Just Grace and the Terrible Tutu (7 page)

"Maybe you could help her tomorrow," said Augustine Dupre. "It's moving day, so I'm sure she will need you." "Yay," said Lily. "Can I stay here until tomorrow?" Lily did not want to leave. "She likes you," whispered Augustine Dupre. This sounded like a good thing, but at the same time part of me was not so 100 percent sure.

 

Lily finally stopped crying when Augustine Dupre promised they would come back in the afternoon. "
An revoir,
Grace," said Lily, waving. It was the first French thing she had said.

After they left I could tell that Mom was in love with Lily.

"Isn't she just the cutest thing? Little girls are so sweet. I bet playing with Lily makes you excited about Mimi's new sister. You're going to have so much fun with her," said Mom. She smiled and looked at me. I nodded my head but didn't say anything. I wasn't sure my brain believed her.

WHAT I WAS WORRIED ABOUT ALL OF A SUDDEN

I had never thought of it before, but now all I could think of was one big scary question. What if Mimi's new sister was just like Lily? A sister like that could change everything.

 

WHAT MIMI CANNOT WAIT TO DO

Mimi was disappointed that I had already seen Lily. She said she could hardly wait to get started on our new job. I tried to tell her that it was probably not going to be as easy as she thought it was, but she said she didn't care. She spent all morning looking out the window and walking around in the front yard hoping to see Lily.

While we ate lunch I tried to tell her about all the games Lily wanted to play, and how playing with a four-year-old was really tiring and hard, and not at all easy like I thought it was going to be. Mimi looked at me like I was crazy. "Mimi, you have to believe me. Just wait—you'll see." I kept trying to warn her, but it was too late. Augustine Dupre and Lily were already coming up the sidewalk.

HOW TO INTRODUCE YOUR BEST FRIEND IF YOU WANT A FOUR-YEAR-OLD TO LOVE HER

"
Bonjour,
Grace!" Lily ran up and hugged me before I could do or say anything. It was nice. I felt a little like Crinkles must feel every time Augustine Dupre sees him. Mimi was just standing there, so I unwrapped Lily's arms from my middle and introduced her to Mimi. "Lily, this is my best friend in the whole world. Her name is Mimi. Mimi loves to play all sorts of girl games. She is really fun." Mimi said, "Hi, Lily. I'm so happy to meet you." But Lily just ignored her and hid behind my legs.

Augustine Dupre made Lily say hi to Mimi. It was a very small hi and it was in English. I think Mimi was disappointed.

THINGS YOU CANS TRY TO DO TO MAKE A FOUR-YEAR-OLD LIKE YOU

 

1. Make a silly hat out of paper.
   
2. Set up a game of knock down the stuffed animals.
   
3. Offer up a really long piggyback ride.
   
4. Have real costumes out and ready to play fairy princess.
   

 

Mimi tried everything, but nothing was working to make Lily want to be with her. I tried to be super boring and was sitting with a magazine so Mimi could try to get Lily interested in her, but Lily just said, "No, thank you. I want to look at the magazine with Grace."

Poor Mimi. I couldn't tell exactly what she was thinking, but I knew it was not happy thoughts.

 

CAN YOU SAY NO TO A FOURT-YEAR-OLD?

When Mimi went to the bathroom Lily said, "Let's play unicorn princess. You can be the unicorn and I am the princess." "That's so cute!" said Mom. She was totally listening in. "No, thanks," I said. "I don't feel like it." I did not want to be a unicorn. A unicorn is a horse with a horn. Horses carry people around, and I just knew that in about two seconds the princess would definitely be wanting to jump on the unicorn's back for a big long ride. I looked over at Mom. She was frowning with her hands on her hips. This was not a good sign. I knew that look. It was the beginning of her
You're about to get into trouble
look. It was a look I needed to make go away, fast!

"Okay, Lily—I changed my mind. I'll be a unicorn." Lily was filled with joy. In about two seconds she had even made me a costume. And that is how Mimi found me when she came back. I was Pinky Twinkle the galloping unicorn.

 

You cannot say no to a four-year-old. At least not when your mom is standing right there.

WHAT IS NOT FAIR

It is not fair to be getting into trouble for being Pinky Twinkle when I never wanted to be Pinky Twinkle in the first place. Mimi said, "You waited until I had to go to the bathroom, and then you took her away from me with your being a super-fun unicorn!" I tried to tell her I didn't want to be a unicorn, that she could be Pinky Twinkle, and that being a unicorn was not so super fun, but she didn't listen.

Of course Lily could hear us fighting, because even though I didn't want her to be, she was still on my back. Suddenly she started squishing my ribs with her legs and bouncing up and down. "I know, I know!" squealed Lily. She pointed at Mimi and said, "You can be the evil troll!"

Mimi looked over and gave me a look I had never seen her do before. It was mean, scary, and frightening. It was the kind of look that stops heartbeats and gives shivers. It only lasted a second, but both Lily and I saw it. Then Mimi turned around and walked right out the door without saying a word.