I knew I did not have any choice. Not unless I wanted to tell everyone right then and there what I had done. Then they would not take me out to dinner. They might not give me any dinner for the rest of my life!
So I went out to Casey’s Italian Restaurant. It is one of my favorites. But I hardly said a word. And I picked at my food.
“Karen, are you all right?” asked Mommy. “This is your celebration.”
“That is right,” said Grandad. “You helped saved your friend Bobby. And you had the good sense not to go out on the ice in the first place.”
I was still not ready to tell the truth. I did not want anyone to know that I had heard Grandad say the ice was not safe. He would not think I had good sense at all.
I did not answer Mommy’s question. Instead I yawned and stretched.
“I am a little tired,” I said. “It is hard work being a hero.”
A Reward!
Christmas was getting closer and closer. It was time to start thinking about my Secret Santa gift for Seth.
After school on Wednesday, I went straight up to my room. I did my math homework. I did my spelling homework. Then I did my Christmas homework. My assignment was to think of the perfect gift for Seth.
I thought and thought. And thought and thought. Finally I had a brainstorm.
“Goosie, he will love it,” I said. “It is not exactly homemade. But I do not have to go to a store to buy it either.”
I smiled. It really would be the perfect gift. I would have to go to Nancy’s house. Nancy would have to help me. But I knew she would not mind.
Now I had two secrets. One was a bad secret and one was a good secret.
When I looked up, I saw Andrew standing in my doorway. He was about to knock.
“Karen?” said Andrew. “How do you spell donkey?”
“That could not be a homework word,” I said. “You do not have homework in preschool.”
“It is not homework,” said Andrew. “I just need to know how to spell it.”
“Okay,” I said. “You spell it like this: D-O-N-K-E-Y.”
“Thank you,” said Andrew. He hurried back to his room.
I was picking out my school clothes for Thursday when Andrew came back.
“Karen?” said Andrew. “How do you spell shepherd?”
“S-H-E-P-H-E-R-D,” I replied. (It is a good thing I am a very good speller.)
“Thank you,” said Andrew. He hurried back to his room.
“Darn. I cannot find my pink sneakers. Have you seen them, Goosie?” I asked.
I was on the floor of my closet looking for my sneakers when I heard Andrew calling my name.
“Karen?” said Andrew. “How do you spell Joseph?”
Hmm. These were interesting words. I had the feeling they were Secret Santa words.
“You spell it like this: J-O-S-E-P-H,” I said. “Um, Andrew, are you making up a story? Making up a story is not so easy. I could help if you want me to.”
“I am not making up a story,” said Andrew. “I just need to know some words. That is all.”
Andrew hurried back to his room. Just then the phone started to ring.
“Karen, it is for you!” called Mommy.
I was a very popular person.
“Hello?” I said.
I listened carefully. This was an important phone call. It was from Mr. Mellon. He is the owner of a store in Stoneybrook called Unicorn. It is a store that sells toys. As a reward for our bravery, Mr. Mellon was inviting Nancy and me to come to his store for a shopping spree. We would have five minutes to pick out any toys we wanted.
That was the greatest reward! I just wished I had really earned it.
The Shopping Spree
On Saturday morning at ten o’clock, Mommy drove Nancy and me to Unicorn. A small crowd gathered to cheer us on.
“Before we begin, I would like to commend Karen Brewer and Nancy Dawes for their bravery,” said Mr. Mellon. “It is not every day that a person will risk her own life to save the life of a friend. What each of you did for Bobby Gianelli was truly a heroic deed.”
The people in the store clapped. Nancy smiled and waved. I took a little bow.
“Here are your shopping carts. You have five minutes to fill them with toys,” said Mr. Mellon. “On your marks, get set, go!”
Nancy and I charged down the aisles. Nancy started with arts and crafts. I started with books and tapes. Then we went to the next aisle.
CRASH!!! We had picked the same aisle. It was the aisle with the doll clothes.
“You go right. I’ll go left!” I called.
Our carts were filling up fast. This shopping spree was a dream come true.
“One more minute,” called Mr. Mellon.
I started grabbing things with both hands at once. I did not even know what I was taking.
“Your time is up,” said Mr. Mellon.
Nancy and I were huffing and puffing. We had been running around the toy store for five minutes straight.
I looked at my wagon. It was overflowing with toys. Some of them were things I had wanted for a long time. I had new outfits for my dolls. I had games, jewelry, and makeup kits. It was great stuff.
But I decided right then and there I would not keep it. I had not earned it.
At home I let Andrew pick out three toys. I had already decided what I would do with the rest. I went downstairs to tell Mommy and Seth my plan.
“How do you feel having all those new toys?” asked Seth.
“It was fun to get them. But I am not keeping them,” I said.
“Excuse me?” said Mommy. “Did I hear you right?”
“Yes,” I replied. “I want to give the toys to kids who really need them. Remember when I visited the Family Center in New York? I saw kids there whose families had no money to pay for food or places to live. They were so poor they could not even get one toy for Christmas. I want to give my toys to those kids.”
“That is very generous of you, Karen,” said Seth. “Are you sure you do not want to keep any of the toys for yourself?”
“I am sure,” I replied.
“Then you are a hero twice, Karen,” said Mommy. “Come on. I will help you pack up the toys.”
We found two big cartons in the basement and started filling them up. You know what? I hardly minded at all. I really was glad to be giving the toys to kids who needed them.
Hero-of-the-Month
Ring, ring!
“Oh, my goodness, Karen. The phone is for you again,” said Mommy.
