it might cheer me up. Iâm beginning to feel lousy too. Want me to open it for you?â
âNo.â
âI donât mean open it all the way, I just mean peek at it. I can slip off the paper so carefully you wouldnât even know I had opened it. I do this all the time at Christmas.â
âGo ahead if you want to.â
âYou mean it? You wouldnât mind?â
âNo.â
âWhoo, I love opening presents. I donât even care whether theyâre mine or not.â She went to the hall closet and slid out the box. âItâs a big one,â she called to Harvey. âThe bigger the better, I always say.â 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.
âOh, wow,â she called to Harvey, âyouâre going to really like this.â
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 Harveyâs room and leaned against the bed. âGuess what it is?â she said.
âA TV.â
âWhat?â
âA TV.â
She was startled. She tried to bluff. âWhat makes you think itâs a TV?â
âI saw my father carrying it in.â
âWell, Iâm not saying whether it is or it isnât,â 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, âIs it something useful?â
She would say, âYes.â
âIs it different colors?â
â Definitely yes.â
âDoes it move?â
âWell, it doesnât, but something about it does.â
Now the game was ruined. She glanced down and Harvey looked so miserable that she forgave him. She knelt by the bed. âYou know, if you really want me to, Iâll go to that farm in Virginia, Harvey, and get your mother.â
âNo.â
âBut I wouldnât mind. Really. I could make a hammock or two while Iâm there. Bring you one for your birthday.â
âNo.â
She got serious. âLook, Harvey, if your mother knew that you had these broken legs and that your father did it, sheâd come get you. I know she would, and Iââ
âNo!â
âWell, I can go if I want to, Harvey, you canât stop me.â
â No! â
The word was so agonized that Carlie stepped back from the bed. She stayed without speaking for a moment, then she stepped forward. âOh, look,â she said. âI got some little decals and put them on my fingernails. Did you notice?â She waved her fingers in front of Harveyâs face. He closed his eyes.
âI saw them.â
âWant me to put some on your toenails?â
âNo.â
âJust on your big toenails then. Oh, come on. Itâll be fun.â She yanked down the sheet. âPeople 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 haveâflowers or little black poodles?â
âNo.â
Carlie bent closer. She looked at his feet. âHey, wait a minute,â she said. âDid you know that your right toes are redder than your left ones? And theyâre all swollen.â
âI donât care.â
âThey look terrible. Doesnât your leg hurt?â
âNo.â
âIt does too. Iâm getting Mrs. Mason.â
âIâm fine!â
Carlie ran from the room. âMrs. Mason, come look at Harveyâs toes. Iâm no nurse yet, but I know bad-looking toes when I see them, and these are bad-looking toes.â
20
Carlie and Thomas J were sitting on the front steps, waiting for Mrs. Mason and Harvey to get back from the hospital.
âI knew there was