Chapter One

              Trouble at the Clifton house

Sometimes, Thought Martha, Little sisters could be fun. Sometimes, they could make you laugh. But sometimes, they're pains in the you-know-what!  It was a typical Tuesday in the Clifton house. Father was out working at the food pantry. He worked their every day of the work week, and on Tuesday's he often brought home cans of beef or creamed corn, or a loaf of brown bread, or on days when work at the food pantry was "exceptional" as Father put it, a brown paper bag of chocalate Baby Jane's, or some raspberry gummies, for "His two girls." Mother, having gotten home from her job at the Bloor west library just in time to pick the sisters up at King George Elementry Public school, was in the kitchen, cooking a dinner of what Martha happened to know was meatloaf and broccoli. Martha was curled up on the window bench reading Charlotte's web, A book she had lent out at the very library her mother worked at. The old gray cat, Ozzy-Mossy, was at her feet, purring. Martha was wearing a blue and white gingham dress with two big buttons over

a white blouse. She wore her red glasses and boring brown sandals. And then there was Milly. Milly Clifton, Martha's young five-year-old sister, was who she was calling a pain in the you-know-what. Milly had come home from kindergarten [Martha was in the fifth grade with Mr. Tindle, but Milly was in senior kindergarten, with Miss Laurie,] and gone straight to the garage to get her red wagon. The wagon had a funny wheel, and everytime Milly pulled it, it went roll, roll, bump-thump. Roll, roll, bump-thump. And she was currently roll, roll, bump-thumping it round the coffee table, round the sofa, past the window bench, and round again. In the wagon she had put every stuffed animal she owned. Their was April the panda, four teddy bears, Trunks the elephant, a ratty old black cat, and Milly's favorite, the cabbage patch doll Shareena. Shareena used to have blond hair, but Milly had found out that with her father's mouth wash, Shareena could have blue hair. At least once a month Father gave Milly the end of his mouth wash so she could play "Beauty shop" and dye Shareena's hair blue. And everytime, two weeks later, Shareena's hair faded to green.  and now you could barley tell she used to be blo

Now, it wasn't that Milly was pulling around that darn funny wheel with stringy haired Shareena in it. It was that she wouldn't stop singing this little song she learned in the kindergarten. "Happy Happy Happy clap your hands!" Sang Milly. "Sad Sad Sad snap your fingers! Angry Angry Angry stomp your feet! This is what the feelings do to me!" Over and over. Once in a while she'd get tired and sing "ABC, 123, you and me, can't you see?"                                                                                                      " Milly," Martha said calmly, looking up from her book, "How about you sing a new song?'" Or no song  She thought.

"Nah." Milly said, as her wagon Bump-thumped round the coffee table,                        "But Milly," Replied Martha. "Don't you get tired of those songs?" Milly shook her head, and walked over to the window bench, dropped the wagon handle, grabbed Ozzy-Mossy, who yowled like he was being tortured, and put him in the wagon at Shareena's feet, instead of Martha's. Ozzy-Mossy meowed pitifully at Martha. "Milly!

Scolded Martha "Put the poor old cat back!" Milly cocked her head at Martha. She looked so sweet and innocent, everyone guessed she was about to put Ozzy-Mossy back and move on. But her face broke out into a devious smile. 

"Put the poor old cat back!" She sang loudly. "Put the poor old cat back!" 

"Mildred Amanda Clifton!" Said Martha angrily. "Stop this minute or I'll-" But before Martha could finish, though, Father's key turned in the door. He stepped inside with a glum look on his face. "Father!" Martha cried.

"Daddy!" Milly called.

"Hello girls." He said somberly. He put down his keys, hung up his fall coat, and went into the kitchen, quiet as a mouse. There was no beef, no creamed corn, no brown bread, and no treats. That's strange. Thought Martha. Father always brings something on Tuesdays. Father went into the kitchen, where mother was listening 

to the radio. The Clifton radio was the kind that had an antenna and only played four stations- CBC news station, Jazz FM 91, Good Morning Toronto, and Big 101. The Clifton family usually listened to Big 101, the popular music station, exept when Father turned on CBC to here the world news. Father put his tin lunch pail in the sink, and the hollow plunk it made against the aluminum sink proved there were no brown paper bags of jelly babies inside. Martha could hear her Father mumble something to her Mother, and she heard her Mother turn the volume dial on the radio down and gasp. Then they began to mutter and talk and whisper, and she could make out only a few words. Then, as if that was not enough, Milly had sat down on the worn, green shag carpet with Ozzy-Mossy and Shareena [April, Trunks, and the teddies were forgotten] and played with the toy steam shovel that she had gotten for her fourth bithday that had been sitting on the coffe table. 

"Eeeeeyoreee." She said, driving it around. "Shhhhhh-pewww" She made the noise of

It dumping it's load. Martha desperately wanted to know what her parents were so concerned about, so she tried to get Milly to calm down. 

"Milly," She said "Why doesn't your steam shovel take a break? Even the biggest building trucks need rest." 

Milly stopped momentarily, considering this. Then she shook her head. "Nah." 

"But," Pleaded Martha, for both her parent's voices and her sister's noises were getting louder, "Girls don't play with steam shovels, Milly." Milly looked up, Mid-Eeeeeeyoreee. "Yes they do." 

"No, Milly. Girls don't play with steam shovels." Martha said honestly.

