“All I need is a bag of yellow feathers,” I said. “I will glue them on my big yellow sweatshirt.”
“What are you going to wear on your legs?” asked Hannie.
“I am not sure yet. I was thinking of wearing orange leggings. Do you think that would make me look like a chicken?”
“Sounds good,” said Nancy.
“You girls are going to look wonderful,” said Mrs. Dawes. “Come, we should get going.”
We headed for the crafts store. We found everything we needed.
* * *
That night we had a quiet dinner at home. Kristy was out baby-sitting. Sam and Charlie had gone to an early movie. Emily was still feeling sick.
When we finished eating, I watched The Addams Family with David Michael, Andrew, and Emily. I can watch The Addams Family any time of year. But they are definitely best at Halloween. I like to make believe I am Wednesday Addams. I cross my arms, snap my fingers, and sing the theme song. I love the part about how “they’re creepy and they’re kooky, mysterious and spooky.” I know the whole song by heart.
While we were watching, I noticed that Emily could not sit still. First I thought she was bored. I do not know how anyone could be bored with The Addams Family. But I decided maybe a two-and-a-half-year-old could get bored.
Then I noticed that Emily was not just squirming. She was scratching herself.
“Are you a little monkey?” I asked.
Emily looked as if she were going to cry.
Squirm. Scratch. Squirm. Scratch. It seemed to get worse during all my favorite parts. I was having trouble paying attention. But I did not want to say anything. I knew if I did she would start to cry. Then I would miss the whole show.
Watching the show with Emily was not much fun. I was glad when Elizabeth decided to take her to the doctor the next day. It was time to find out what was wrong with Emily.
An Important Job
On Saturday Elizabeth took Emily to the doctor early in the morning. It was a good thing too. Emily woke up feeling worse than she had the night before.
Everyone else was awake and at the breakfast table by the time I got up.
“Charlie and I are going to the supermarket to buy baking supplies. Does anyone need anything?” asked Sam.
“We could use some juice,” said Nannie.
“Pretzels, please!” said Andrew.
“No problem. We will pick some up,” said Charlie.
“Can I go shopping with you?” I asked.
A ride in the Junk Bucket with my two big brothers sounded like fun. (The Junk Bucket is what we call Charlie’s rattly old car.)
“Sure. The family baking project was your idea. You are welcome to help out any way you like,” said Sam.
Sam had to make a few calls after breakfast. (I am sure you are not surprised.) Then we headed out.
The first thing we did was pick up the pretzels and the juice so we would not forget them. While we were near the dairy section, I reminded my brothers that we would need plenty of eggs for baking.
“Thanks, Karen,” said Charlie.
“Of course Karen knows all about eggs,” said Sam. “She is going to be a chicken for Halloween.”
“Cluck, cluck!” I replied.
We also picked up some butter. Then we found the aisle with the baking supplies. Sam and Charlie put flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda into the shopping cart.
“That should do it,” said Sam.
“Hold it!” I said. “We are not done. If your cupcakes look special, they will sell better.”
I found coconut flakes, sprinkles, black and white chocolate chips, and cans of colored frosting.
“Karen, what would we do without you!” said Sam.
“You would have a very boring bake sale,” I replied.
“You are right. The bake sale needs you. In fact, how would you like to work for awhile at the sale table?” asked Charlie.
“Really?” I said. “I mean, of course! You need my help, and I will be there.”
I was so excited. My big brothers hardly ever needed my help. But now they really did. And this was an important job.
“Before we go, is there anything here you could use for your costume?” asked Charlie.
“I do not think so,” I replied.
“How about chicken feed? You could carry a little bag with some grain in it,” said Sam.
“That would be fun,” I replied. “Thanks.”
We got a box of cornmeal and some baggies. Then we went to the checkout counter. A display of colored bandannas was near the magazine rack.
“How about a bandanna to wear around your neck? You will be the best-dressed chicken in Stoneybrook,” said Sam.
It took awhile for me to pick a color. Red, green, yellow, pink, blue. I ended up choosing a red one.
I was having so much fun! I was going to help Sam raise all the money his class needed for their spring trip. I was going to have the best costume. And it was going to be the best Halloween ever.
Emily’s Chicken Pox
“We are home!” I called.
Sam, Charlie, and I walked into the house carrying our armloads of grocery bags. We were laughing and talking.
Daddy, Elizabeth, and Nannie were in the kitchen talking. They looked serious.
“Is anything wrong?” asked Charlie.
“Emily and I went to see the doctor. It turns out that she has more than a cold. She has chicken pox,” Elizabeth replied.
“Wow! How could she get chicken pox? She had a shot just like I did, right?” I asked.
“Yes, she did,” replied Daddy. “But it is still possible to get chicken pox. Thanks to the shot, we expect it to be a mild case.”
“Does she have spots? I did not see any,” I said. “Maybe the doctor made a mistake.”
“I saw spots on her belly when I was dressing her this morning,” replied Elizabeth.
“No wonder she was scratching so much last night. Poor Emily,” I said.
