Frog Power (4 page)

Three days from now! “Let's invite him for supper,” Stacy pleaded.

“Not this time,” her mother said.

Stacy left the room. “Not this time,” she whispered to herself. “Not this time and
not ever!” Why couldn't her parents at least be friends?

Stacy went to her room and closed the door. She found her storybook. It reminded her of the best days of her life.

“Let's find out what happens to the frog prince,” she said to Sunday Funnies.

Happy and sad feelings jumbled up inside her. She found the bookmark and began to read.

EIGHT

Stacy pretended her father was sitting next to her. Reading out loud to her.

The princess was talking to the frog. “I promise to do everything you said.” But the princess secretly hoped the frog would forget. She didn't want a nasty frog coming into the castle! But she said it again, “I promise.”

The frog went down, down. Deep into the well. The princess watched and waited.

Up he came with the gold necklace in
his mouth. He tossed it onto the grass.

“Oh!” said the princess. “My beautiful necklace!” And she picked it up and ran away.

“Wait a minute!” croaked the frog. “You forgot to take me with you.”

But the princess didn't wait for the frog. She ran all the way to the castle. And soon she forgot about him,

Stacy stopped reading.
What a horrible girl,
she thought.
The princess didn't even say thank you.

Stacy stared at the picture of the princess.

Knockity-knock!

Stacy jumped. “Come in.”

It was Abby. She was carrying a white plastic bag. “Hi, Stacy. What are you doing?”

“Reading.” Stacy showed the book to her friend.

“Oh, I like the bright colors,” Abby said. “Where'd you get it?”

“From my dad.” Stacy turned to the front of the book. “It was a birthday present a long time ago.”

Abby smiled. “It's really nice.”

Stacy moved over on the bed. “Guess what?”

“You hate Jason's bullfrog, right?”

Stacy felt uneasy. “It's just so . . . uh, so ugly.”

“God made lots of weird-looking animals,” Abby said. “And my dad thinks God probably laughs about it sometimes.”

Stacy nodded. Abby was lucky to have a father who loved God—even though it wasn't luck at all.

“My dad's coming for a visit this Friday,” Stacy said.

“Double dabble good!” Abby said. “What a fantastic Good Friday present.”

“I hope so.” Stacy felt the sad and happy feelings again.

NINE

“I haven't seen my dad in a long time,” Stacy said. “It's a little scary.”

“You'll do OK,” Abby said softly. “You love your dad, right?”

Stacy sat up straight. “I'm worried that Mom might get mad.”

Abby leaned closer. “Why would she?”

“If I'm nice to my dad, my mom might get upset.” Stacy hugged the storybook.

Abby touched Stacy's hand. “Just be yourself. I like you best that way.”

“It's not easy sometimes,” Stacy replied.
“Not around my parents.”

Abby raised her eyebrows. “Why not?”

“Because I don't want to hurt either one of them. Your parents aren't divorced. Maybe you don't understand.”

Abby nodded. “You're right. I can't imagine my dad not living with us.”

Stacy grabbed Abby's hand. She felt tears slide down her cheek.

Abby bowed her head. “Let's pray, OK?” Abby was like that. She prayed anytime. Anywhere.

“Dear Lord,” she began. “I don't understand about divorce, but you do. Help Stacy have a good time with her father when he comes.” Abby took a deep breath. “And help Stacy remember that Jason's bullfrog is part of your creation. In Jesus' name, Amen.”

“Amen,” Stacy repeated. She felt warm all over.

Abby pulled some tissue paper out of her plastic bag. “Carly and I made hat
patterns for all the pets.” She held up some tissue paper. Some were little. Some big.

“How cute,” Stacy said. “But can a rabbit wear a hat?”

Abby giggled. She wiggled her fingers. “Right between his ears,” she said.

Stacy went to the closet. She found Sunday Funnies' bow tie. “Look what I made.”

“Hey, you're good,” Abby exclaimed. “Let's make everything out of the Sunday comics.”

“How about a hat-fitting party tomorrow after school?” Stacy suggested. “For girl animals only.”

“Double dabble good!” Abby said.