"Yes. They. Do!" Said Milly, throwing down her toy and standing up. Her red blouse and brown trousers creased and wrinkled. Her two brown pigtails were messy, and her sneakers had one lace undone. "Milly, don't you dare pitch a tanturm! Girls play with quiet things, like dolls. Not steam shovels. Play with Shareena, that's nice." Milly 

Picked up Shareena and threw her at the wall behind the sofa. "No!" She yelled, stomping."I'll play whatever I want! Girls do play with steamshovels, and you can't tell me what to do!" Then she plopped down and played loudly. Martha sighed. Her parents were silent, then suddenly Mother and Father were in the living room, looking somber. Mother's reading glasses were perched on her nose, and her blond hair was loose on her shoulders. Oh, how Martha wished for Mother's long blond hair! Instead she got Father's plain old brown hair, but at least Mother let her get it cut in a sensible, stylish bob. Mother's plain gray sweater and floral pleated skirt were not exactly fashionable, but she always preferred practicality. Father's brown hair was short, and his brown trousers were wrinkled around the knees, and his shirt-Wait. Thought Martha. He should be wearing his food pantry uniform. No treats and no uniform shirt? How strange. Milly, oblivious to her parent's presence and bored by steam shovels, was making Shareena fight her teddy. Shareena was winning. 

"Girls," Said Mother, glancing at Father. "We have news that will effect this family. Your Father has lost his job." Martha gasped.

"Oh, no!" She cried. "I'm sorry Father!" Milly looked up. 

"How are you going to bring us treats then, Daddy?'" Asked Milly. Father shook his head and Mother sighed, but Martha was fuming. Just imagine, her hard-working Father, who came home everyday weary from hauling boxes of canned food and still managed to play steamshovels with Milly and help Martha review her vocabulary words before a quiz, had lost his job, and all Milly cared about was some treats that she only ever said thank-you for because they were sweets. 

"Milly!" She admonished. Milly looked up at Father. 

"Did you get fired, Daddy?" she asked deviously. 

"Why, no!" Said Father bewilderedly.

 "Good heavans, Milly, where did you get the idea of such a thing?" Mother asked, exasperated. Exasperated was one of Martha's newest vocabulary words, and it was 

perfect to describe Milly.

"Donald Prescott in the third grade told me his Daddy got fired at the grocery store, where he was a casher, and third graders know alot." 

"Cashier," Corrected Mother, Father, And Martha all at once. 

"The company simply didn't require my service anymore," Shrugged Father.

"You'll have to look for work now, won't you, dear," Mother said.

"Certainly," Nodded Father. 

"Daddy!" Gasped Milly. "You should become a pilot! Then we could all fly on a plane and go somewhere like Florida! Beatrice Arber went to Florida, because her mother is a stewerdess! And you would have more fun than you do at the food pantry!" Martha had to admit being a pilot sounded fun, although it was a man's job, and Martha wanted to become a school teacher anyways. 

"Well Milly," Said Father. "You need plenty of special training to become a pilot, and anyways I wouldn't want to be so far away from my family all the time." Milly pouted. 

"Now girls, your Mother has cooked some delicious roast meat loaf and brocolie, so let's eat!" 

"I love broccolie," Murmered Milly. Martha rolled her eyes.  Once seated at the table [With Shareena her lap,] Milly decided she liked broccolie, and piled it in her mouth along with the meat loaf and slices of white bread. Father always perferred white bread to whole wheat or brown, which is why they always bought at the super market, even though it was more expensive. That made Martha think of something 

"Father," She asked. "What about your salary?" Father nearly choked on his bread. 

"Well, Martha," He said, after Mother whacked him on the back. "I was given a pension packet with enough money for a few weeks, although that's not exatcly you girls buisness. Plus, I'm sure finding a job will be as easy as a slice of your Mother's cherry pie on the fourth of July." He said, kssing Mother on the cheek as she blushed. "I have all that good job experience."

"That's true," Martha said, nodding. She began to list the jobs Father had in her life time. " You've been a wall painter, a handyman, a warehouse worker, and now at the food pantry," Father nodded. 

"Don't forget about when he was a mechanic," Piped up Milly from where she was stacking her meatloaf and bread to make a skyscraper. The family was confused. "Why, Milly," Said Father. "I was never a mechanic!" 

"Oh," Shrugged Milly. "Maybe I dreamed it." Martha rolled her eyes again. Then Milly began telling her parents about how her class was going to practice arthmitic by counting the butterflies in the garden, and they smiled, but Martha could see worry line creasing by their eyes. 

That night Martha came into the girls shared room after doing her language arts homework and sat on her bed. The girls had split the room in half with a piece of green painters tape from the garage that Mother had yet to see. 

Martha's bed was on the right side. She had a pink and white quilt and pillow sham on her bed, and on the night table between the beds was a lamp and a small case where Martha kept her glasses, and next to it was her current book. Above her bed she had pinned the painting she did in art class at school of a rainbow, and her A+ vocabulary quiz. At the end of her bed was her folded night gown, and on the floor was her school bag full of papers, next to her sandals, which she took off in her room. On the other side of her bed was her a small bookshelf that she put her books, school papers, and her red sneakers, the only shoes she owned other then her sandals and her golashes, which were downstairs. Sitting atop of her shelf was her Barbie doll, probably her prized possesion, in a pink and red dress and hat. Resting on her pillow was her doll baby, in it's white sleepers and bonnet. Everything was neat as a pin. Milly's side of the room, by comparison, was a pigsty. Her bed [Unmade from that morning,] had a yellow quilt and pillow sham with Mickey Mouse on it. On the night table she had four picture books: Cat in the Hat, Harold's purple crayon, Paddington the bear,  and Danny and the

Dinosaur.  Next to her bed was a stack of books such as Gone-away lake, Little Bear,  and If  I Lived in the zoo. Pinned all over her walls were crayon drawings of dinosuars and animals and butterflies and trucks and family portraits. Her red wagon was sitting next to her bed with her teddy bears in it, as well as Trunks and April and a rubber monkey in a blue suit. Shareena was on her pillow in a green dress with pink trimmings that had a stain on them from when Milly had dropped Ambrosia salad on her.  At the end of her rumpled blankets were her whit pajamas with little bunny rabbits on them. On the floor was a toy telephone, a can of Play-doh, and Milly's Barbie doll, which instead of treasuring it like Martha, was splayed out on the floor, and her velvet purple dress had a rip down the seam. Martha couldn't imagine who bought Milly a Barbie doll. Her sneakers were scattered on the floor. Milly had a shelf that she barley used, and all that was on it was her paper and crayons, plus her Big Animal Book and a pair of party shoes she refused to wear.  The only thing the girls shared was the dresser paralell to the night table and the door. "Isn't it sad?" 

