Read Online New Year's Eve by Caroline B. Cooney - Free Book Online Page B

fell white and pure.
    My resolutions, he thought.
    Oh, well.
    It is New Year’s Eve.
    I have to celebrate somehow, don’t I?
    Mrs. Elliott snuggled against her husband. They were going to the house of old and dear friends whose parties were always warm, funny affairs. “Isn’t it nice to have the children growing up so quickly?” she said dreamily. “Kip looked like such a beautiful woman in that gown, and George was so handsome in his tuxedo! I wish I could go see them at the ball.”
    The last time that Mr. Elliott saw George’s cummerbund, it had been around Jamie’s waist, so he thought it was probably just as well his wife could not go to the ball to see her son. George was the family peacemaker, which apparently was the way of middle children, but George’s techniques sometimes left a little to be desired from the female point of view.
    â€œDid we leave the children our phone number?” Mrs. Elliott said anxiously.
    â€œWhat, do you think I’m a complete fool?” her husband said, grinning. “I gave them your mother’s phone number. Anything goes wrong, it’s not going to be on our New Year’s Eve!”
    When I think how we rehearsed for this evening! Kip thought. I made George practice his manners and polish his shoes and learn how to help me with a coat. And look at him! He’s a total shambles! I can’t believe it!
    Had her other three brothers bribed George to be a Dumbo? Anything was possible in the Elliott household. Four boys in two bedrooms was a bad equation.
    Poor Beth Rose was going to have to stand next to George all night while suave perfect Gary would raise his eyebrows and pity her. Pity Beth Rose because she was in public with Kip’s own brother. A dismal fate if there ever was one. Kip was so torn by conflicting emotions she did not see how she would last through the evening. A decent sister stood by her brother, no matter how worthless and embarrassing he was. She couldn’t kill him, or pretend they weren’t related, or tell them to spend the night at the Dairy Queen.
    And I have so much to go through tonight! she thought. I need to have it all together!
    Complete with dinosaurs, they arrived in the foyer of The Hadley. “Tuck in your shirt, George,” Kip hissed. Kip had hardly shrugged out of her coat when she saw the very two she had dreaded seeing. There, waiting for the elevator, stood Lee Hamilton. She knew him by the breadth of his shoulders. She had never seen him in formal dress. His hand was on Anne’s waist, lightly resting. Anne was dressed in black, and her long, long yellow hair was twisted down the middle of her back, gleaming like gold: as if Anne were a more precious metal than other girls.
    How handsome Lee was! Kip hadn’t seen him since October. He was even bigger: perhaps he was wrestling at college, too. His hair was slightly longer.
    Lee turned, keeping his hand on Anne’s waist, so that Anne turned with him: Anne who was graceful as a ballerina. What a pair they made: Anne in her dazzling elegance, Lee in his college man maturity. Oh, that black dress! The way the lace of the top promised secrets beneath! The way those narrow black ribbons were spun through the golden hair! Anne looked twenty-five at least. Now Kip’s peach-colored dress felt like something a sixth-grader would wear to Sunday School.
    Lee had grown a mustache. The mustache surprised Kip. She wanted immediately to touch it, and run her finger backwards over it, to see if that tickled Lee.
    Kip was still carrying on a conversation with Mike. Her voice climbed an octave. She squeaked like a mouse. She felt nervous and frightened about having to talk to Lee this soon. I wanted more time to get ready, she thought. I wanted to be at the dance, positioned for Lee’s entrance.
    As if it’s a war, she thought sadly. As if I have battalions and strategies to prepare.
    As soon as Mike spotted Lee,