“Let's meet at the end of the cul-de-sac,” Stacy said. “Between Mr. Tressler's house and the old oak tree.” She followed Abby to the front door.

“It's the perfect place,” Abby said as she left.

Stacy couldn't wait.

TEN

After school, Stacy measured the girl pets for their tall Easter bonnets. “Ahchoo!” She couldn't stop sneezing. Pet allergies were no fun!

Blinkee twitched her long bunny ears as Stacy tried to measure around them. Abby held Blinkee still.

Next came Fran the Ham. Eric bribed her with a carrot while Stacy measured. Now Stacy's eyes were itchy. Super itchy!

“Ah-choo!” Stacy blew her nose. “This is horrible,” she said.

“Here.” Abby gave her a clean tissue. “Cover your nose with this.”

“And try not to breathe,” teased Eric.

Quacker and Snow White were last. The tissue didn't help. Stacy's eyes watered even more.

She thought about the Easter parade—a good surprise for her father. For
all
the parents in the cul-de-sac. No way would she give up! Not even for allergies!

After supper, Stacy made herself a mask from an old T-shirt. She cut holes for the eyes.
This will keep me from sneezing,
she thought. Then she headed to Dee Dee's house.

Dee Dee giggled when she saw the mask.

Stacy measured Mister Whisker's neck. “Bow ties look cool on cats,” she teased.

Then Stacy hurried to Abby's house to measure Jimmy's duck, Jack. Dunkum and Eric came along to help.

“Bow ties look so classy on a duck,” Abby said.

Jimmy held the duck's fluffy body still. Dunkum wrote down the inches on some paper.

“Simply ducky,” Eric said, laughing.

Stacy smiled through the mask. She stood up to leave. Glancing across the street, she thought about Jason's slimy bullfrog. She shivered.
Icksville!

“You won't need your mask at Jason's,” Abby said.

“Why not?” Stacy asked.

Eric cackled. “Frogs can't make you sneeze.”

“Hey, do you know what a frog uses to cook supper?” Dunkum joked.

Jimmy shook his head. “Frog cannot cook.”

“It's just a joke,” Abby told her little brother.

“What
does
a frog cook supper in?” asked Stacy.

“A croakpot, of course!” Dunkum said, pretending to shoot a basket.

The kids giggled.

Stacy said, “Good joke, but now I've got work to do. Alone.” And she wandered across the street. She held her breath inside her mask as she went.

Jason answered the door. “What's the mask for?”

“Some animals bug me,” Stacy said. “I'm itchy and sneezy.”

“Croaker won't bother you,” Jason said.

That's what you think,
thought Stacy. “So, what's your frog's neck size?” she asked.

Jason took the lid off the aquarium. “How should I know?”

Stacy stepped back. “Uh, don't take him out yet.”

“Why not?”

“Because I don't like frogs,” Stacy blurted.

Jason pushed up his glasses. “You don't?”

Stacy sat down. “I'm sorry, Jason. It's not your fault.”

“That's OK. Frogs aren't for everyone.”

Stacy nodded. “I guess that's why God made dogs and cats and ducks.”

“Here, I'll measure Croaker's neck for you.” Jason took the yellow measuring tape from Stacy.

She watched Jason touch his frog. She thought about the frog in her storybook. She tried to imagine Croaker making a deal with a real live princess.

Stacy stopped sneezing and took off her mask. Slowly, she inched closer to the green bullfrog. “Jason?”

“Yeah?”

“Will Croaker jump down the street in our parade?”

“You betcha! All you need is a fly on the end of a string,” Jason said.

“He won't jump away and get lost?” Stacy asked.

“Don't worry,” Jason said. “I'll catch him if he does.”

Stacy carried her T-shirt mask home. She couldn't wait to find out what happened at the end of “The Frog Prince.”

Maybe frogs weren't so bad after all.

ELEVEN

Stacy ran to her room and began to read.

The frog was sad because the princess had not kept her promise.

One day, there was a slippery knock on the castle door. A hoarse voice called, “Princess, princess, open up! Let me sip from your golden cup!”