Just Grace and the Terrible Tutu (16 page)

 

Mimi is excellent at making stuff and super good at sewing, so I bet she didn't have any trouble at all. I really wish I could have been seeing this part. I made a little superhero guy to fly around in the window. Mostly so I would have something to do while they were bouncing up and down.

 

Bag four was filled with light sticks, the kind you crack and then they glow in the dark. I didn't need to put in any instructions because everyone knows what to do with those. As soon as I saw Mimi and Lily waving them around I put up my end of show sign.

 

WHAT I DID WHEN I SAW THE LIGHT STICKS

I smiled super big, jumped up and down, and then fell on my back onto my bed with my arms out like a starfish.

 

I was filled with relief. Mom kept peeking around the corner at me, so I finally got up. I think she was probably dying to know how it had worked out. I was dying to know too.

WHAT HAPPENED AT MIMI'S HOUSE

As soon as I got to the door of Mimi's house, Mimi's mom put her fingers up to her lips and made the shush sound. This was a good thing to do because if she hadn't I would have for sure shouted Mimi's name. If you are excited, being loud is easier than being quiet. I crept upstairs quietly and went into Mimi's room.

WHAT I SAW

Lily sleeping on Mimi's bed.

WHAT I FELT

Mimi's arms around me giving me the biggest hug ever.

WHAT MIMI SAID

Mimi said the show was amazing, awes ome, wonderful, and fantastic, but the number one best thing she said was "I think Lily likes me now."

WHAT HAPPENED NEXT

Lily's mom came to get her, but since Lily was asleep Mimi asked if she could leave her sleeping. I said I would stay over too, and then we both did our big puppy dog eyes so she would have to say yes. At first it looked like she might say no, but then she changed her mind. I thought Mimi would scream with joy, but she did a good job of holding in her excitement and happiness quietly. She didn't want to wake up Lily and have her go home.

I ran back home to ask Mom and get my sleep over stuff and then Mimi and I put out our sleeping bags next to each other on the floor. We both really wanted to talk about the night. "Tell me everything," I said. I was listening, and even though I was super interested, I couldn't help it—I fell asleep almost as soon as Mimi started talking.

THE ONE TIME WHEN HAVING TO GET UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WAS A GOOD THING

In the middle of the night I had to get up to go to the bathroom, and just by accident looked out Mimi's window. This is what I saw on my window.

 

It was just like the MOM-WOW but for me.

I have the best mom in the world! And for sure I was going to try to remember this for the next time I was not feeling happy with her.

WHAT HAPPENED THE NEXT DAY

The first thing that happened that surprised me and Mimi both was that Lily woke up at six-thirty. This is extra early for a Saturday. At first she was pretty surprised that she was still in Mimi's room, but then she got super excited because she had done her first sleepover like a big girl.

I thought Mimi's mom might be mad because we were up so early, and Lily was making a lot of noise bouncing on the bed. But she wasn't grumpy at all. She said it was good practice for when they got their own little girl. As soon as she said that Lily said, "You're getting a little girl? Is she going to sleep in Mimi's bed too?" Mimi's mom covered her mouth, but it was too late. She had told the secret.

WHAT WE ALL KNEW

Lily was not going to be a very good secret keeper.

HOW LILY HELPED MIMI

Lily was super excited that Mimi was going to get a new sister. She was full of questions. Mostly she wanted to know where the new sister was going to sleep. Mimi took her to the new-sister room. It was not looking very fabulous because nothing was decorated yet. "What color are you going to make it?" asked Lily. "One quarter pink," said Mimi. Lily looked around and said, "Are the nickels and the pennies going to be all the other colors?"

And that is how Mimi suddenly knew what the perfect room decoration should be: white walls with big round circles in all the colors of the rainbow.

 

WHAT WE WERE RIGHT ABOUT

After breakfast Mimi and I walked Lily home. Sammy was standing at Mrs. Luther's house. As soon as Lily saw him she said, "Guess what? Guess what Mimi's getting?" Lily was not even a little bit of a secret keeper.

WHAT WAS A SURPRISE TIMES THREE

Lily was waiting for Sammy to make a guess but he wasn't saying anything so she gave him a hint. "It's something super cute and fun!" Sammy looked nervous. "Give up?" asked Lily. She didn't wait for him to answer. "A sister! Mimi's getting a little sister. And I'm helping her learn all about little girls." Sammy looked relieved. "Wow, that's great. I thought you were going to say a cat." How Sammy could forget that Mimi was allergic to cats is another of those big Sammy mysteries.

And then without even asking a question about it or anything more, Sammy said, "Okay. Are you ready to look for rocks?" "You bet!" said Lily. "Bye, Grace. Bye, Mimi. I have to go. I'm getting a rock collection."

Mimi and I both looked at each other with our mouths open, because that is what you have to do when you are fully surprised.

 

And then Mimi said something that was perfect, because sometimes if your world is full of changes, it's nice to do something regular and familiar.

 

We walked to Mimi's without saying a word, but even though my mouth was quiet, my brain was doing lots of thinking. It was thinking about Sammy and Lily knowing each other, Sammy and Lily liking each other, and Lily finally liking Mimi. Then when I turned around for one last look, it started thinking something new.

 

And for the first time ever I thought,
Mimi's new sister is probably going to be a lot of fun for me too.
This was a good thought to have, because as soon as we walked into Mimi's house Mimi's mom came over and gave us both a big hug. "Good news!" she said. "We passed the parent test! Now all we have is the house test." "Oh my gosh!" said Mimi. "I've got to clean my room!" She was right. Her room was a disaster again, and even though my stomach wanted the banana bread, I made my brain win. Mimi needed my help, and sometimes there are things more important than food.