“We have already spoken with David Michael, Andrew, and Kristy about what this means for our family over the next week or so. They have had the chicken pox, so they know all about it,” said Daddy. “While you are unpacking your groceries, we will talk with the three of you.”
Boo. I felt bad for Emily. I really did. But I felt a little bad for me too. I had been having so much fun. Now everyone was gigundoly serious.
I listened to Elizabeth say that she could use our help.
“For the next few days, Emily will need to be kept quiet and cool. And we all have to to make sure she does not scratch her pox. If she does, she could end up with scars,” said Elizabeth.
Uh-oh. I should have told Emily to stop scratching last night. I hoped she would be okay.
“Emily will also have to be quarantined for a few days,” said Daddy. “That means being kept apart from other people.”
“I am sorry to say it means no friends in the house,” said Elizabeth. “Just for awhile.”
I gave a little sigh. But I was not too upset. The Three Musketeers could always go to Hannie’s or Nancy’s house.
Elizabeth thought of a few more things we would need to do. While she was talking, I was thinking. I was thinking that Emily had had the shot, but she still got chicken pox. I had had the shot too, and I had thought I could not get them. Now I was not so sure.
“Um, excuse me,” I said. “If a person had the shot, how catching are the chicken pox?”
“I do not know,” said Elizabeth. “We know that they are very catching without the shot. That is the reason for the quarantine. We do not want to take the chance of exposing anyone who is not protected.”
Hmm. Halloween was getting closer. I had had the shot, but I still did not want to take any chances. I needed a good plan for protecting myself. I thought of one fast.
It did not seem like a good time to tell everyone my plan. I decided I would talk to Daddy in private later.
Karen’s Worries
Knock, knock.
After lunch I knocked on Daddy’s office door. Even though it was Saturday, he was working. I did not like to disturb him, but I had important things on my mind.
“Can I talk to you a minute?” I asked.
“Of course. Come in,” replied Daddy.
“It is about Emily,” I said.
“What about Emily?”
“I am afraid of catching her chicken pox,” I said. “It is almost Halloween. I have a lot to do.”
“I am sorry it’s so close to Halloween. But the chances of your getting sick are very small,” said Daddy.
“I am still worried. So I think I should go live somewhere else until Emily is better,” I said. “I love my little sister. But I cannot take any chances with getting sick.”
“Karen, I do not want you living somewhere else. We would all miss you too much. Especially Emily. If you are here, you can help her,” said Daddy.
“I already promised to help Hannie and Nancy make their costumes. If I get sick, I cannot do that. They would be very sad without me. And what about Sam? He needs me too. I promised to help with his bake sale,” I said. “I cannot help him if I get sick.”
I did not want to sound like a selfish meanie-mo, so I did not tell Daddy that I would be very upset if I missed dressing up as a chicken and trick-or-treating with my friends because I was sick.
Ooh! Maybe I should have picked a different farm animal to be for Halloween. Maybe it was not a good idea to be a chicken when my sister had chicken pox! I thought for a minute about changing to another animal. But I really wanted to be a chicken. I already had what I needed for my costume. And I knew it would not make any difference.
“Karen, I understand what you are saying. If you get sick, it could ruin all your plans. But you have already been exposed. Moving out is not going to help now,” Daddy replied. “I am sorry.”
Boo, bullfrogs … and chicken pox!
Staying Away
My talk with Daddy had not gone the way I wanted it to. It was true that I had already been exposed. But that did not mean I had to be exposed even more.
I stomped upstairs to my room and shut the door. Maybe I could not move out. But I was going to stay as far away from Emily as possible.
I knew it would be hard. She would be eating at the same table. She would be sleeping in a room near mine. She would be breathing the same air! I tried holding my breath. But I could not do it for very long. Finally I had to give in and breathe. I gasped so hard I probably took in twice as many germs.
I thought about calling Hannie and Nancy and going to one of their houses for the rest of the day. But I knew they had plans with their families. It was raining hard, so I stayed in my room most of the afternoon. I finished my homework and read whatever books were lying around.
Nannie and Elizabeth each came to my room to ask if I would help out with Emily. They wanted me to read her a story or play a game with her.
“I have to stay here until my homework is done. It is an extra-important assignment,” I said.
I left my room only twice. One time I went to the bathroom, and the other time I got a snack. Each time I made sure Emily was not around.
At dinner, I raced for a seat at the other end of the table from Emily. (I almost knocked David Michael over trying to get to it.)
I watched Daddy try to keep Emily from scratching. Every time she started, he would take her hands in his and play a finger game.
“Where is Thumbkin? Where is Thumbkin?” he sang.
Ugh. I did not want to get itchies like Emily.
“How is your homework assignment coming along, Karen?” asked Elizabeth.
“It is a very long assignment. I am still working on it,” I replied.
“What is it about?” asked Nannie.
“Um, it is about … Nannie, you do not want to know. It would take me too long to explain it,” I replied.
“Maybe you need to take a break from your homework tonight,” said Elizabeth. “If you have trouble finishing it, you can explain to Ms. Colman that you had to help your sister. I am sure she would understand.”
“Emily was asking for you all afternoon. Right, Emmie?” said Kristy.
“Karen play?” said Emily.
