Free Gathering of Pearls by Sook Nyul Choi

scholarship student, I was required to check in with her once a month. Each time, I had told her how much I was enjoying everything, and that I was managing just fine. I had always assured her that things were not too overwhelming or difficult. But our next visit would be different. I knew she would give me a lecture and ask me lots of questions. She would be watching me carefully from now on.
    I had ruined everything for myself. I had failed Greek and Roman culture; 1 hadn't even taken the exam. My family would be crushed and angry when they saw my report card. I had assured them that I wasn't too young to study in America, and that I could handle it. Everything was a mess. I cried myself to sleep.
    When I woke up, Marci was quietly sitting and reading beside me. She smiled. "Hey, sleepyhead. You were mumbling something about your report card and Sister Reed. And you were saying a lot of things in Korean. Were you dreaming? You shouldn't be worrying about that stuff now."
    "Marci! Have you been here long?" I sat up and found I was feeling much better already.
    "Oh, I've been here for about an hour. You look okay. I was really worried. I tried to come and see you a couple of times, but Sister Reed was guarding you and wouldn't even let me in. She asked me a lot of questions about you, too. I was so nervous I can't even remember half of what I said. I had to answer her, though. I hope you don't mind."
    I couldn't help smiling. Marci wasn't fond of any of the nuns here and I could imagine how nervous she must have been when Sister Reed, with her piercing green eyes, interrogated her.
    "Oh, that's all right, Marci. I am a bit afraid of her, but I know she cares for me a lot. I'm already starting to brace myself for the lecture I'm going to get from her. I assumed she had already heard about my sneaking up to the bathroom to study every night. And I bet Ellen told her that I haven't been to one mixer."
    "Oh, Ellen was so upset. She told Sister Reed she wanted to sleep in the bed next to you and wait for you to wake up. Sister Reed sent her home and told her to call. She sent me home, too, but that's no big deal since I can just drive right over."
    After one more day in the infirmary, Doctor McCormack told Sister Reed that I could leave as long as I took it easy.
    "Marci will be here to take you to her house for Christmas vacation just as you both had planned," said Sister Reed, to my great surprise. "Ellen has called for you several times, but I thought it best that you rest. You can give her a call a little later. Maybe you and Marci and Ellen can all get together over vacation. Now, there is one condition. You are not to take any books with you to Marci's. In January, when you return, we will discuss your schedule."
    Marci came running in. "This is great; you can come home with me now. I went by and got your mail for you. I'm just going to swing by the library and return some books, and then I'll come back and get you, okay?"

Chapter Eleven
    There were letters from my mother and sister, and two pieces of folded construction paper that I knew were from little Sarah and Jimmy. I unfolded the piece of red construction paper; it was Sarah's. She had drawn a jolly Santa Claus saying, "Hi, Sookan, what do you want for Christmas? I don't know what you want. Can you tell me? From your Santa."
    Jimmy had used green paper, and in black crayon, he had written: "St. Nick is coming. Our tree is all decorated. Will you come to see it?" Underneath, he had drawn a huge tree, groaning under the weight of all the decorations hanging from its limbs.
    I realized that Christmas was only a few days away, and I didn't have gifts for anyone. I did still have a few things that I had brought from home. Mother had embroidered several hand towels for me to give as gifts. I knew Mrs. Bennett would like those. I had also brought a hand-carved wooden tiger, which Jimmy might enjoy. For Sarah, though, I had nothing. In a shop in town I had noticed a small