Best Friends (Nancy Pearl's Book Crush Rediscoveries) Read online

  When it was time for social studies they were being so silly and making so much noise, Miss Morrison rapped on her desk with her ruler. Her face wore the stern expression she used only when there were serious breaks of the school rules. “Boys, you are to be quiet immediately. Millicent and Suzie, please bring me your codes.”

  Millicent made a face at Co Co as she rummaged in her desk. With an injured expression and a muttered, “Teacher’s pets, this is all your fault,” she tossed her long list of numbers on Miss Morrison’s desk. Suzie trembled as she handed Miss Morrison her carefully copied French phrase list.

  Miss Morrison didn’t even smile as she said, “I thought this class was far enough advanced to have the schedule changed and interrupted. Obviously I was mistaken. I am particularly disappointed because next year I am going to teach French in junior high school. I was looking forward to having some of you in that class. Today, I do not feel that I wish to teach you anything next year.”

  There was a long-drawn-out flurry of, “I’m sorry, Miss Morrison,” followed by a dead silence.

  Still without smiling, Miss Morrison continued, “Learning French phrases is an excellent idea, but I cannot approve of any code or group of words that is used to exclude other members of the class.” She glanced meaningly at Millicent, who flounced around in her seat, but the rest of the Select Seven hung their heads and looked guilty.

  Co Co raised her hand. “Mademoiselle Morrison—this rude behavior—I thought the Sept Choisies, the Select Seven, were unkind to Suzie. I punished them with the French code.” Her mouth quivered and her eyes filled with tears. “I am sorry—and if you will please pardon me—I will not be rude again.”

  Miss Morrison smiled at last. “Very well, Co Co. I think we all understand one another now. Co Co, last week, you said you had spent one summer at Languedoc and Carcassonne. Suppose you point out the area on the map and tell us what you remember of that feudal city. You may use French phrases whenever you care to, and we will see how much we can understand.”

  The class had never been as quiet and attentive as it was while Co Co described the great walled towers of Carcassonne. She spattered French words right and left, and obligingly translated as she told of the moats and the city within the walls, just like the pictures of witch’s castles in fairy tale books. Her face glowed with pride as she finished, “and on Bastille Day—it is a day of liberty, like the American Fourth of July—they shoot fireworks in front of the battlements—the towers are golden and sparkling in the light of the rockets. I wish I could show you Carcassonne on Bastille Day. It is so beautiful.”

  Rich raised his hand. “Gosh, Miss Morrison. If you listen carefully, you can almost tell what the French words mean. I sure wish you would give us a chance at that French class.”

  Ray added quickly, “I’ll bet Co Co would help us and then I’ll bet you’d sure be proud of us in French.”

  Miss Morrison said, “Well, we’ll see,” and smiled.

  When Co Co saw that Miss Morrison looked less angry, she said, “Miss Morrison, I have an invitation for the class from Papa. Our house is not completed as yet, but Papa would like you to come to a picnic—a French and American picnic. It is to celebrate our first house and our first neighborhood and my first American school. Papa thought we should have it the day we have dress rehearsal for May Day. We will have French dishes and also the hamburger and the hot dog.” She grinned at Miss Morrison and sat down.

  The class clapped and all began to talk about the picnic, the bell rang, and Miss Morrison sighed with relief.

  Chapter Seven

  The French and American Picnic

  The day of the picnic, Co Co was so worried for fear everything wouldn’t be ready and the class would not enjoy themselves, she could hardly eat breakfast. She had decided to surprise Suzie and not let her see the bedrooms until they were all finished. She had gotten up early and gone down to the Pink House to see that everything in her room was in its place, but at breakfast she fussed and fumed. “Suzie, we should not have invited them to the housewarming. The house is not warm—it is cold—it is a field of battle! Paint cans—ladders! And Madame MacGregor is a thundercloud.”

  “Oh, don’t worry. I can hardly wait to see Millicent’s face when she sees the swimming pool. And the Select Seven!”

  Grandmother added, “It’s a beautiful day and there isn’t one thing for you to worry about.”

  Co Co said, “Thank you, Grand’mère. I will try not to worry.”