Sighed Martha. "Isn't what sad?" Replied Milly. 

"That Father lost his job, obviously." 

"Oh right," Said Milly, looking up from where she was spinning the dial of the toy telephone. "But working at the food pantry doesn't sound that fun, so it's not too sad." Martha was shocked.

 "Why, Milly! How selfish!" She exlaimed. "I can't believe you! Father lost his job, and you just-" But she was cut short by the sound of her parent's voices coming from the kitchen. The were acompanied by the sound of clinking cutlery and banging china. They all knew this meant Mother was cleaning up the dishes and making her and Father's evening coffee while Father read the news paper that the paper boy, Danny Roberts from Annete street, threw at the doormat where it landed with a clunk each morning before school time. But instead of peacfully cleaning and reading, it seemed as though they were quarelling.

 "I can't believe it! That's not enough for a few weeks! That'll last us a day! That company is darn high way robbing you! What are we going to do now, hmm? I tell you, you'd better find work!" That was ther Mother's voice.  

"She must be talking about his Penmenship packet." Whispered Milly, Wide eyed. 

"Pension packet," Replied Martha just as quiet. The girls scrambled to the door, where they poked their heads out to hear better. 

"I know dear," They heard their Father say quietly. "I only told the girls that because I didn't want them to worry. We'll find a way." 

"I know," Their Mother sighed. "I'm just frustrated." Then they heard the coffee boiling and Father's paper rustling and the last of the dishes being put away. At last Mother came up and told the girls to put on their pajamas on and brush their teeth and turn out the light. Both girls went to bed very worried.

                              Chapter Two

                Cinnamon the imaginary Rabbit

The next morning the girls got up and brushed their teeth like normal. They put on their clothes like any other day. Martha was wearing a red and white stiped shirt with a gray cardigan over and a navy skirt. Milly wore a t-shirt with red stripes on it, a grey button up sweater, and orange pants with her hair in two pigtails. Martha could not understand how Milly chose to wear such clashing colors. Or how Mother let her dress in them. Martha packed her school bag while Milly struggled to tie her shoes. In fact, they both had forgotten their worries from last night until they came down stairs to see Father sitting at the table with the paper Danny Roberts had clunked on their doorstep. Father would usually be at the food pantry by now. "Father!" Exlaimed Martha."Are you sick? Shouln't you be at work by- Oh." And just like that, everything came crashing down on the two girls like a pile of  bricks. "Right," Said Martha briskly, embarassed to have forgotten. They sat at the table while Mother brought in bowls of oatmeal and then sat having coffee with Father. The girls ate their oatmeal silently. Martha was silent because she was worried about 

Money. Milly was silent because all though no one knew it, she was mad at Martha. She hadn't forgotten how Martha had called her selfish, and she refused to believe it! Martha was the only selfish one! Milly knew she was only concerned about money because she had wanted a new Barbie doll for her birthday, the kind her friend Diana had with the black gloves and dress. Well, Milly couldn't care less about her sister's selfish wants! She wanted a job for her Father alot, all though she didn't see why it mattered to have money. Grown-ups always spoke of it like they needed it, when plenty of the things they used it for were free. Mother always went to the supermarket on Monday's, even though Milly told her that her friend Cheryl said that the bakery section gave away donuts on mondays, only one day old! And Father always bought gas at Supreme Plus gas station, with the card board winged horse outside, when the man at the Moto-car station always put in free oil changes on the second monday of the month! She didn't understand why everyone was so worried when they had places 

Like the bakery and the Moto-car station. Then, remembering her madness, she turned and stuck out her tounge wickedly at her sister. 

When the girls arrived at school [Mother had dropped them off in the station wagon,] Martha turned to Milly, who was carrying her blue lunch box and looking innocent, like she wasn't the girl who put her tounge out to her very own sister! Remembering this, Martha decided not to drop her off at the kindergarten door like she was told. Instead, she hoisted her school bag on her shoulders, glared at Milly and simply said, "Be good." and walked over to the grade school doors, and joined Diana, who was talking to Ralphy McMasters. Not looking back at Milly, she felt a shiver crawl up her spine. Martha was being bad! Martha Carol Clifton, who had barley been bad since she was nine years old, had left her sister on the yard! She decided to turn around, just to see her little sister, who was constantly bad, standing dazed on the pavement. But, oh, no. Milly had decided not to stay there, and was now happily chasing Dougie Howard on

The playground. The school bell rang and the fifth graders lined up and walked in the building. Martha sighed and decided to join Diana, realizing there was no way to beat her sister at her own game. 

Milly was doing her favourite thing to do before the bell rang to go in. There was a surprising amount of things you could do if you were a kindegarten on the playground before bell time. If you were feeling brave you could climb up to the playground tower and sing, 'I'm the king of the castle, get down you dirty rascal!" You could tramp through the garden, picking flowers and pertending to be on safari, all though who ever was on yard duty would yell at you. You could sit on the ledge with Lorrie, Kristina, Beatrice, and Jill, who always played hand - clap games and never got their dresses dirty. You could dig for worms in the yard with Adam and Richard. You could go with the rest of the class and play hide-and-seek. But Milly's absolute favourite thing was to 

Chase Dougie Howard. Dougie was the littlest boy in the kindergarten, and he hated  girls. So if you chased him he would run, run, run and yell, yell, yell. And is you chased him screeching "Dougie, Dougie I'm gonna get get you! And when I do I'm gonna kiss you!" And he would scream

"No, no, stinky, pinky, girls! Yuckkkkk!" Until the bell rang. To Milly, this was such fun! When the bell rang, Dougie ran inside yelling "Aaaahhhhh!" 

