The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes Read Free Book Online Page A

official—a real stamp. Ms. Silver’s brother works at the post office. See?” Billy presented the envelope so that Gabby and Sal could look at the dragon stamp. “Ms. Silver said we should write a letter to someone.”

    “To wish them a happy lunar New Year?” asked Gabby.
    “Sure,” said Billy. “Or, Ms. Silver said we could use it for a thank you note or to tell someone you appreciate them. She said no one writes letters anymore, and it’s a nice thing to do.”
    “You could write Ms. Silver a thank you note for the envelope,” said Sal.
    Gabby smiled.
    Billy shot Sal a dismissive look.
    “Can I have the pearl?” asked Sal.
    “Nope,” said Billy.
    Gabby clapped her hands. “Okay, everyone get a big spoonful of ice cream. On the count of three we’ll eat them. Then make a dragon face and roar—softly. And we’ll have a good year.”
    Gabby counted. They all ate. They all made dragon faces. They roared.
    “I couldn’t eat another bite,” said Gabby. She pushed away the remains of her sundae. She sighed loudly and placed her hands on her belly.
    “Do you have a food baby?” asked Billy.
    Gabby laughed. “I think I do,” she said. “Where did you learn that expression?”
    “Kids say it at school.”
    “What’s a food baby?” asked Sal.
    “It’s when you eat so much,” said Billy, “your stomach feels big and you feel like you’re having a baby.”
    “Boys can’t have babies,” said Sal.
    “Boys can have food babies,” said Billy.
    “Okay, you two, let’s bundle up and go home,” said Gabby.
    It took them a while to dress for outside.
    “Can I get a cup of coffee to go?” Billy asked Gabby as he adjusted his scarf.
    “Are you crazy?” she said. “You don’t drink coffee. And you’d be up all night.”
    That’s my plan, thought Billy.
    Gabby tugged Billy’s knitted cap over his eyes, then pulled it up and flashed him a toothy grin. “You’re funny,” she said. She tossed the pillowcase with the Drop Sisters over her shoulder, like Santa Claus with his bag of toys, and led the way out the door and into the wintry world.
    “It’s cold!” said Sal.
    It was. And Billy felt the cold press against his face, stinging his eyes and nose, but deep within himself he felt a core of warmth—because of the food and because he was getting excited about staying up all night.
    As they tramped to the car, Sal tweaked Billy’s jacket sleeve. Snowflakes were catching in her eyelashes, turning them to lace. “What are you going to do with the magic pearl?” she asked.
    “I don’t know,” said Billy. And he truly didn’t. But he did know one thing—he was not going to give it to Sal. He didn’t really think the pearl had supernatural powers, but she thought so. And that made the pearl very powerful indeed.

3
    Billy crept along the hallway and turned the corner. The strip of golden light that had been shining from beneath the guest-room door was gone, meaning Gabby was asleep. Billy crept back to his room and quietly shut the door. He switched on his bedside lamp, then jammed a sweatshirt under the door so the light wouldn’t leak into the hallway, drawing attention to himself, exposing his plan.
    Sal had been asleep for a long time. Like a tree dropping its leaves all at once, she’d collapsed in a heap on the sofa right after they’d returned from the restaurant. She was probably exhausted from all her crying. Or from asking Billy if she could have his magic pearl, which she’d done about a dozen times in the car on the ride home.
    After Gabby had carried Sal up to bed, Billy showed Gabby his Christmas presents. Then they played Crazy Eights. Gabby yawned frequently, covering her mouth with the fan of cards she held.
    Billy wished that Gabby would stop yawning. It was contagious. He began yawning, too, and felt himself growing sleepy—the last thing he wanted to be.
    “One more hand,” said Gabby. “Then bed.” She yawned again.
    “Already?” asked Billy. “I thought