“You could read Emily her bedtime story,” said Kristy. “She would like that.”
“I am not in the mood to read any stories,” I replied.
“Come on. We have to help keep Emily’s mind off of the itchies. You and I can read to her together,” said Kristy.
“All right. If I am not too busy later, I will help you,” I said.
I was going to make sure I was busy. Even if it meant cleaning up my room!
That is exactly what I did. I cleaned. When Daddy came in to ask if I would help bathe Emily, I was under my bed clearing out all the socks and things that were hiding there.
“I am sorry. I am too busy now,” I said.
When Kristy came in, I was straightening out my closet.
“Sorry,” I said. “I have been meaning to do this for ages.”
My family was getting annoyed. But I did not care. I was annoyed too. I was annoyed that nobody cared if I caught the chicken pox and missed Halloween.
“Abracadabra!”
On Monday at school, Hannie and Nancy asked how I was feeling.
“Fine,” I replied. “Thank goodness.”
I had told my friends the sad story of Emily and the chicken pox when I saw them on Sunday. (We played at Hannie’s house. That got me out of the big house for awhile, which was a good thing.)
I made my friends promise not to tell anyone that my sister had chicken pox. What if I got it? Everyone would think I was weird. Chicken pox is a baby disease.
“Do not worry,” said Nancy. “I thought of a plan last night. Since it is almost Halloween, all you have to do is say a magic spell to keep from getting sick.”
I looked over my shoulder to make sure no one was listening. We were in the back of our classroom waiting for Ms. Colman to arrive. No one seemed to be paying any attention to us. But I was not taking any chances.
“Whisper the spell to me,” I said.
“Abracadabra, pix, pax, pox. Stay away, germs. And stay away, spots!” said Nancy.
“When do I say it?” I asked.
“You say it three times a day. Once when you wake up, once at recess, and once at bedtime,” said Nancy.
“Thanks,” I replied. “It is worth trying.”
“I had an idea too,” said Hannie.
This was good. I needed all the help I could get.
Just then Ms. Colman arrived.
“Good morning, class. Please take your seats,” she said.
“Tell me your idea at recess,” I said to Hannie.
I could hardly wait. If I followed Nancy’s instructions and Hannie’s, I was sure I would not get sick.
Hannie told us her idea as soon as we were on the playground.
“You have to eat lots of grapefruit with lemon juice,” said Hannie.
Ugh. I puckered my mouth. “Why?”
“I think I read somewhere that sour stuff kills germs. You would kill every germ in the world if you ate grapefruit with lemon juice,” said Hannie.
“Can I put sugar on it?” I asked.
“No, you cannot! It would ruin the power.”
“Okay. I will do it,” I said. “I will do anything not to get sick!”
I was glad we had a library period in the afternoon. It gave me a chance to do some research. I read that it can take a couple of weeks after being exposed to chicken pox germs before you get sick.
That was interesting. But I did not know when I had first been exposed to Emily’s germs. Maybe it was just in time for me to get sick on Halloween.
I decided to say Nancy’s magic spell then and there. I did not want to wait for bedtime. I said it to myself so no one would hear.
“Abracadabra, pix, pax, pox. Stay away, germs. And stay away, spots!”
At home, I ate a grapefruit with lemon juice
before dinner. (I did not let anyone see me add the lemon juice.)
And I kept away from Emily. That was the hardest thing to do.
“Karen, I wish you would spend more time with your sister,” said Daddy. “We all have to pitch in and help.”
“All right, I promise,” I said.
I promised to help my sister. I just did not say which sister.
Just a Little Cold
The first thing I did when I woke up on Tuesday was say Nancy’s spell. At least I tried to. I was having trouble remembering the words.
“Abracadabra, pox, pax, pix. Stay away, germs. Pick up sticks?”
No. That was not it. I could not think straight. I could not see straight either. My eyes hurt. My whole body hurt.
I made myself get out of bed and look in the mirror. No spots, thank goodness.
A few kids in my class had colds. I had probably caught one of theirs. A couple more days of saying the spell and eating grapefruit with lemon would cure me for sure. That was all I needed.
I tried hard to remember the spell. It came back to me after a few tries. I felt better the minute I said it. I got dressed and went downstairs.
Nannie had a grapefruit ready for me.
“I never knew you liked grapefruit so much, Karen. I am glad,” said Nannie.
When no one was looking, I poured some lemon juice on it. I ate it fast so I would not taste it too much.
“Karen help Emmie?” said Emily.
I smiled at my little sister. I knew she wanted me to make her costume. With just a few days left until Halloween, it was probably safe for me to be around her again.
“I will help you soon,” I replied.
I ate a muffin with jelly to wipe out the sour taste in my mouth. Then I got my jacket. And a scarf. And a hat. And gloves. I was feeling a little chilly.
When I arrived at the bus stop, Hannie was waiting for me.
“Hi! I have been following your instructions,” I said.
“That is good. I am sure you will be okay for Halloween,” said Hannie.
I did not tell her that I was shivering inside my jacket. That was the bad news. The good news was that Hannie did not say anything about suddenly seeing spots on me.