Free It's Not the End of the World by Judy Blume

pay her when we can manage by ourselves."
    Did Mr. Hague tell Mom to watch her money? Or doesn't Daddy send enough for a baby sitter?
    Debbie came over in time for supper, which we made ourselves. We had hot dogs, potato chips and chocolate pudding for dessert. The only part of the night that wasn't fun was telling Amy that she couldn't sleep in my other bed. She cried and carried on but before Mom left she explained that Amy has her own room and that's where she has to sleep from now on. I don't think Amy ever told Mom that she is afraid we'll be gone in the morning. Maybe I should
    be the one to tell my mother. I don't know-Amy might not like it if I did. That is supposed to be our secret.
    Mom got all dressed up and I couldn't help wondering if just Aunt Ruth and Uncle Dan were taking her to dinner or if maybe Henry Farnum was going along too. And I didn't want to ask her about it in front of Debbie anyway. Mom looked very nice and she smelled delicious. I think she was wearing the perfume Daddy gave to her last Christmas.
    At ten o'clock Amy fell asleep in the den and Debbie and I carried her up to bed. We decided to leave her overhead light on all night. That way she might not get so scared if she woke up suddenly.
    At quarter to eleven the phone rang. Debbie and I were in my room. I thought it might be Mom, checking to see how everything was. So I went into my mother's room and picked up the phone, but Jeff beat me to it on the kitchen extension. And it wasn't my mother either. It was Mary Louise Rumberger! I put one hand over the mouthpiece and called to Debbie, "It's Mary Louise . . ."
    Debbie came running. We shared the phone and listened. Imagine Mary Louise calling my brother at quarter to eleven at night! And they barely even talked. They just laughed very softly at each other.
    I could hardly wait for Monday night. I hoped Daddy would call as soon as he saw his mail. Then he
    and Mom would talk about the day they got married sixteen years ago and they'd laugh about Garfa catching chicken pox!
    Mom opened her mail as soon as she got home from work. I stood there watching her. After she read my card she did the craziest thing! She started to cry and she took me in her arms. She said, "Oh, Karen. . ." over and over again.
    Later Daddy called. Only he didn't call to talk to Mom like I was hoping. He called to talk to me. He said, "Thanks, Karen . . . but from now on you have to remember we don't celebrate our anniversary any more. Try not to think of April 26 as a special day."
    Monday, April 26
    How can I not think about this day? It is special and it will always be special even if I am the only one who knows it!
    Jeff has a broken toe. He has to wear a sneaker with a big hole cut in it. His toe is bandaged and he pulls an athletic sock over that foot to keep the rest of his toes warm. He broke it himself. He dropped a weight on his foot. Dr. Winters says he is lucky he didn't do more damage. He uses a cane to walk around. I wonder what Mary Louise Rumberger thinks of broken toes? She probably feels very sorry for him. She calls him every single night now.
    Jeff doesn't talk to any of us. Not to me or Amy or my mother. He is getting just like Petey Mansfield. They can turn themselves off like radios. I am starting to really hate him!
    Val invited me to sleep over Saturday night. I asked my mother if I could go. She said, "I don't even know her, Karen. How can I let you sleep there overnight?"
    "Please, Mom! She's very nice. So is her mother."
    That was funny because I really don't know Mrs. Lewis. I've seen her twice. She says hello, but that's about it. She is the best-looking mother I have ever seen. "Daddy lives right upstairs," I told Mom.
    "You'll have to call him and see what he thinks," Mom said.
    "Now?"
    "Yes, now."
    I picked up the phone and dialed. "Hello Daddy? This is Karen. . . . I'm fine. . . . They're okay too. Daddy, Val wants me to sleep over Saturday night. . . . Yes, I'm dying to but Mom won't let