stuff. I want to play Division I soccer in college, and I’m not going to give that up. I’m not going to let it beat me.”
“That’s great,” I said. I really admired him for that.
“And it’s kind of changed the way I think about the whole world. If I wanted to rebel and not test myself, the only person I’d be hurting would be me. It made me grow up and take responsibility for myself faster. And I’ve noticed that sometimes I feel more protective of kids that are younger than me.”
I sneaked a look at him when he said that. I hadn’t met many boys who talked about responsibility. He had a softness and wistfulness to his face that I liked.
We walked around the ship and talked for an hour. The adults had gone to a show, and when the show let out, we saw some of the performers in their dancecostumes. They were friendly and spoke with all sorts of different accents. By then it was close to our eleven-o’clock curfew, and so we had to say good-bye to the boys. Evan gave us a salute and said maybe they’d see us tomorrow at the teen club or around the boat. Guy said good-bye and then lightly touched my arm. I felt a little tingle when he did that.
When Lauren and I got back to the room, Diana was already curled up on her bunk, asleep. I tried to talk quietly so I wouldn’t wake her. We were kind of giggling about the boys, because Evan was such a mama’s boy. We had been kidding him and asking if his mom ironed his underwear.
What an amazing first day on the cruise! Except for Lauren and Diana’s fight, of course.
The next morning when I woke up, Lauren was still asleep and Diana was gone. I wondered if she’d gone to the buffet for breakfast, and I wanted to try and talk to her. So I got up quietly, got dressed, and tiptoed out.
When I got to the buffet, I looked around at the tables, and what did I see but Diana eating breakfast with Grammy Verra! I suddenly felt jealous. I realized they were both allowed to do whatever they wanted, but I felt a little strange. Diana wasn’t even Grammy Verra’s real granddaughter—but they were sittingtogether talking like they were best friends. I had always thought I was Grammy Verra’s favorite!
The buffet was overwhelming. There was every kind of breakfast cereal, bagel and muffin, and fruits of all kinds, just rows of them in all colors like rainbows. There was sausage and an omelette bar. There were pancakes and waffles. There were blintzes, and I didn’t even know what those were! Finally I got a plain omelette with cheese and joined Diana and Grammy Verra. I should have guessed what they’d be talking about: animals. Grammy Verra was telling Diana about her little dog, Botticelli, or Jelly for short.
“So, anyway, when Jelly wants a treat, he’ll stand up on his hind legs and move his short little front legs up and down like he’s begging,” Grammy was saying. “His eyes are big and brown, and they just implore you. It’s so adorable, how can I deny him anything?”
“Grammy’s dog is the most spoiled dog in the world,” I said as I put my tray down on the table. “She gives him everything he wants.”
“Well, and he’s very smart too. He knows at least twenty words,” Grammy said.
“He knows his name, as well as
toy, walk, treat, out, down, sit, stay, …”
“Grammy, he never sits or stays,” I said. “He never does anything you tell him to do.”
“That’s just because he’s so smart. He’s too smart to be bossed around.”
“Too spoiled, you mean,” I said, laughing.
“He’s not going to like knowing that you talked about him like that, Stephanie!” Grammy teased. “You better be careful. He is my precious little boy, is what he is. I wish I could have brought him on the cruise. He keeps me company.”
“I know, Grammy. I’m just giving you a hard time about him.”
“Diana and I have been having some nice talks, haven’t we, Diana?” Grammy said. “I’m enjoying getting to know her better.”
“That’s
“That’s great,” I said. I really admired him for that.
“And it’s kind of changed the way I think about the whole world. If I wanted to rebel and not test myself, the only person I’d be hurting would be me. It made me grow up and take responsibility for myself faster. And I’ve noticed that sometimes I feel more protective of kids that are younger than me.”
I sneaked a look at him when he said that. I hadn’t met many boys who talked about responsibility. He had a softness and wistfulness to his face that I liked.
We walked around the ship and talked for an hour. The adults had gone to a show, and when the show let out, we saw some of the performers in their dancecostumes. They were friendly and spoke with all sorts of different accents. By then it was close to our eleven-o’clock curfew, and so we had to say good-bye to the boys. Evan gave us a salute and said maybe they’d see us tomorrow at the teen club or around the boat. Guy said good-bye and then lightly touched my arm. I felt a little tingle when he did that.
When Lauren and I got back to the room, Diana was already curled up on her bunk, asleep. I tried to talk quietly so I wouldn’t wake her. We were kind of giggling about the boys, because Evan was such a mama’s boy. We had been kidding him and asking if his mom ironed his underwear.
What an amazing first day on the cruise! Except for Lauren and Diana’s fight, of course.
The next morning when I woke up, Lauren was still asleep and Diana was gone. I wondered if she’d gone to the buffet for breakfast, and I wanted to try and talk to her. So I got up quietly, got dressed, and tiptoed out.
When I got to the buffet, I looked around at the tables, and what did I see but Diana eating breakfast with Grammy Verra! I suddenly felt jealous. I realized they were both allowed to do whatever they wanted, but I felt a little strange. Diana wasn’t even Grammy Verra’s real granddaughter—but they were sittingtogether talking like they were best friends. I had always thought I was Grammy Verra’s favorite!
The buffet was overwhelming. There was every kind of breakfast cereal, bagel and muffin, and fruits of all kinds, just rows of them in all colors like rainbows. There was sausage and an omelette bar. There were pancakes and waffles. There were blintzes, and I didn’t even know what those were! Finally I got a plain omelette with cheese and joined Diana and Grammy Verra. I should have guessed what they’d be talking about: animals. Grammy Verra was telling Diana about her little dog, Botticelli, or Jelly for short.
“So, anyway, when Jelly wants a treat, he’ll stand up on his hind legs and move his short little front legs up and down like he’s begging,” Grammy was saying. “His eyes are big and brown, and they just implore you. It’s so adorable, how can I deny him anything?”
“Grammy’s dog is the most spoiled dog in the world,” I said as I put my tray down on the table. “She gives him everything he wants.”
“Well, and he’s very smart too. He knows at least twenty words,” Grammy said.
“He knows his name, as well as
toy, walk, treat, out, down, sit, stay, …”
“Grammy, he never sits or stays,” I said. “He never does anything you tell him to do.”
“That’s just because he’s so smart. He’s too smart to be bossed around.”
“Too spoiled, you mean,” I said, laughing.
“He’s not going to like knowing that you talked about him like that, Stephanie!” Grammy teased. “You better be careful. He is my precious little boy, is what he is. I wish I could have brought him on the cruise. He keeps me company.”
“I know, Grammy. I’m just giving you a hard time about him.”
“Diana and I have been having some nice talks, haven’t we, Diana?” Grammy said. “I’m enjoying getting to know her better.”
“That’s
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