Three Wishes by Deborah Kreiser Read Free Book Online Page B

didn’t notice the small rustling sounds from above our heads, until a clear soprano voice opened up and began singing in Latin. Above us, a small group of six young boys and their adult musical director were up in the choir loft.
    â€œListen to this. It’s called Ubi Caritas et Amor,“ Matthew whispered. “It’s like angels singing.”
    Of course, I understood the Latin, and some of the lyrics resonated with me, despite my non-belief: “Where charity and love are, there God is… And from a sincere heart let us love each other… A joy which is immense, and also approved: Through infinite ages of ages.”
    It was perfect.

    It ended there. Mom, not again! “I wish for more of the story,” I say.

    Try again tomorrow . Live your own life for a while.

    â€œC’mon, mom.” No way. “Okay: I wish it were tomorrow.”

    Nice try. It doesn’t work that way. Don’t you have some homework you need to do?

    The diary snaps shut.
    Wow. This is like having my mom here. The diary makes my parents seem more real than I could ever have imagined. They were so young! My mom was only a little older than I am now when she started writing it. Though I’ve had a lifetime to get used to being an orphan, I still would have wanted a chance to get to know them. But as mom already told me, I can’t bring someone back from the dead. Which would be a pretty creepy wish, anyway.
    Thinking ahead, I’m planning on keeping my wishes a little less heavy and finding a master who’d want easy stuff like money or acceptance into an Ivy League college.
    I contemplate again the most recent entry: homework I need to do. Yes, mom, I groan to myself. There’s my essay on Crime and Punishment due soon and an AP Bio test next week. In addition, I have twenty calculus problems and a European history timeline of the Norman Invasion to the present. It will be a long night.
    Hmm .. Maybe I could wish it to be done and save myself the time? Done. And done! Not bad, not bad. In my quick glance over the paper, timeline, and calculus problems, all seem complete, and the bio test should be a cinch, too, after I wish it so.
    I use my now-free evening to catch up on my social media and check to see what Pete has going on. I also see Joel just posted a video from a swim meet last year, tagging me in it as well. It was the one where I broke the school backstroke record, and I comment it’s cool to see the video again. He IMs me right away.
    What’re u up to? he writes.
    Homework’s done. Hangin out. U? I respond.
    Still calc. Anythng tricky?
    Nope, piece of cake.
    Smarty.
    Thx.
    Got2 go. CU2mrw.
    ;-)
    Joel’s such a nice guy. I wish I could do something nice for him.
    â€œO-o-o-oh.” I let out a long breath, remembering what Marc mentioned earlier. I can do something nice for him. For both of them. I could be like the Robin Hood of wishes. Except I wouldn’t be robbing from the rich to give to the poor. Okay, the fairy godmother of wishes. Nah, that’s redundant. Well, anyway, it would be so cool to make my friends’ wishes come true. Now I just have to figure out what those wishes might be.
    I’ll start working on it first thing tomorrow.
    I check the clock, and it’s only eight p.m., way too early for bedtime. I try calling Leia’s cell, but it must be off, because it’s going straight to her voicemail. I don’t bother leaving a message, and after hanging up I go downstairs to check in with my grandparents. I find them down in the basement.
    â€œHello, sweetheart,” Mamère says.
    â€œHey, Genie!” Papa greets me.
    They’re busy working on a massive project down there that has been in process for years now. Papa wants to install a bathroom, while Mamère says she needs an office. Our house is pretty small, and space is at a premium.
    â€œCan I help?” I ask.
    â€œNo, no,” they both shake their heads.