Read Online Patiently Alice by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor - Free Book Online Page B

believe that, Mary? You knew we were right there, and Josie showed us she was okay.”
    Mary just shook her head. “She could’ve drowned, though. She’s not ever going to grow up right.”
    “Why not?”
    “She’s too little,” Mary said. “She was born too soon. Mama said.”
    “Really?”
    Mary let go of my hand to demonstrate. “Mamasays she was only this big!” She held her hands about eight inches apart, then grabbed hold of mine again.
    “Boy, that is little!” I said. “Look how much she’s grown!”
    “She’s still too little. When she came home from the hospital, we had to watch to see that she didn’t stop breathing. Well… I don’t remember that, but my uncle says so. Everything Josephine does, I have to watch she doesn’t hurt herself.”
    I looked down at the top of Mary’s head—only two years older than her sister’s—and wondered just what Mary would do with herself if she didn’t have Josephine to watch over. I was beginning to get a handle on the problem.
    “Well, you sure must have done a good job, Mary, because look at all Josie can do!” I said. “And guess what? When she’s a grown girl, she can tell her friends that her big sister showed her how to do everything herself.”
    Mary continued walking, her round face in a frown. I hoped I knew what I was talking about. “The more you let Josephine do for herself, the more you’re teaching her how to grow up.”
    “She makes a lot of mistakes!” said Mary, rolling her eyes.
    “So do I!” I said. “But that’s the way I learn. And I’ll bet you’ll be a very good teacher.”
    • • •
    Friday evening we gathered in Elizabeth and Tommie’s cabin to get ready for our big night out. Gwen, sitting on the edge of a bunk, was replaiting one of her cornrows. I noticed her black bra.
    “Black! Hmm!” I smiled.
    “Hey! You put on a white bra and I don’t make any comment,” she teased.
    “It’s not the same and you know it,” said Pamela. “Not if it’s lace, it’s not!”
    “She’s not going to keep it on long, anyway,” Tommie said, and we laughed.
    “It’s her underpants I’m worried about,” I said. I tugged at Gwen’s jeans. “Let’s see your undies, Gwen. Is there lace on those, too?” She playfully pushed me away.
    And then Elizabeth, her face slightly flushed, dropped something on Gwen’s lap. “Just in case,” she said.
    Gwen looked down at the box of Trojans resting on her thighs. “Get outta here girl!” she cried, as we all burst into laughter.
    “You just might need them,” Elizabeth said.
    “Get out !” Gwen repeated.
    Pamela grabbed the Trojans from Gwen and examined the package. “‘ Ribbed’? ‘Prelubricated’? ‘For maximum pleasure’? Aha! What do you know about these kinds of things, Liz?”
    Elizabeth’s face was fiery red in spite of herself. “I… I just grabbed the first package I saw,” she said. Then, looking around at us, she said, “Why? Didn’t I get the right kind?”
    Tommie took the box next and examined it. Without cracking a smile, she said, “Are you sure they’re the right size?”
    Elizabeth’s face fell. “There are… sizes?”
    We all tried to keep a straight face.
    “Of course!” said Tommie. “Extra small, small, average, large, extra large, super stud…” She tossed the box back to Gwen.
    I thought my face was going to explode, I was trying so hard not to laugh.
    “But how do you know ?” Elizabeth asked in bewilderment.
    “You have to measure, Elizabeth!” said Pamela. “You have to carry several different sizes with you and bring a ruler and—”
    Elizabeth suddenly caught on, and when we burst into laughter, she said, “Oh… you… guys !” and laughed a little too.
    “Listen,” said Doris, “I really want to know. Did you actually buy these yourself?”
    “She did!” I volunteered.
    “Yes, but I couldn’t find them at first,” Elizabeth continued, “and then a clerk asked if he could help. I was so