enriqueta . ” The two girls looked up in surprise to see Rosa at the door. “Your father wants to see you in the library— now .”
“I’m coming, Rosa. I’m coming.” Enriqueta looked radiant as she grabbed Lola’s hand. “Please come with me, Lola. I want you to share my happiness.” Lola hurr ied to keep up with her sister who fairly flew along in her excitement.
When Enriqueta stopped short at the library door, Lola almost ran into her. Not wanting to miss anything, she edged past her sister and slipped into a chair by the door, thankful that the only light came from a lamp on the desk. Her father and Jacoba were staring intently at Enriqueta. Jacoba had a cruel smile on her face ; their father was frowning. From Enriqueta’s stricken expression, this was not the scene she had expected.
“Enriqueta, come here,” demanded her father.
“Do you see?” said Jacoba with triumph in her voice.
“What were you doing this afternoon?”
“Altering my dress. I wanted to look my best, and my favorite dress was getting too small.”
“Why?”
“I guess I’m still growing. I’m barely fifteen, you know.”
Jacoba said something in a low voi ce that Lola could not hear. Enrique shot her a fierce look and she fell silent.
“And why did you wish to look your best tonight?” he asked in a quieter tone.
“Because…” Enriqueta
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