Read All About It! by Rachel Wise Read Free Book Online Page A

you now. Go on in,” said the
     secretary.
    We stood up and crossed to the door to the office. Mr. Pfeiffer was on
     the phone and smiled and waved us in. It was an awkward moment. Michael gestured for me
     to go first through the door, but then I wasn’t sure if I should stand in the
     doorwayor head right in and sit down. I started to go in, then
     changed my mind and backed out again, right into Michael. He must have been just
     shutting the door, and it was crazy chaos but somehow the door shut on his hand.
     Hard.
    â€œOw!” he shouted.
    I whipped around to see what was happening, and Michael was clutching
     his left hand and biting down hard on his lip.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œOw. My fingers. Ow.” His eyes were closed and for a
     horrible moment I wondered if he might actually cry. (Do boys cry? I mean big boys? I
     have no idea!)
    Mr. Pfeiffer had hung up the phone and was at Michael’s side in a
     flash.
    â€œMichael, I saw that whole thing happen. Oh gosh. I’m so
     sorry.” Mr. Pfeiffer ducked his head out of the office and called to his
     secretary. “Mary, can you get us some ice from the nurse, please? Michael Lawrence
     just had his hand slammed in the door!”
    â€œUh-oh! Right away!” she called back.
    â€œMichael, why don’t you sit down . . .” Mr. Pfeifferreached and pulled one of his guest chairs toward Michael.
     Michael sat down heavily.
    I didn’t know what to do.
    â€œCan you move it?” Mr. Pfeiffer asked.
    â€œI don’t know . . .” muttered Michael, his jaw
     clenched tightly.
    It seemed like an eternity but finally the door opened and the nurse was
     there. “Hi, honey. You poor thing. Let’s take a look . . .”
    Michael opened his eyes and looked up at her, and I could see that there
     actually were tears in his eyes! Oh my goodness! I took another step back and banged
     into a little side table, nearly knocking it over. I looked up in embarrassment but no
     one had seen. Phew.
    â€œWhat happened, sweetie?” asked the nurse gently.
    Michael could hardly speak through the pain. His voice came out in
     little gasps. “I was walking in behind her . . . and I had my hand on the door . .
     . to pull it closed. Then . . . she backed into me . . . and I didn’t get my hand
     out in time.”
    Wait, me? It was my fault?
    Mr. Pfeiffer was nodding in agreement.
    Oh my goodness. My hand flew up to cover my mouth.
     “Michael, I’m . . . I didn’t realize!”
    They all looked up at me like I’d just appeared from Mars.
    â€œDon’t worry, honey. Accidents happen,” said the
     nurse.
    Accidents! But I didn’t even think I’d done anything! I
     mean, he was the one who slammed the door.
    The nurse called Michael’s mom to see if it was okay to give him
     aspirin. Then she gave Michael two aspirin to take with some water. Next she brought a
     bucket of ice and told Michael to soak his hand in it for a while, and to come up and
     see her again afterward. “It’s not broken, sweetie,” she said.
     “But we might wrap it up in an ACE bandage just to be safe. It’s not your
     throwing hand anyway, is it?” she asked.
    But Michael nodded. That’s right. Hailey had said he throws lefty.
     Darn it!
    Michael was nodding. “Yep, I’m a lefty.”
    The nurse bit her lip. “Well, let’s just see how it does
     with a little ice, okay?” She and Mr. Pfeiffer exchanged a look that seemed to say
     they’d discuss all this later, then shenodded, patted Michael
     on the back, and left.
    â€œOkay, where were we?” said Michael with a little laugh.
    I was still standing there in shock. “Michael, I’m so . . .
     I didn’t mean to . . . I mean, I’m sure I didn’t . . .” Should I
     apologize for something I didn’t