Serendipity and Me (9781101602805) (18 page)

 

Miss Conglin tries to relate

subject matter to our lives.

So she brings back the thimble kiss.

 

A metaphor,
she says during writing time,

uses one word to stand for another.

She steps forward

grabs the thimble off of Ana's desk

and holds it up.

Just like Wendy, some of you in class

have been using a thimble

to represent a kiss.

She holds up her hand

against the outburst of silliness.

You've been using a metaphor.

 

Well             I haven't used this metaphor,

because I am thimble-less.

 

I glance at Garrett

off to my left.

He is doing some kind of magic trick

where he can make his thimble

disappear and reappear.

 

No one's listening to Miss Conglin

who's moved on to similes.

 

Our minds are on metaphors.

 

 

 

Taylor has a peasant assignment like me

so we research together in class.

 

I slide the picture out of my pocket

and show it to Taylor.

Notice anything off in this picture?

 

She takes the close-up

and says      
Ha       look at that.

A cat.

I thought cats weren't allowed.

 

I thought so, too,
I say.

My dad's got some explaining to do.

 

Taylor hands me back the picture.

New plan?

 

I don't know.

I'm just winging it

right now.

 

She taps her pencil on her notebook

ticking down the minutes.

Time's running out            
she says.

 

Believe me—

I don't need reminding.

 

 

 

Sitting too long is hard for Taylor.

When Miss Conglin is busy,

her back turned,

Taylor stands up

and holding the page

she's been working on

in one hand

she does a mini peasant

dance and song.

 

I have no soap

My bed is hard

My bread is smeared

with greasy lard

I have no bath

I'm full of fleas

Someone, won't you

help me, please

 

Something nags at my mind

as I'm laughing.

Hey, Taylor, do you know

any of the songs from
Grease
?

 

Taylor shoves me.

That's not the kind of grease

I was singing about.

But yeah             I know them all.

 

I tell her why I want to know

and she says

Come over after school.

I've got the DVD.

 

 

 

Taylor's house is the opposite of mine.

There is honest-to-goodness life here.

 

First we visit

the chickens and ducks in the coop

and the bunnies in their cages.

Then Taylor lifts Mandy

by an arm and an ankle

and swings her around like an airplane.

Then Taylor's mom gives us cookies

fresh from the oven.

Then we dance like hooligans

in the family room

to the great songs from
Grease.

 

It's awesome.

 

Until we get to the end of the last song

the one Mom and I sang for Dad.

 

I can't believe the lyrics.

The happy crowd is singing

We'll always be together

on and on and on.

 

Taylor notices I've stopped dancing

and I see the moment when she gets it

in a ripple across her face.

Um, you want to go outside

and hug a bunny?

 

Yes.             I do.

And then I want to go home

to Serendipity.

 

 

 

I'm at my front door

when I hear Mrs. Whittier calling.

 

Sara,             wait.

 

Serendipity has already seen me

from her spot in the window.

Her mouth opens in silent mews.

I put my hand on the glass and tell her

Just a minute, Dipity.

 

Mrs. Whittier is holding a CD.

My stepdaughter's

finally coming to visit.

I found this while I was

cleaning out the guest room.

 

I probably look as clueless as I feel.

 

When you were little

and I sat for you at night

I'd play this CD

your mom made you for bedtime—

it's her voice telling you fairy tales.

 

I feel a tickle of a memory.

 

Mrs. Whittier twists her mouth around.

I shouldn't be the one telling you this

but you know about the cat now

and Matthew can't seem

to talk about it.

 

I have no idea what that

has to do with fairy tales.

 

Then she tells me how the cat died

because they didn't notice an infection

until it was too late

 

and how guilty Mom felt about it

 

and how she cried for three days.

 

That was the cause for no more cats.

 

And when I got old enough to start asking

for a cat of my own

that was the reason the cat pictures

were hidden.

That was the reason one fairy tale

could not be played

and why it was removed from the book.

 

They didn't want me to think

cats were a possibility in this house.

 

Wait
            I say            
What good would that do

if I already knew about the cat?

 

Mrs. Whittier shakes her head.

You were two when that kitty died.

You'd forgotten about him by the time

you asked for a cat.

 

She hands me the CD.

The cat fairy tale is the first one.

 

 

 

 

I can't believe I'm holding

Mom's voice in my hand.

 

Go on, now            
Mrs. Whittier says with a smile.

You know you want to.

 

I make a dash for my CD player

grabbing up Serendipity on the way.

 

Dad is still safely at school.

 

I drop in the disk

and settle us on my bed

my kitty curled in the center

of my crisscrossed legs.

All I have to do

is push the button

to hear my mom's voice.

 

I'm almost afraid to do it.

Listen, Serendipity.

This is my mom.

 

Mom's voice tears my heart

when she starts.

Okay, honey bunny,

snuggle down.

Here's your story.