And Milly would laugh loudly, out of breath, saying "Yayyyyy!" 

Once in the classroom and seated at their tables with their coats in the cubby holes, Ms. Laurie stood in front of the black board and smiled out at her pupils. Her poka-dot dress was pink and white, and she had beatiful blond hair and cat's eye glasses. Milly loved Ms. Laurie. She never yelled or critisized. She helped everyone. And she did fun things like show-and-tell and- "Class." Said Ms. Laurie. "I have a special announcment." Everyone sat up straight in their chairs.

 "This Thursday-Tommorow- We are going to have a special class event, parent career day! Tell your parent to come and tell us about their job! It's after lunch, and please have one of your parents call me if they have questions." Milly slumped in her chair. All around kids were shouting. 

"My Mommy runs a quilt shop!" 

"My Father is a police man!"

 "My Mother is a nurse at Sunnyside!" 

"My Daddy works in a ware house!" And so on. Milly knew her mother was to busy on weekdays to come in to school, and Father obviously coudn't come in because he had no job. She couldn't come without a parent. But she also couldn't come with one. Then, Dougie Howard, of all people, raised his hand and said, "But Miss, what if our parents can't come in." A few worried-looking kids nodded. Ms. Laurie put a finger to her chin, thinking. Then she said, 

"Well, I suppose you can bring in a pet, " She said. Dougie and 

some others nodded with relief. Milly slumped further. She knew that Ozzy-Mossy couldn't come in, because he was a house cat, and he was not friendly, either.

 "But Ms. Laurie, " Said Jill timidly. "What if you don't have a pet either?" Milly was scared that the teacher would say that if your parents couldn't come and neither could your pet, you would just have to watch. But Milly should have known better. Ms.Laurie was a good teacher, a good person who wanted every child included. 

"Well then," She said, eyes sparkling. "Bring an imaginary pet!" Milly smiled at sat up. She had an amazing imagination, that's what Father always said! She could bring an imaginary pet in no time! Hmmmm. she thought What kind of pet would I want?  Maybe a kitten. A kitten would certainly be friendly then old, picky Ozzy-Mossy. But a kitten was a common pet, a Milly thought if she were to imagine, she should imagine up something creative. She could get a dog. When they went to visit Mother's sister Flo, who lived on a farm with Uncle Howard, they had a spotty bull terrier. Aunt Flo said he had a pedigree, but Milly looked at his flat face and pig tail

And couldn't find a thing wrong. She asked Martha, who just scoffed, even Milly was quite serious. She tghought about a goldfish, a lizard, and a parrot, then decidedon a rabbit. A rabbit would be a good pet. If Milly had a rabbit she would want a gray one. She would a red ribbon around it's neck and pull the ribbon everywhere. And she would name it. A good name, like butterscotch, fluffy, nut-nut, or cinnamon. Wait. That was it, Cinnamon! Cinnamon the imaginary rabbit! Perfect. Milly smiled. She heard Ms. Laurie clap her hands twice and say, "Okay class, please take out your practice books and spell 'cat' " Milly wrote "Kat" in her book with green crayon, and all the madness in her body left as she drew a picture of Cinnamon and wrote "Rabut". 

When Milly got home she went to Mother and Father's room and crawled under their bed, retreiving Mother's sewing box. She rooted around until she found a red ribbon. She used scissors, against Father's warning to never use sharp things, and cut it. she pulled around to her room, grabbed Her steam shovel, and sat on the kitchen floor to play with it. She barley noticed that Martha was extremely grumpy that day.

                             Chapter Three

                          Martha's awful day. 

    Mrs. Larson

Martha had had what her Mother would simply call "A day". She was already grumpy about Milly before fileing into the school and putting her bag and jacket on her hook, and when she walked into the classroom, everthing got worse. They had a substitute! Mrs. Larson, according to what was written on the board. Oh, was she horrid! As kids wlked in and sat down, they all avoided her mean gaze. She stared at them. This Mrs. Larson, first of all, had a horrible manner of dressing. Mr. Tindale usually wore button downs with funny ties that had snowmen or pinstripes or ice-cream cones. Mrs.Larson wore an old shirt with buttons up the front the color of split pea soup. Martha despised spilt pea soup. She had a flouncy violet skirt with flowers that Martha had seen something like at the Church Donation Market. Her white sports socks had been pulled up to her knees and she seemed to be wearing men's dress shoes. Mrs. Larson's skin was incredibley pale, so much so she looked like the ghost woman in the halloween movie that played year-round on TV for unknown reasons. 

Around her hazel eyes she had drawn thick lines of black eye-brow pencil and her lashes were sort of painted on. She had an angry face and her shoulder legnth hair was frizzy and dyed to look platinum blond, though you could see the black roots. Her face reminded Martha of those Kewpie dolls you see in the toy section of the Eaton center. "All right, class." Said Mrs. Larson. She had a deep voice for a woman. "You already know who I am, so we are going to take attendance." As she talked, she at the teacher's desk, picked up a leather notebook, flipped to a certain page, opened a black fileing cabnent, took out the attendance folder and slammed it loudly. Everyone jumped exept for Valarie Munsch, who usually sat at the back of the room reading. "All right." Said Mrs. Larson again. "I'm going to read your first, middle, and last name. Please respond accordingly." The students grumbled and Mrs. Larson glared with her heavily mascarad eyes. "Cynthia Bonnie Alfred. Richard Logan Bruno. Karen Ann Clerker. Herny Russell Dallas." On and on the attendance dragged. Finally, after every student had been marked down, Mrs. Larson said, "Martha and Richard, please take this down 

to Miss White in the office. Come straight back." She handed them the attendance folder and they left the room to deliver it. 

"Gee," Said Richard, breaking the silence. "Isn't she an egghead." Martha had to laugh at this. 

"You are right." She said. "She's horrid." 

