Free The Pinballs by Betsy Byars Page A

something wrong as soon as I saw those toes,” Carlie was saying.
    â€œI didn’t see them, but I knew something was wrong.”
    â€œI hope they just have to give him a shot or some pills. His birthday’s Friday.”
    â€œI don’t know when my birthday is,” Thomas J said.
    â€œWell, mine’s August seventh, and don’t forget it. That’s just three and a half weeks away.”
    â€œI won’t forget.”
    â€œEven if I’m gone, you send me something.”
    â€œI’ll be glad to.”
    â€œAnd I’ll make you up a birthday. You can have the same day as me if you want—August seventh.”
    â€œAll right.” The thought of his own birthday made him smile to himself.
    â€œAnd how old you want to be? Eight? Nine?”
    â€œNine sounds good.”
    â€œNine it is.” She looked up the street. “I wonder what’s keeping them. It’s been two hours. Even I could give a shot in less than two hours and I haven’t even had nurse’s training yet.”
    â€œMaybe he’ll have to stay in the hospital like the Benson twins.” Thomas J’s good feeling about having a birthday and being nine left him.
    â€œWell, if he does, I sure hope they take better care of him. One of them died.”
    â€œI know.”
    â€œWhen I get to be a nurse, none of my patients are going to die. I’m going to make it real clear— no dying ! I’ll get to be like—oh, like a good-luck nurse. People will ask for me—especially real sick people—because they’ll know my Number One Rule. No dying!” She got to her feet. “Here they come—oh, it’s only Mrs. Mason.” She ran to the driveway. “Where’s Harvey?”
    â€œThey’re keeping him in the hospital. The leg’s infected.”
    â€œIs it bad?”
    â€œIt’s pretty bad, Carlie. And the worst thing is that he just doesn’t seem to care.”
    â€œIt’s that father of his. When I get my driver’s license I’m going looking for him.”
    â€œNow, Carlie.”
    â€œWell, Harvey’s been like that ever since his father came for that stinking visit.”
    â€œThe man’s got problems, Carlie.”
    â€œSure the man’s got problems. Everybody’s got problems, only they don’t run over their kid’s legs because of them.” She turned to Thomas J. “We’ll go see him right after supper and cheer him up.”
    â€œI’m not very good at that sort of thing,” Thomas J said, recalling his failure with the Bensons.
    â€œWell, you better get good at it pretty quick. I am not going to have Harvey lying up there in misery with his birthday this Friday. I was planning to bake him a cake.”
    â€œYou can still bake the cake and take it to the hospital,” Mrs. Mason said.
    â€œIt won’t be the same. A birthday away from home is bad enough, but a birthday in the hospital! Whoo! My birthday’s coming up in three and a half weeks and I better be home for it. I better get a floating opal too.” She started for the kitchen. “And Thomas J’s birthday is the same as mine, isn’t it, Thomas J?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œAnd he’s going to be nine, aren’t you, Thomas J?”
    â€œYes, nine,” he said firmly. He followed her into the kitchen.

21
    Harvey was in a room by himself. He was, as Carlie had known he would be, staring up at the ceiling. When Carlie and Thomas J entered, they bumped into each other. They had known he would look bad, but not that bad.
    â€œWell, look who’s come to visit you!” Carlie said.
    Harvey turned his head to them. There was no expression on his face, but his lips were in a straighter line than usual.
    â€œHow’re you feeling?” Carlie asked, coming closer.
    â€œAll right.”
    â€œWant me to roll up your bed?” she asked. “I love to do that. When