Free Prince Tennyson by Jenni James Page A

let him keep his nice pants and shoes on so he could play. Knowing Cameron like I did, he’d probably have those shoes and pants off in a little bit, anyway. He liked running around in his diaper.
    Cameron was so cute.
    I didn’t want him to die. I was going to have to be extra careful and really watch him carefully to help him live as long as possible.
    Grandma was right—he did look like Dad. A lot like Dad.
    I wondered if people would call him a prince when he grew up, too.

    ***
    On Tuesday, Grandma let me go to Sarah’s house for a little while. She lived a couple of blocks away, so I got to ride my bike, and bring some chocolate chip cookies too. Grandma told me she used to do quilting with Sarah’s mom, so she wanted me to be good. When I got there, I was kind of excited and nervous. I hadn’t been over at a friend’s house since I was almost nine.
    â€œHi, Chelsea!” Sarah smiled and opened the door wide, then yelled behind her, “Mom! Chelsea’s here!”
    â€œHi,” I said as I handed over the bag that was on my handlebars. “I brought cookies to share.”
    â€œCool!” Sarah giggled, then grabbed my hand and took me to the kitchen. Her mom was there chopping up some carrots and putting them in a pot. There was a baby girl, younger than Cameron, sitting in a high chair. “Look, Mom! Chelsea brought us cookies. Can we eat them? Please? Please? Pleasepleasepleaseplease?”
    Sarah’s mom laughed. “Yes, you can each have two.” She set the knife down and walked over to the counter where Sarah put the bag. “But be sure to eat them at the table.”
    â€œYay!” I watched Sarah jump all over the place. She was so excited and happy.
    â€œDon’t forget to use plates and napkins,” Sarah’s mom reminded her.
    My crazy friend bounced to the cupboard and pulled down some plates. Then she skipped to the pantry and came back with two napkins. I turned when I heard the baby laugh. She was clapping and watching her big sister. For a minute, I just watched Sarah and her mom and their baby. They were different. Smiling and silly and . . . free.
    I wanted to live like that again.
    Walking slowly to the table, I sat down at my place. Sarah chattered away to her mom while I munched on my cookie. I thought about the last time I saw my dad in the kitchen and my family was silly and happy and free.
    Dad had just come home and gave Mom a kiss on her cheek and wrapped his arms around her. I was at the table doing my homework. He kissed her neck and rubbed her shoulder with one hand while he stole some cheese she’d shredded for dinner with his other hand. Mom closed her eyes and made a funny noise and turned around in my dad’s arms to see his mouth full.
    I smiled when I remembered her laughing at him. “Ryan! You’re just as bad as the kids. Do you know that?”
    â€œOf course. It’s why you love me so much.” He winked at me and swooped Mom up and twirled her around the kitchen until she squealed. “Ryan! Stop. The meat will burn!” She tried to scold him, but she was laughing too much.
    Dad and I both knew she loved being held by her prince more than anything. Even more than if she was scared the food burnt or not.
    â€œI’ll just have to take us all out to eat then,” he said, then kissed her on the mouth and chin and cheeks and eyes until she laughed some more.
    We went out to eat that night.
    I grinned as I nibbled my cookie. Mom needed to laugh. I thought about church and all the smiles she had for the people there, and I wondered if the next Sunday would be just as good.

Chapter Sixteen
    THE NEXT SUNDAY WAS good. Mom was smiling again when we came out of the chapel, and this time she was chattering nonstop. She liked seeing her old friends and hearing about God. She said it made her happy.
    I let her talk and tell me about it the whole time we walked to the car. She had