"All right, class." Said Richard in a nasal voice. "You already know who I am. " He hiked up his trousers and opened his eyes wide. Martha began to laugh so hard that she closed her eyes and stumbled forward. She thought she would catch herself, but instead she tripped and face-planted into the floor of the kindergarten hall. Her face hurt. Alot. At least she wasn't cut, she didn't think so. She tood up slowly. Nothing hurt to badly exept her nose. Her nose was pounding. "Holy Moly!" Said Richard once she asked if she looked all right.

 "What, what is it?" Martha exclaimed. Richard pointed to her nose. She touched it, and her hand came away red with blood. Blood was pouring from her nose. "Oh my!" 

She cried. Richard just stared. Then Martha began to cry. Holding her nose with her sticky, bloody hands, tears streamed down her cheeks. Richard, looking and feeling akward and useless, gave her a gentle jab with his elbow. They walked to the office. Miss White took one look at Martha and said "Oh dear." Richard, having dropped the attendance folder off, was long gone to class. "There there." Said Miss White, like nose-bleeders were in the office every day. She lead Martha, who was no longer crying, just bloody, into a room in the back of the office with a cot, a first aid kit, a dirty sink, and a water dispenser with little paper cups. She opened a cupboard and grabbed a washcloth. She wet it and instructed Martha to remove her hands. Martha did and Miss White gently scrubbed the blood off her face, then told Martha to hold the rag under her nose until it stopped gushing. "Dear, Dear." Said Miss White, washing Martha's blood off her hands. "Thank goodness I have three children of my own, so I'm used to it. Mikey is the oldest, and, Oh, how his nose bleeds! Little Susan has never, and Linda only once, when she fell like you. Oh my, is your nose still bleeding! dear, dear, let me 

get you something. " Well, she's talkitive today,  Thought Martha as Miss White came in with some ice wrapped in a paper towel. She removed the red stained wash cloth and told Martha, who thankfully was no  longer bleeding, to hold the ice on it to stop the hurt. Then she sent her with a note to Mrs. Larson explaining what took so long back to class. "What took so long?" Snapped Mrs. Larson as soon as Martha stepped in the room. 

"I-I fell." Stammerd Martha as she chucked the melted ice and soggy napkin into the wastebasket. "Here." She said, handing Mrs.Larson the note and scurrying back to her desk. She knew exactly wha the note said. She had peeked at it on her way back to class.  I am sorry about how long it took, Geraldine. Said Miss White's sterile handwriting. Geraldine! Mrs. Larson's name was Geraldine Larson! Imagine. Martha covered her mouth to keep from giggling. Martha Clifton had an awful fall in the kindegarten hall. Her nose was gushing and everything! Poor thing. She's all taken care of, though. Please remember to do the national anthem before nine o'clock, and give the class their spelling quiz in the late afternoon. Sincerely, Lindsay White.  Martha then realized the class was looking at her with concerned faces. "Are you OK?" Asked Richard. "He told us you fell." Said Valarie, whom Martha was sursrised to hear

the class their spelling quiz in the late afternoon. Sincerely, Lindsay White.  Martha then realized the class was looking at her with concerned faces. "Are you OK?" Asked Richard. 

"He told us you fell." Said Valarie, whom Martha was sursrised to hear speaking, she was so shy. Mrs. Larson was suddenly looming over them. 

"Quit whispering." She said meanly. "Stand up, kids. It's time for the national anthem." The kids recited the anthem, sat down, and desperatly waited for lunch, a break from this cruel schoolteacer's watchful eye. 

At lunch, Martha's day just got worse. She had meant to bring five dollars, but in all the worry-hurry of the morning, she had only grabbed two dollars from her piggy bank. She sighed and got in the lunch line. The only thing worth two dollars was a dingy plastic tray of canned beans, soggy fish sticks, and Jell-O with fruit chunks in it. She didn't even have enough money for a carton of milk. She choked down the fish sticks and Jell-O, refusing to eat the watery, slippery beans. She gave them to Robby Bruce, who would eat anything and once ate and orange after it had been rolled in hot sauce.

Gag, gag, Thought Martha at the idea of a hot sauce orange. Then she threw out her tray, and went back to class feeling low. At least today can't get any worse, Thought Martha. But, Oh, why did she say that! As if God had heard her, he seemed to decide that today could get worse, much worse! It all started in arthimatic class. It was the last class of the day. They had had their spelling test and everyone was ready to go home. Mrs. Larson was writing problems on the board, and everyone was to copy them into their practice books and solve them in five minutes, which Mr. Tindale never would have done. He would have wrote the problems, waited until every last student, even the ones who were slow at problems, was done, and then walked them through the steps. Not Mrs. Larson, though. She couldn't care less if you were slow at problems. Which Martha was. Martha tried, she really did. But her mind kept drifting off to Father and his job issues. In fact, she got so wrapped up in her thoughts that she hardly heard Mrs. Larson speaking to her. "Martha!" She heard distantly. "Martha!" She heard again in a yell. She drifted back to class. Mrs. Larson was standing in front of her desk, leaning in to yell at her. Martha flushed. She realized she had been day dreaming, not paying attention as she should. "Yes?" She said, embarassed. Mrs. Larson grimaced. "If you are not to busy staring out the 

leaning in to yell at her. Martha flushed. She realized she had been day dreaming, not paying attention as she should. "Yes?" She said, embarassed. Mrs. Larson grimaced. "If you are not to busy staring out the window, would you mind solving this problem for us?" Martha flushed harder. she did not the answer, much less how to solve it. She stared at the board. Mrs. Larson stared at her, "Well, hurry up." She said rudely, which got Martha moving. She took her time walking up to the board, even dropping her earaser to stall time. At last, when she reached the board, with the chalk in her hand, stared at it. She started to move her hand to try, when all the sudden the chalk slipped from finger and hit the tile floor, cracking in half. She went to pick it up when she heard Mrs. Larson say, "Oh bother. Just go sit down Martha." Martha blushed furiously. Tears stung her eyes. She sat at her desk, feeling sorry for herself. Oh, what a day! And when she got, Milly was dragging around an old ribbon, not paying anybody any mind!