  When they got to school there was so much excitement, Co Co didn’t have a chance to worry about the picnic. Miss Morrison handed each child a long list of duties and said they’d have to work fast. She asked Co Co to help Suzie. The class, with years of May Day experience behind them, rushed in and out of the room, organizing the other classes and checking last-minute details. Suzie handed Co Co a bunch of May Day programs and told her to clip them together after she’d sorted them out, then tore out of the room to check the kindergarten.

  Every time Suzie came back to her desk, Co Co handed her a note. “Do you think Madame MacGregor will know how to cook chicken?”—“Do you think Papa will remember to get the cake at the pastry shop?”

  Suzie always answered, “Relax, relax. Oh my gosh, the second-grade sunbonnets . . .” and dashed out of the room again.

  Right after lunch the whole school marched out on the playground. The schoolyard rang with last-minute instructions from the harried teachers, calls for the square dances, and music from the record player. Hammers banged, saws buzzed, bells rang, and over it all sounded the bossy voices of the sixth grade as they dashed from group to group, supervising the costumes and decorations.

  Co Co was upset by the strangeness and confusion. She followed Miss Morrison around saying, “I do not know what to do,” until Miss Morrison patted her comfortingly and said, “Don’t worry, Co Co. Tomorrow the whole thing will unwind as smoothly as a ribbon. You go and help Suzie.”

  But finding Suzie proved to be quite a difficult feat. Co Co caught an occasional glimpse of her running toward the lunchroom, weaving in and out of the shouting children, or staggering under a load of costumes.

  Finally Co Co just sat down on the school steps and gave up. She felt just as strange and alone as if she’d arrived in America that day. She watched all the shouting children and murmured, “Mademoiselle was right when she told Papa that I would not understand the American school.”

  She was beginning to feel thoroughly sorry for herself, when Suzie appeared in front of her. “Where on earth have you been, Co Co? I’ve been hunting and hunting for you. You’ll have to watch these kindergartners for me. Everybody else is too busy. Think of something to amuse them, and for heaven’s sake, don’t let one of them out of your sight!”

  She took Co Co over to a group of equally bewildered little children and darted off again.

  Co Co dropped down in the middle of the ring of tired children and began a spirited song, “Le Bon Roi Dagobert.” At the strange sound of the French words, the children all squatted down around her, sat perfectly still, and watched her with fascinated eyes. No longer did she feel strange and useless, for the kindergartners stuck to her like paste and demanded more and more songs.

  When the final dress rehearsal was announced over the loud speaker, Suzie appeared again and gathered up the small children and shepherded them away. The noise and shouting stopped, order was restored and, much to Co Co’s astonishment, the program unwound just like a satin ribbon.

  After it was over, Mr. Wagner mopped his forehead and announced that everything was ready for the best possible May Day, and school was dismissed.

  There was much excitement over the prospect of the picnic as Suzie’s mother and Miss Morrison led the way to Co Co’s house. They were followed by a line of giggling, boisterous children.

  Suzie drew a long, ecstatic breath of delight when they finally wound down the driveway and came around the Pink House, which glowed in the late afternoon sunlight. Bright
flowers bloomed in all the planting boxes in the patio, music came from the record player, and all around the pool were colored lawn chairs. Under the trees was stretched a long picnic table with baskets of flowers and a present in front of each place. It was more glamorous than any movie party Suzie had ever imagined!

  From the barbecue pit, Mr. Langdon called out, “Welcome—welcome to the sixth grade!” Then he walked around and shook hands with everybody.

  Grandfather seated Suzie’s mother and Miss Morrison in lawn chairs, handed them tall glasses of iced tea, and told them to relax and enjoy themselves—everything was under control.

  Grandmother said they were going to have an early supper so to hurry up and change their clothes and by the time they were through swimming, supper would be ready.

  Mr. Langdon showed the boys to the dressing room under the patio, and Co Co took the girls to her room. Suzie gasped when she opened the door. It was just like a movie bedroom! Pale-blue-and-white-striped walls, pale-blue curtains and bedspreads, a thick white rug on the floor, but best of all—studio couches with bookcases of blond mahogany, modern chests of drawers, and a dressing table with a big square mirror. “Oh, Co Co, it’s just perfect! It’s just like a college girl’s room. I can’t believe it!”

