فصل چهل و پنجم

chapter 45

Bradley watched Jeff poke his finger into the doorbell and heard it ring inside the house. Then there was a loud scream. A moment later Colleen opened the door.

“Hap-py birthd—” he sang, but stopped when Jeff elbowed him in his side.

“This is for you,” Jeff said, handing Colleen his present.

“This is for you,” said Bradley as he did the same.

“Ooh, what is it?” she asked.

“It’s a—” Bradley started, but Jeff elbowed him again, so he shut his mouth. They followed Colleen into the house.

“You’re not supposed to tell her what you got her,” Jeff whispered.

“But she asked.”

“She’s supposed to ask. But you’re not supposed to tell her. Don’t tell anyone.” Bradley nodded like he understood, but of course he didn’t.

“Hello, Bradley,” said Melinda.

He looked to Jeff for help.

“Hello, Melinda,” said Jeff.

“Hello, Melinda,” said Bradley.

Colleen’s mother came in and led everyone out to the backyard. A picnic table had been set up on the patio with paper plates and cups. Bradley chose a seat and sat down.

“My, this boy must be hungry!” said Colleen’s mother.

The girls laughed.

Bradley looked around, puzzled. He was the only one sitting down. He quickly rose, bumping against the table. A paper cup fell onto the ground. As he bent down to pick it up, he knocked over his chair.

The girls were hysterical. Bradley looked around helplessly. Amie picked up the cup and Dena set the chair right.

“We don’t eat yet,” Jeff explained as Bradley made it safely away from the table. “First we have to play games.” Bradley turned pale.

“Just do whatever I do,” said Jeff.

A large dog dashed out through the back door and jumped up on Bradley, putting his muddy paws on his clean shirt. Bradley nearly fell over.

“Chicken, get down!” scolded Colleen’s mother.

Chicken had wiry red hair and a square face. He got down, but stayed by Bradley’s side.

“Chicken’s usually afraid of everybody,” said Colleen.

Bradley patted his head, glad Chicken liked him.

Mrs. Verigold split the group into two teams for a relay race. She put Jeff and Bradley on separate teams because she said it wouldn’t be fair for the two boys to be together.

Bradley lined up with the other members of his team. He was in the middle. Amie and Betty were in front of him. Judy and Dena were behind him.

On the other team, Jeff was talking to Colleen. Bradley wondered if he should talk to one of the girls on his team, but he didn’t know what to say. Besides, they were all talking to each other. He petted Chicken.

“On your mark,” said Mrs. Verigold, “get set … go!” Suddenly the race started and everyone on his team was screaming. “C’mon, Amie!” “Go!” “Run, Amie!” “Faster!” He watched Amie run and touch a tree at the end of the yard, then turn around and come back. She slapped Betty’s hand, then Betty ran toward the tree.

“Run, Betty!” everyone except Bradley shouted. “Slow down, Betty,” he whispered to himself, hoping his turn would never come.

He turned around. Judy was behind him, yelling to Betty. “Do you want to go next?” he asked her.

“Stick your hand out!” she hollered back.

He spun around and stuck his hand out just in time. Betty slapped it and he took off. He ran as hard as he could to the tree.

“Go, Bradley!” he heard someone yell. “C’mon, Bradley!” It made him want to run faster than he’d ever run before. Chicken barked at his side.

Melinda was running for the other team. She had started before him, but he beat her to the tree. He almost slipped and fell, but caught his balance and charged back toward his cheering teammates.

“C’mon, Bradley!” they all yelled.

He slapped Judy’s hand, then bent over to catch his breath. He turned and shouted louder than anyone, “Go, Judy! Run!” then, “C’mon, Dena!” Dena crossed the finish line and everyone on his team jumped up and down.

“What happened?” he asked.

“We won!” said Betty.

He jumped up and down too.

“That means we each get two points,” said Judy.

That was something new. Jeff hadn’t told him anything about points.

Judy explained it to him. “Everybody on the winning team gets two points, and everybody on the losing team gets one point.” Betty interrupted. “It would come out the same if they just gave one point to the winners and nothing to the losers,” she said, “but this way the losers don’t feel as bad.” “I’m telling him!” said Judy. “After each race we trade teams, and then at the end of all the races, Colleen’s mother counts up the points and the girl with the most points gets first pick from the basket of prizes. Then the girl with the second most gets second pick, and so on.” “Colleen’s mother has a chart with everyone’s name on it to keep track of the points,” explained Betty.

“I’m telling him!” said Judy. “Colleen’s mother has a chart.” Bradley laughed with delight. “Are all birthday parties this much fun?” he asked.

Judy and Betty looked at each other. The only thing that made this party special was the boys, but they couldn’t tell that to Bradley.

“Haven’t you ever been to a birthday party before?” asked Betty.

“Not for a long time. I got kicked out of the last one I went to.” “Well, if you have any questions, just ask me,” said Betty.

“Or me,” said Judy.

“I’ve been to more birthday parties than you,” said Betty.

“You have not!” said Judy. “She hasn’t.”

“What about Holly’s birthday party?” asked Betty. “You didn’t go to that one.” “That’s because we were on vacation,” said Judy.

“So, you still didn’t go.”

They had to switch teams for the next relay race. This time Bradley was with Betty, Amie, Karen, and Melinda. For this race, everyone had to hop on one foot.

“On one foot!” Bradley exclaimed.

He rooted loudly for everyone on his team, and when it was his turn, he heard them all cheer for him. His team won again.

“You’re an excellent hopper, Melinda,” he said after the race. “You hopped twice as far as Colleen on each hop.” Melinda beamed. “You’re a good hopper too,” she said.

Colleen’s mother marked the points on the chart, and they switched teams for the next race. This time they had to hop on both feet.

“On both feet!” Bradley exclaimed.

They continued changing teams for each new race. He and Jeff were never allowed on the same team, and since Colleen always made sure that she was on Jeff’s team, Bradley was never with her either.

He was glad about that. He felt comfortable with everybody else, but he was still a little scared of Colleen. He was afraid she might ask him another question he wasn’t supposed to answer.

Lori was on his team for the backward race. She stood behind him in line and screamed in his ear the whole time. He loved it. He had to shout twice as loud just to hear himself.

His ear was still ringing when Mrs. Verigold announced that the next race would be a somersault race.

The smile left his face. He didn’t know how to do a somersault! He looked anxiously at Chicken.

But as it turned out, nobody on his team could do a somersault! It was hilarious. Everyone was laughing. When it was his turn, he rolled and flopped in every direction except the way he was supposed to go. And every time he hit the ground, Chicken tried to lick his face. Perhaps he would have done better if he could have stopped laughing.

Everybody on the other team was good at somersaults. The teams just worked out that way. Karen was the best.

“You should be in the Olympics!” he told her after the race.

She smiled and blushed.

Bradley smiled too. Even though his team lost, he thought it had been the most fun race of the day.

Plus, when the girls somersaulted in their party dresses, he could see their underwear.