                            Chapter Four

                    The naughtiness game. 

Weeks in the Clifton house were very routine. Monday to Friday the girls walked to school, Mother took the subway to work, Father took the car out to look for work as he did now, the girls walked home and waited until Mother came home at Four O'clock, and they ate and went to bed and started over. They did this all the same unless one of the girls had a friends coming over, Mother had the day off, or if it was christmas break or spring break or summer break or a holiday. That left Saturday and Sunday. Mother was off both days. On Saturday Father went on the bus to look for work, and the girls and Mother woke up, had breakfast, and went out to play or did schoolwork until ten-thirty, when Mother had them in the car and took them to swimming lessons and the community center. After their lessons they went to the supermarket for the week, then went home to eat and play some more. That left Sunday. Sunday was the only day in the Clifton house-hold where things could spotaneously happen. On Sundays they woke up, ate breakfast, Father stayed home with Mother and the girls cleaned up their room after breakfast, but that was the only structure to the day. The rest of the day was free to go 

They were free to do what they pleased. This particular Sunday [The family only went to church for easter and christmas services,] Was the first day Father had been home since he lost his job. The Saturday before, he had gone out looking and came home weary and defeated for the fifth time in a row. When they had gone to the Super Market, Martha had noticed, as she expected, that Mother had been worried that the total went up at the check-out,  since they were on one salary. She had explained to the girls that they couldn't buy any  extras nowadays, so they kept quite, even Milly, the whole time, even when they passed the cookie display.  Anyways, that particular Sunday was one Martha had been waiting for, because Mother was having Diana's, her best friend from school, Mother over, Mrs. Durante. They meant instead of having to watch over Milly, making sure she didn't make a great big noisy fuss, when her Mother had company, she could go off with Diana, her very best friend, and play Barbie dolls, which Diana had promised to bring over her two, the blond in the pink sleeveless shirt, and the 

Pony-tail one with the purple dress. And Milly was exited this Sunday because she finally had someone to play with. Diana's nursery school brother, Danny, was coming over with them. This was the part Martha was not all too exited for. Diana had told her at school that he was extremely naugthy. Perfect for Milly, then. Thought Martha as she watched her sister clean up her side of the room by sweeping a week's worth of dirty socks under her bed and putting her toys in her red wagon. She had forgiven her for sticking her tounge out, but still thought she was wickedly naugthy. Martha had woken up exited to have her friend over. She had tidied up her room and helped Mother perpare coffee and muffins for her and Mrs. Durante. She had helped Milly tie her shoes and and was now seated on her bed reading, waiting for Diana to arrive. Martha's other best friend, Davey Jones, was too usy practicing track and trying to break the world records he had found in that library book, Guiness records of the world, for running speed. Plus, he was a boy, ans she wasn't about the invite him into her room. 

Martha put her book down and skipped out of the room to wait at the window.

"Hi!" Said Martha as she opened the door. 

"Hello!" Said Diana, just as exitedly. She was wearing a skirt and a purple shirt and carrying Barbie dolls. Her long black hair tumbled down her shoulders, and behind her stood a little boy in a red t-shirt and a tall black- haired woman [Clearly it ran in the family,] in a green poleyester pant-suit. Martha, who had grown critical of the clothing lately, resisted the urge to wrinkle her nose. She did not appreciate poleyster pant-suits. Her neighbor, old widowed Ms. Wallen, always wore them in shades of green, brown and gray. When Martha had gone to borrow a cup of sugar, Ms. Wallen smelled of moth balls and barley. "Martha," Said Mother, snapping her from her thoughts. "Aren't you going to invite your friend in?" 

"Of course!" Said Martha, blushing. "Please come in, Diana,"

 "Thank you," Said Dina, and Martha thought she heard Danny giggle at their display of manners. Mother welcomed in Ms. Durante, and shouted for Milly, who ran off with 

Danny laughing and shreiking. "You may go to Martha's room, girls," Said Mother, setting out the coffee pot. Martha and Dianna headed to Martha's room, chatting all the way. When they walked in, the heard Danny saying, "It's my favorite game to-" and finished abrubtly. They were sitting on Milly's bed. Martha wanted to stomp her foot. How could she forget! They shared a room, her and Milly! While the girls were playing peacefully, she and Danny woud be in there, yelling and banging and causing a fuss. "Milly," Martha said carefully. "Diana and I are going to play in the bedroom. You can go to the living room. Mama is there," 

"No," Said Milly simply. "You go!" Well, that did it! Martha marched into the living ropom and alerted Mother of Milly's sass. Mother called in Milly and Danny and handed them each a cookie, telling them to go play out front with Milly's tricycle. They ran outside and M\rtha and Diana played peacefully. Until Milly came in, that is.

"Hi, Hi, my name is Ginger pye! Hey, hey today's a bubblegum pink day!" While Danny played a kazoo off-key. They sang so loudly, Martha felt like her ears were bleeding! 

"Mother!" she shouted. Her Mother marched in and scolded them, then sent them to the kitchen wher there was apple sauce. Bored by Barbie's, Martha and Diana dedcided to do a puzzle. 

"I know what's goung on," said Diana as she shook out the puzzle pieces. 

"Well, what?" asked Martha. "Milly's always this naughty, but never this....annoying!" She exclamied, fitting together the edge pieces.

"They are playing Danny's favorite game. The Naughtiness game. He and whoever he is with have a cpompetition to see who can be naughtier, but he always wins!" 

"That's horrid!" cried Martha. "What does he do to win?" 