  Co Co said, “But wait, there is more.” She opened the door of the bathroom. Pale-blue fixtures, blue tiled walls, and pink-and-blue-striped wallpaper. She turned to Suzie. “But now, your room. I hope you like it.”

  Co Co opened the door of the guest room and Suzie couldn’t even speak she was so excited. It was pale pink, but other than the color, it was exactly like Co Co’s room, even to the dressing table with the big square mirror. The French Eight and even the Select Seven were equally thrilled and excited. All the time they were getting into their bathing suits, they kept up a steady stream of admiration for Co Co’s beautiful house and garden.

  Co Co was just as pleased and excited as everyone else until Millicent tossed her head and said, “Well, your room is pretty, but personally I never did like blue or pink. My room is yellow and I have frilly curtains and a ruffled bedspread. My Aunt Mabel says the weather is much too cold for swimming and anyway, she won’t allow me to swim in public pools.” She opened her beach bag and took out a frilly pink sundress. “I have thousands of sundresses, but I brought this old one because pink is four’s favorite color.”

  The girls were so shocked at Millicent’s rude behavior that they kept perfectly still as she sat down in front of the mirror and preened and patted herself. Suzie recovered first and marched over to her. “Millicent Hansen, you make me sick! You’re just jealous and you know it. Personally, I’m glad you’re not going swimming. You’d probably pollute the water.”

  The Select Seven did not gather around Millicent and stick up for her. Instead, they gathered around Co Co and said they thought her room was beautiful, and they could hardly wait to swim in her pool and Millicent was mean and she’d be sorry she didn’t bring her bathing suit.

  Millicent didn’t pay the least bit of attention. She continued to wind her curls around her finger and admire herself in the mirror. “My aunt Mabel says boys don’t like foreigners and rough girls, and personally, I don’t either.” She gave Co Co a haughty glance and sauntered out of the room.

  Suzie put her hands on her hips. “Well, of all the conceited, jealous, rude . . . !”

  Dorothy, who was second in command of the Select Seven, walked over and put her arm around Co Co. “Don’t you pay one bit of attention to Millicent. She’s just dying to go swimming. She told me so, but her aunt Mabel won’t let her, because she might spoil her permanent. We won’t even speak to that old Millicent!”

  The rest of the Select Seven echoed, “We certainly won’t. We won’t even speak to Millicent.”

  Ten minutes later, the garden pool was a seething mass of splashing, shouting boys and girls. Mr. Langdon, who was building a fire in the outdoor fireplace, called out that the pool was twelve feet deep at the end where the bridge was, and it was perfectly safe to dive. Johnny Allen promptly climbed up on the bridge and did a swan dive. Suzie, who had waited for years to swim in the garden pool, did an expert flip and almost landed on Sumiko. Ray dove in and came up beside Suzie. “That’s a neat dive, Suze, old girl. Let’s have a race to see who can swim across the pool and back the fastest.”

  Rich called out, “Hey, Sumiko, you and Johnny and Dorothy go first. Ready—get set—dive!”

  In one swift movement, Sumiko dove like a seal, swam under water halfway down the pool, rose to a perfectly timed crawl, turned, and swam back so powerfully that she won by a length of the pool. There were cries of astonishment. “Boy! Did you see that?” “Boy, can she swim!” and “Where did you learn to swim like that?”

  Sumiko smiled shyly as she shook the water from her ears. “In Japan. My brother is on the swimming team. He taught us to swim when we were little.” Sumiko was surrounded by admiring boys who asked her to teach them.

  Millicent stood watching this. Then she climbed up on the bridge and carefully arranged her skirt, crossed her legs, and pointed her toes. She called, “Did any of you boys bring a camera?” She took a mirror out of her pocket and began to put on lipstick.

  “Millicent, what’ll Miss Morrison say?” The girls were torn between admiration for her daring and disapproval of the lipstick.

  Suzie watched the sunlight glisten through Millicent’s curls, the pink sundress reflected on her cheeks. Millicent also wore pink fingernail polish and pink toenail polish. Suzie sighed enviously and said to Co Co, “Gosh, no wonder the boys have secrets with her. Just look at her. She’s practically as pretty and grown up as a movie star.”

