It's Not the End of the World (13 page)

I talked to Val this afternoon. She says maybe my mother will meet a man when we move. I guess it could happen. Suppose she gets married and her new husband doesn't like kids? Suppose he's mean or else very old? There are too many things for me to think about.

If I do move away Val promises to keep an eye on my father and let me know if anything important comes up. I think the idea of my leaving has her feeling pretty sad. She's not looking forward to summer at all.

"I'll be around for at least another month,' I told her. "And maybe my mother will decide to stay near here after all. We might wind up living closer than we do now."

"Or we might not," Val said.

"Oh, well. . . even if we don't we can still write and phone and see each other over vacations."

"That's not the same," Val told me.

"I know it," I said. Poor Val. I wish there was a book to make you feel happy when you're not. I would get it for her.

I got a letter from Garfa:

Dear Karen,

Tm sorry that your mother and father are going through with their divorce. But I'm glad you're getting used to the idea. Mattie tells me not to be so upset. I'll try to accept the situation too. Don't blame yourself. You are still my most dependable Karen.

Tm going to buy the divorce book you wrote about. Maybe it will help me understand too. Your father is here and he's fine, but he misses you a lot. Love, Garfa

Today the sixth graders were invited to spend a day at the junior high. Debbie and I went together. We toured the whole school and had our lunch in the cafeteria. There was plenty of room for us because all the ninth graders were over at the high school getting their tour. I guess Jeff feels pretty grown up now that he's almost done with junior high.

We met some of the teachers, and the principal made a short speech. He looks fairly young and sounds very nice. I wish I wasn't going to move away.

On the way home from junior high Debbie said, "I'll really miss you this summer, Karen. I wish we weren't going away on vacation."

"I'll miss you too," I told her.

"You're my best friend."

"You're mine."

"Do you think you'll have moved by the time I get back?"

"I'm not sure. Nothing's definite yet. You know my mother."

"Well ... I hope Jeff doesn't forget about me," Debbie said. "My mother always says, 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder,' "

"Mine says, 'Out of sight-out of mind.'"

"Oh, Karen!" We both laughed. Debbie knew I was just teasing.

When we got to my house I said, "Come on in ... I want to show you my divorce book."

"I can't," Debbie said. "It's Tuesday-I've got ballet."

"That's right. How could I forget?"

"Karen . . . I've got something for you." Debbie reached into her skirt pocket and pulled out two pictures. "Here-" she said.

I looked at them. They were of Debbie making monkey faces.

"My father took them just for you."

I will never find another friend like Debbie.

Jeff came out of the house then. "Hi, Fat-and-Ugly . . . long time no see-" he said. I haven't seen Debbie smile like that in months.

We had Kentucky Fried Chicken for supper. We ate it right out of the box because Mom is taking us to the movies and we don't want to be late.

While we were eating Amy said, "Hey, Karen,

why did the man put Band-Aids in his refrigerator?" She didn't wait for me to answer. She went right on. "Because it had cold cuts! Get it? Cold cuts!"

''I get it," I said. Then I laughed. Imagine Amy telling riddles again!

I had a B+ day today.