"Oh, you know," Said Diana, who seemed unbothered."He says unspeakable words. He smashed my father's glasses once. He evn took my progress report, the very best one, and fed it to Prince!" (Prince was the Durante's dog,) Martha was appalled. Milly would never! She hope! But she didn't have any time to process before Danny, that little preschool imp came in, stood above there puzzle, pulled down his pants, 

And peed on it! Danny went to the bathroom....on her puzzle! Martha was disgusted. Danny pulled up his pants and laughed! "You devil!!!!!" Screamed Diana. She dragged him into the living room amd told Ms.Durante what he did, who said, 

"We must leave at once!" She gathered her things and Martha brought Diana her Barbie dolls. Diana was so embarassed, as was her mother. 

"I am so sorry," She said. "Mother will see that he is punished!" They left in a hurry and when the door closed, Martha and Mother stared at Milly silently. Milly looked at the ground. 

"Mildred Amand-" began Mother, but then, Milly started to cry! Real, snotty, four-year-old tears. She looked so pitiful that Mother scooped her up and sat down on the sofa with her. Martha sat next to them. 

"Normally," Said Mother, "I would spank you, Milly. But He wasn't very nice, was he?" Milly shook her head. 

"No," she said. "He broke my kazoo and ruined Martha's puzzle!" 

                           Chapter Five

               Milly's good-bad school day. 

After that disastrous Danny Sunday, Milly was completely ready to go back to school, where she was free of the money talk that kept popping up. After Father heard the story of what Danny Durante did, he laughed so hard that the whole family joined in, all but Milly. She did not how it was funny, all though she was glad to see Father so happy, so she graciously did not pout. After Martha dropped her off with the daily warning, "Be good", and headed to see Davey, who was running back and forth on the track, she went to find Dougie, "To get her exersize in, " which Mother said when she went for a walk. But when Milly got to the playground, everyone was huddled under the slide. "What's going on?" She said loudly, squatting down on the wood chips. "Pet day already passed,"

 "Shhhhh!" said Jill, who was smoothing out her perfect pleated skirt. "We have a substitute," she pointed to a lady frowning by the front door. Fear struck Milly's little heart. She had heard Martha's harrowing tales of Ms.Larson over dinner, the teacher who caused her sister such greif. Milly shuddered. 

"Who is she?" asked Milly, crossing her fingers and toes that this lady wasn't Ms.Larson. 

"We don't know her name," replied Adam, finger up his nose. 

"Someone should find out," squeaked Lori, who clearly wasn't about to do it herself. The knidergartens looked around until Milly stood up, uneven pigtails flying in the wind like the hero she was. 

"I will go!" she announced. Secretly, Milly just neede to know if it was Ms. Larson, and she was trembling inside. She marched, then slowed to a walk as she got closer.  The teacher was wearing a very, very red blouse and black pants. She had curly blonde hair and it looked like she had drawn black crayon against her eyes and red crayon against her lips and white crayon against her cheeks! Milly also noticed that the substitue had on dress shoes that looked like Father's. How odd! Milly stared up at her. "Excuse me," she peeped out. "Who are you?" The lady peered down at her. 

"My name is Ms. Larson," she boomed. Milly gulped. 

Milly couldn't belive it! What were the chances that Martha's horrible substitue would be hers too! And, boy, she was awful! She yelled at everyone! She shouted at Adam for picking his nose, Dougie for spilling his juice, and poor little Lori for getting a math problem wrong! Lori cried at recess, and all the girls, even Milly who always ran with the boys at recess time, sat with her and stroked her hair and talked about the vulgarities of Ms. Larson. Most of them had yet to have been shouted at, so they came up with a plan to be extra good the rest if the day, quiet and ladylike and not making messes, evn though that made Milly want to gag! The bell rang and the kindergartens filed in and ate lunch quietly like good boys and girls. Ms.Larson sat at her desk, eyes poring over every little scared face. It was after lunch, in free time, that Milly discovered she had to use the bathroom. No one had gotten a yelling yet, and she wasn't about to be the first one, so she squirmed in her seat and continued drawing pictures in her practice book. A little while later, Milly discovered the worst, most dreaded thing that could ever happen to a kindergarten happened to her. Milly had wet her pants! Tears 

Filled her eyes. Oh, how she missed Ms. Laurie! Ms. Laurie wouldn't dare yell at her for something so awful happening! She would clean Milly up and give her clean clothes from the lost and found. She would comfort her and tell Mother what happend in a soothing voice. Milly wanted to cry, but she couldn't. She had to figure this out without getting in touble! Milly looked over; Ms. Larson was now distracted reading something at her desk, mumbling out loud as she went. This was her chance. Milly slid off her chair and silently crawled out the classroom door into the corridor. Standing up, she ran to the bathroom, even though everyone said, "No running in the halls!" she went in to the bathroom, checked it was empty, then looked in the mirror. It was even worse than she thought! Milly had worn her brown trousers that day, and the stain was clear as day. Tears leaked out of her eyes. Ms. Laurie was gone, she had no clothes and the only other big person in the school she knew was Martha. Wait! Martha! Even though she would probably be unhappy with Milly, she knew her big sister could help her. Milly dried her face, tried to hide the stain with her hands, and followed the signs to the big 

Kid hall. Thankfully, she didn't run into anyone. When Milly arrived to a classroom she remembered from parent confrence night, She stood on tiptoe and knocked on the door- three hard raps. The door opened, and there stood a very tall boy with blonde hair who she didn't like already. 

"Whaddya want?" he asked, spraying spit from his mouth. 

"I need to see my sister," said Milly, puffing out her chest so he wouldn't notice where her hands were. 

"Yeah?" he jeered. "Who's she?" 

"Martha," Said Milly bravely. "I need to see Martha," The blonde boy turned around.

"Hey Martha!" he called. "A little imp is here to see ya!" 

"Henry," she heard the teacher say. "Please be respectful. Martha, you may go," Martha popped her head out the door and sighed. 

"Bye, squirt," said Henry, slamming the door shut.

"Oh Milly," sighed Martha. "Why are you here?" 

"He wasn't very nice, was he?" asked Milly, suddenly very embarassed. Tears poked her eyes. 

