Free I Can Hear the Mourning Dove by James Bennett Page A

but I don’t think I could get one finished.
    â€œI don’t think I could,” I say.
    â€œSure you can.”
    I feel a touch of dizziness. “DeeDee, I don’t mean to offend you, but why are you doing this? I’m sorry, but I have to ask.”
    â€œWhat do you mean?”
    â€œYou’re giving me all this encouragement in science. Please tell me it’s not Miss Shapiro’s idea.”
    â€œNo way.”
    â€œBecause if it’s just part of Miss Shapiro’s strategy, it would be so humiliating.”
    â€œThis doesn’t have anything to do with Miss Shapiro; I only talked to her that one time.”
    â€œI don’t want to seem ungrateful. I’m only bringing it up because in a way it would be better to be ignored than to be someone’s project.”
    Her eyes are so kind when she looks at me. “I’m really sorry. I should’ve just kept my mouth shut about Miss Shapiro.”
    â€œOh no, you were just being honest.”
    She smiles and says, “This is just my idea. If you get involved in the science fair, I think you’ll really like it. Please believe me.”
    I do believe her. “I do believe you,” I say. She does act like she wants me for a friend, the way she’s so kind and encouraging.
    I take a deep breath. “Okay then, let’s go.”
    We go to Miss Braverman’s room. I am standing next to her desk while DeeDee sits in one of the front row desks.
    â€œWhat’s on your mind, Grace?” Miss Braverman’s smile is kind, but she is so chic and she has such composure. She will see through me; she will know how unstable I am and how incompetent.
    I swallow and say, “I would like to do a project for the science fair.”
    â€œWhat kind of project would you like to do?”
    â€œI would like to do it on cruelty to animals in laboratory experiments. It would be an information display.” There, I said it.
    Miss Braverman crosses her arms and tugs at her earlobe. “You catch me by surprise,” she says.
    A small knot forms in my stomach.
    She goes on, “I don’t want to discourage you, Grace, but it sounds as though it might be a little on the negative side. A display on cruelty to animals in laboratories might put scientific investigation in a bad light.”
    â€œI understand.” Some of her words are beginning to pop with static.
    â€œUsually, projects for the science fair have something to do with research and development or scientific progress. Do you see what I mean? It’s usually a positive approach.”
    â€œI understand.” Her voice is popping out. Why is DeeDee sitting at that desk instead of standing here beside me? She’s the one who urged this on me.
    Miss Braverman says, “If you did this particular project, you would need to put the emphasis on the scientific aspect and not on the political or emotional aspect. It would be good, for example, to show the goals of certain experiments and how those same goals might be achieved without using laboratory animals.”
    â€œMiss Braverman, please, I need to sit down.”
    I sit in the chair next to her desk and take deep breaths. DeeDee and Miss Braverman hover over me like clucking hens. DeeDee wants to know if I need a glass of water. I am so pathetic I almost laugh at myself. Miss Braverman says there’s a lot of flu going around, she has no idea how whacked out I am.
    We are outside, walking home. I’ve still got the shakes, somewhat.
    â€œAre you going to be okay?” DeeDee asks.
    â€œI will be, sooner or later.”
    â€œHave you always been like this, Grace?”
    â€œMore or less. Not exactly. Not this bad.”
    â€œMiss Braverman didn’t turn you down.”
    â€œI know.”
    When we get to DeeDee’s house, we go into the family room. There are two more aquariums like the one in her room; she is feeding the fish again. The family room has