Free The Pinballs by Betsy Byars

it might cheer me up. I’m beginning to feel lousy too. Want me to open it for you?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œI don’t mean open it all the way, I just mean peek at it. I can slip off the paper so carefully you wouldn’t even know I had opened it. I do this all the time at Christmas.”
    â€œGo ahead if you want to.”
    â€œYou mean it? You wouldn’t mind?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œWhoo, I love opening presents. I don’t even care whether they’re mine or not.” She went to the hall closet and slid out the box. “It’s a big one,” she called to Harvey. “The bigger the better, I always say.” She pulled off the ribbon, which was punched into the top of the box. With great care she undid the strips of Scotch tape. She opened the end. When she saw that it was a portable color television set, her breath eased out in one long sigh.
    â€œOh, wow,” she called to Harvey, “you’re going to really like this.”
    Carefully she retaped the paper, punched the bow back in the original hole and slid the box back into the closet. Then she went back to Harvey’s room and leaned against the bed. “Guess what it is?” she said.
    â€œA TV.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œA TV.”
    She was startled. She tried to bluff. “What makes you think it’s a TV?”
    â€œI saw my father carrying it in.”
    â€œWell, I’m not saying whether it is or it isn’t,” she said. She was disappointed. She loved to make people guess things. She had been looking forward to a long session with Harvey.
    He would say, “Is it something useful?”
    She would say, “Yes.”
    â€œIs it different colors?”
    â€œ Definitely yes.”
    â€œDoes it move?”
    â€œWell, it doesn’t, but something about it does.”
    Now the game was ruined. She glanced down and Harvey looked so miserable that she forgave him. She knelt by the bed. “You know, if you really want me to, I’ll go to that farm in Virginia, Harvey, and get your mother.”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œBut I wouldn’t mind. Really. I could make a hammock or two while I’m there. Bring you one for your birthday.”
    â€œNo.”
    She got serious. “Look, Harvey, if your mother knew that you had these broken legs and that your father did it, she’d come get you. I know she would, and I—”
    â€œNo!”
    â€œWell, I can go if I want to, Harvey, you can’t stop me.”
    â€œ No! ”
    The word was so agonized that Carlie stepped back from the bed. She stayed without speaking for a moment, then she stepped forward. “Oh, look,” she said. “I got some little decals and put them on my fingernails. Did you notice?” She waved her fingers in front of Harvey’s face. He closed his eyes.
    â€œI saw them.”
    â€œWant me to put some on your toenails?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œJust on your big toenails then. Oh, come on. It’ll be fun.” She yanked down the sheet. “People always look at your legs because they stick out and the decals would be a nice touch. Give them a smile. What would you rather have—flowers or little black poodles?”
    â€œNo.”
    Carlie bent closer. She looked at his feet. “Hey, wait a minute,” she said. “Did you know that your right toes are redder than your left ones? And they’re all swollen.”
    â€œI don’t care.”
    â€œThey look terrible. Doesn’t your leg hurt?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œIt does too. I’m getting Mrs. Mason.”
    â€œI’m fine!”
    Carlie ran from the room. “Mrs. Mason, come look at Harvey’s toes. I’m no nurse yet, but I know bad-looking toes when I see them, and these are bad-looking toes.”

20
    Carlie and Thomas J were sitting on the front steps, waiting for Mrs. Mason and Harvey to get back from the hospital.
    â€œI knew there was