"Oh, Henry? Oh, he's a- Milly, what is wrong?" cried Martha. Milly had really started to cry. She shook her head. "Oh for pete's sake, Milly, you came to my class and sassed of a boy, please tell me what you need!" Milly sobbed. 

"We-had-Ms-Larson!" she hicupped. Martha was very confused. 

"She only teaches older grades, Milly. Besides, what are the chances we'd both get the same cruel teacher?" 

"Well no, she doesn't, and I thought the same thing but everyone is scared of her and I am scared of her and I was scared to ask to go to the washroom and I had an accident and I didn't want to get in trouble and you're the only person who can help me and now you just don't understand me and you're being mean!" Milly fell into her sisters arms. Father losing his job, Danny being so strange, a mean teacher and an accident in one week? It was too much for a four year-old. Martha, unsure of what just happened, 

Akwardly took her sisters hand and lead her to the restrooms. 

"Now Milly," she said, washing her sniffling sisters face. "Stop crying and I'll tell you a story," 

"OK," Said Milly, wiping her face. She loved stories, even ones with no steamshovels. 

"When I was in kindergarten, I had a teacher named Ms. Muffin," she began. 

"No!" said Milly.

"Yup!," replied Martha and Milly giggled. "Now Ms. Muffin hated mess. And one day I was feeling sick and she bent down to help me tie my shoe, and I threw up- on her head," 

"No!" shreiked Milly.

"Yup," said Martha, who was remembering why she hated to tell this story. "And Ms. Muffin hated it so much, that she fainted! Right there on the floor with throw-up on her head. I was so upset I ran out of the school and all the way home to find Mother and tell her what happened," 

"What did Mama do?" Milly asked, engrossed. 

"Mother laughed so hard, she tooted! It was so loud and un-ladylike that we both laughed so hard we cried!" finished Martha, and both she and Milly were roarig with laughter. Once they finished laughing, Milly frowned. 

"But what will I do?" she asked. "Ms. Larson will see I am gone soon! It still looks like I wet myself!" Martha got an idea. 

"Stay here," said Martha. "Go into the stall and wait," 

"OK," agreed Milly, and Martha left. First, she asked the janitor for a paper bag. He gave her one, then she ran to the to the lost and found. Something caught her eye in the pile of sweatsirts and fall coats and books, and she grabbed it. Martha went back to the restroom and told milly to put her dirty clothes in the paper bag. "OK," said Milly. "Now what?"

"Put these on," said Martha, passing something over the door.

"Coveralls?" squeled Milly. "Red coveralls?" 

"Yup," said Martha. She didn't mention they were a size too big and meant for a little boy because she knew Milly would love them. 

"Yup, yup, yup!" sang Milly, banging out of the stall. She had a rumpled paper bag and bright red coveralls and she was shining like a new diamond. 

"Alright, Milly, now we both have to go to class, Ok?" said Martha. 

"OK," agreed Milly happily. Before they left, she threw her arms around Martha's neck and squeezed, then ran off. Martha blushed. She was usually so bothered by Milly, who was usually so bothersome. It was....nice.

When Milly crept back into class in her new coveralls, free time was just ending, so she could sneak back in and sit at her desk, before Ms. Larson demanded everyone sit down and be quiet. 

"Alright, you guys," she said, which Milly was shocked to hear a teacher say. "Here it says that since it's already November, you are to be making Christmas trees out of green paper. You know where the scissors are, so go on!" the kindergartens never 

Used scissors alone. Ms. Laurie always helped them cut and paste, and even then, Adam always ate the paste and said it tasted like porridege. No one believd him. "I said, go on, get!" bellowed Ms. Larson, and everyone was off. 

"I don't know how to cut with scissors," whimpered Beatrice. 

"None of us do," Dougie reminded her grouchily. Everyone got their supplies. They poured the paste into paper cups from and big jug with shaky hands. They cut green Christmas trees in uneven lines and and stuck bits of ribbon on them akwardly. Milly didm't mind doing it on her own, though. She liked to draw. She liked sticky blobs of glue. Father had taught her how to cut with scissors a while ago. her Christmas tree was by far the best in the class. And Milly loved Christmas! She loved the tree with the popcorn strings that Ozzy-Mossy slept underneath. She loved that her mother brought home books from the library Christmas Book Drive Extranvaganza, and always found one the that Milly liked. And the presents! Milly loved getting presents because it was special. You didn't get them any other tie but you're birthday, so that made it extra

Special. But it made Milly think of something. If Father still had no job at Christmas time, would there be presents? Would there be a tree? The thought filled her with fear. She kept thinking about a giftless, treeless Christmas. Instead of singing the clean-up song with them, Ms. Larson just screamed about everything that was dirty. The floor had paper and ribbon scraps on it. The trees were drippy and falling over. The  tables had paste on them. Milly coverall's were thankfully clean, but she didn't even notice. All she thought about was how sad Christmas would be this year. When she got home she told Martha, and she agreed it was a very serious situation. 

                            Chapter Six

                          Stop Swimming!

A few weeks later, like every Sunday, Milly and Martha went to their swimming lessons at the community center. Milly was with the other four year olds, learning to float on her back and dunk under the water. Her teacher was named Miss Amelia. Martha got to go to the deep end of the pool and learn to jump in with her nose plugged and save a drowning person. Her teacher was Miss Kristin. That particular Sunday, the girls' mother dropped them off and left to go look for job agencies nearby and a favor to Father. Milly skipped off to see Miss Amelia, who was wetting the kids with a plastic bucket full of water, and they were shrieking from the cold. Martha walked very slowly to see Miss Kristen, whom she strongly did not want to spend an hour of her Sunday with. Miss Kristen was kind, not at all similar in demeanor to Ms. Larson, but Martha felt her problems were bigger than that of a swimming lesson. She was worried about Father, still job hunting and becoming more and more depressed each day. About Mother, who was covering many shifts and had to cook and clean on top of it all, putting her in an awful mood, she was worried because Millie had been quiet ever