Girls in Charge by Debra Moffitt Read Free Book Online

of breath.
    â€œWhat then, did you finally find out if it’s a boy or a girl?”
    â€œNo, we’re still holding firm on that.”
    â€œWhat then?”
    â€œIt turns out we’re going to have … twins!”
    She waited for my reaction, which was delayed, maybe because of the rough day I had. But I couldn’t not react to this. This was huge and I was happy in a holy-moley-what-will-happen-next-in-my-life sort of way.
    Within moments, I posted the news on my Facebook page and the comments came flying in. I got some LOLs when I explained that the doctors called it a “hidden twin.” You wouldn’t think that there’d be room in the uterus to hide, but there you go. My friends were pretty quick to start suggesting names. Eddie and Betty, Jilly and Milly, Jack and Jill, and my personal favorite, Stop and Go. Bet chimed in with Jaidee for a girl and Jai for a boy. She also added: Call me . Which I did.
    Kate had told her about our confrontation with Principal F. and she wanted to know more.
    â€œThis kind of involves me, too,” Bet said. “Because I have a never-before-seen You Bet! broadcast about the Pink Locker Society.”
    We had posted her video on the PLS Web site, but it wasn’t the same as showing it to the whole school over MSTV. I heavily doubted Principal F. was about to change his mind about letting her show that report.
    *   *   *
    â€œI think you can forget about that, Bet,” I told her as we sat outside Lucky’s Coffee Shop. The April sun was strong and it warmed you in an almost-summery way. I lifted my sunglasses from my face and positioned them as a headband. I told her, in a quiet voice, about how we’d been banned from the New York City trip.
    â€œThat is such complete nonsense,” Bet said. “We have to do something.”
    â€œBut what?” I said.
    â€œSometimes you just have to make a fuss. Then you figure it out.”
    We drained our cups of Earl Grey tea and talked about the babies. Everyone wanted to talk about the babies.
    My parents were adjusting to the news and buying two of everything. I was still happy to become a big sister. But if I was wary of one new baby in the house, imagine how I felt knowing that there would be two of them. I wanted to be helpful to my parents, but I sort of wondered whether my social life was about to take a serious nosedive. I would obviously be needed as a babysitter. Were my weekends about to be awash in diapers and bottles?
    More and more of me didn’t mind, though. When I’d see a cute baby at the library or the store, I would just light up inside. I tried to smile at every baby I met, testing my charm on the toothless and adorably bald. I had a pretty good record. Much better than I did with cute boys. But then again, I didn’t make funny faces at the boys or tickle their toes.
    *   *   *
    We left Lucky’s and went across to the park that has a gazebo in the middle. We sat inside because it’s a great spot to talk. It’s also a great spot for people watching. Boys played football in view of the gazebo and everybody included the park on their bike rides through the neighborhood.
    â€œI just cannot wait until the babies are born,” Bet said. “I will help you babysit anytime.”
    Just as I was about to accept, a football landed inside the gazebo and bounced off the table we were sitting at. Luke Zubin appeared, grabbed the football, then plunked himself down at our table.
    â€œJake’s here, too,” Luke said, gesturing over his shoulder. I looked over and saw Jake standing there. When he saw me, he gave me an awkward wave.
    â€œWhat are we talking about, ladies?” Luke said.
    Never shy, he spread his elbows out, exactly like my mother said you’re not supposed to. We laughed because we were surprised to see him and also because he called us “ladies.” That was grandpa