  Co Co set her lips and said primly, “I am glad Mademoiselle is not here. What she would say to see a young girl wearing lipstick! And pink fingernails and toenails. I’m sorry, but I do not approve of Millicent’s behavior at all.”

  Rich and Ray suddenly appeared on the bridge behind Millicent. They winked at Suzie and Co Co, said, “Unk-day?”—“Ight-ray” and quick as a flash, dumped Millicent in the pool.

  She came up gasping and shrieking. “Gosh, now look what you’ve done! You’ve ruined my brand-new pink sundress. And my permanent! Aunt Mabel will just about kill me!”

  Rich said casually, “Sorry about the dress, old girl.”

  Ray grinned. “How else do you wash off lipstick?” he asked, and the whole class doubled up with laughter.

  Millicent tossed her head. “Now that I’m all wet, I might as well swim.” With that, she climbed up on the bridge, did a double jackknife, and swam across the pool almost as fast as Sumiko.

  Suzie’s heart dropped as Rich said, “Gosh! Who’d ever think old Mil could swim?”

  Ray called, “Hey, Mil, I’ll race you.”

  Millicent was silly and coy. She simpered and had to be begged, but she beat everyone but Sumiko, and then did back flips and swan dives until the whole class was standing around and admiring her.

  Suzie was so disgusted she turned her back, just as Bravo’s large furry gray head forced its way through Mrs. Medlin’s hedge, breaking several branches off in the process. He gave one yelp of joy, ran over, and jumped in the pool.

  Millicent began to shriek. “Get me out of here! Help, help!”

  Hearing her cry for help, Bravo swam toward her, grabbed the ruffle on the back of her sundress, and tugged and pulled and jerked her down to the shallow end of the pool. Millicent struggled out, yelling, “Filthy, dirty old dog!” and rushed into the house.

  But the rest of the class took turns jumping, crying, “Help” and being rescued until they were all completely exhausted.

  Mr. Langdon called out that supper was almost ready and they’d better hurry up and get dressed.

  While the girls were dressing, Suzie said, “Heavens to Betsy! I almost forgot! We’re supposed to give Miss Morrison her shower, right after supper!”

  Co Co stuck a horrified face out of her petticoat. “Suzie, what do you sa
y? You are not going to bathe Miss Morrison!”

  The girls looked mystified for a minute and then burst out laughing. Even Suzie’s face was red with suppressed laughter as she tried to explain a shower to Co Co. “We aren’t really going to give Miss Morrison a shower. I mean, a shower isn’t a bath. It’s a shower—I mean . . .” Suzie tried all over again, but the more she tried to explain, the more horrified Co Co looked.

  Even Millicent was giggling so hard she could barely speak. “Co Co, it’s like the bark of a dog and the bark on a tree. The words are the same but they don’t mean the same thing. A shower is a bath—but it’s also a party you give for somebody who is going to get married.”

  Co Co threw up her hands. “The shower is not the shower—it is the shower! Come, let us have supper. That I understand.”

  Just as they were starting out the door, Millicent held out her hand to Co Co. “I’m sorry I’ve been so mean, Co Co. I’d just give anything to have a house like this with a pool and everything.”

  Suzie heaved a sigh of relief and they all went downstairs and ran out into the garden.

  There were shouts of “Wow!” and “Boy!” and “Good for Co Co!” as they sat down at the long table. There were platters of potato salad, green salad, and fruit salad. There was French chicken mousse and jellied parslied ham and American hamburgers and hot dogs.

  Everybody was so hungry that no matter how many hamburgers and hot dogs Grandfather brought to the table, they were gone in a flash and the children were shouting for more. They thought the French chicken and ham were delicious. After they’d eaten so much they could barely swallow, Co Co excused herself and came back carrying a French birthday cake with thirteen birthday candles sitting in tiny cream puffs around the edge. She placed the cake in front of Sumiko. “Happy birthday! It is French ice cream spongecake and it is my favorite.”

  They all sang, “Happy Birthday” to Sumiko and Mr. Langdon said, “We are indeed honored to have you with us on your birthday, Sumiko.”

  Sumiko’s lovely little face was golden with joy as she gazed at the flickering candles. The children shouted, “Make a wish—make a wish!” and Sumiko said softly, “I wish Co Co and I may always live happily in America.”