It had been almost two weeks since Nancy and I had rescued Bobby. But we were still getting phone calls about it.
“Hello,” I said. “This is Karen Brewer, Hero-of-the-Month. May I help you?”
I thought that was funny. It was kind of like being an ice-cream Flavor-of-the-Month.
But it turned out this was no time for joking. The mayor of Stoneybrook was calling! She said that every month five people who live in Stoneybrook are honored for their hard work or good deeds in the community. The mayor wanted to make Nancy and me December honorees. We would each be presented with a medal. I really was a Hero-of-the-Month!
“Thank you. This is a great honor,” I said in my most grown-up voice. “I will be there on Sunday at noon. And, um, can my two families come? There are fourteen of us, counting my grandparents and me.”
The mayor said there would be plenty of seats. She suggested we come early. Then she asked me to put Mommy on the phone. She wanted to give her some information about the ceremony.
I told everyone the good news.
“That is terrific, Karen,” said Granny.
“Congratulations,” said Grandad. “We are so happy to be here to share this with you.”
Nancy and I counted down the days to the ceremony. I was so excited about it that I almost forgot I did not deserve the honor. We helped each other plan our outfits. One day we were both going to wear red. The next day, we decided we were both going to wear blue. Then Nancy decided to wear bl
ue and I decided to wear red.
When Sunday morning came, I put on my green dress and green leotards. Nancy wore a purple sweater and skirt. We both looked very beautiful.
The ceremony was going to be held at Stoneybrook’s town hall. I sat with Mommy, Seth, Andrew, Granny, and Grandad in the first row. My big-house family sat a few rows back. (I liked having my two families there. They never sit together. But I still liked having them under one roof.)
I turned around and waved. Then I saw Hannie. I waved to her, too. Suddenly people began to clap. The mayor had walked on stage and was standing in front of the microphone.
“Welcome, citizens of Stoneybrook,” said the mayor. “Each month we gather to honor those of you who have made life in our town a little bit better. This month we have five fine citizens whose good deeds deserve to be recognized.”
The mayor called us up onto the stage. We stood side by side.
“I would like to present each of you with the Stoneybrook medal of honor,” said the mayor.
The medal was gigundoly beautiful. It was painted gold and hung from a red satin ribbon.
The man standing next to Nancy was the first to get his medal.
“I present the medal of honor to William Cohn, who organized the book drive for our library,” said the mayor.
She hung the medal around Mr. Cohn’s neck. Everyone clapped. Nancy was next in line.
“I present the medal of honor to Nancy Dawes, who helped rescue her friend from an icy pond,” said the mayor.
The mayor hung the medal around Nancy’s neck. Everyone clapped. Then it was my turn.
“I present the medal of honor to Karen Brewer, who also helped rescue her friend from an icy pond,” said the mayor.
The mayor took a step closer. She was about to hang the medal around my neck when …
Telling the Truth
I took a giant step back.
“I cannot take the medal. I do not deserve it!” I cried.
The mayor was surprised. She stood there with the medal swinging in the air.
I ran off the stage, up the aisle, and out the door. Mommy was right behind me. But I would not talk to Mommy or anyone else as we drove home.
When we got back to the house, I went straight to my room.
Knock, knock. Mommy and Seth were standing at my door.
“We have to talk, Karen,” said Mommy. “You have to let us know why you are so upset. Why didn’t you accept the medal?”
“I do not deserve to have a medal,” I said. “The accident was my fault.”
“What do you mean?” asked Seth. “How could it be your fault that Bobby fell through the ice?”
“I did not push him, or anything like that. But I knew the ice was not safe and I did not stop him,” I replied.
“How could you have known the ice was unsafe?” asked Mommy.
“I heard Grandad say so when he came home from his walk to the pond. He said the ice would not be ready for at least four more days. I did not tell Bobby,” I explained.
“Why do you think you did that?” asked Seth.
“I do not know exactly. The pond looked safe. And Bobby went out on the ice so fast. The next thing I knew he fell through it,” I said.
I started crying all over again. I was remembering how scared Bobby looked all alone in the pond. Mommy put her arm around me and I stopped crying.
“I gave away the toys because I did not deserve them. And I do not deserve a medal. I deserve to be punished,” I said.
“I am glad you told us, Karen,” said Seth. “Telling the truth is always best.”
“It is time for you to rest. And it is time for us to think,” said Mommy. “We will talk more later.”
Mommy kissed my forehead and covered me with a blanket. I hugged Goosie close to my side and closed my eyes.
Good News
Mommy and Seth came back to my room after dinner.
“We have decided not to punish you,” said Mommy. “What you did was very wrong. But we think you have punished yourself enough already.”
“That’s right,” said Seth. “You did not keep any of the toys from your shopping spree. And you did not accept the medal when you did not feel you earned it.”
I hugged Mommy, then Seth.
“I really am sorry,” I said. “I will try not to do anything like this again.”
“Please always remember that safety comes first,” said Mommy. “It comes before having a good time. And it comes before worrying about what other people think of you. We love you and we don’t want you to get hurt.”
I stayed in my room the rest of the night. What a day this had turned out to be. I was supposed to get a medal for bravery and have a happy day. Instead I had to tell Mommy and Seth I was not brave at all and I had a terrible day.
Even thinking about Christmas could not cheer me up. When I went to Nancy’s house to work on Seth’s present, I saw her medal hanging in the living room.
“I am sorry you did not take home your medal. I guess you should have told Bobby what your Grandad said. But you still were a very good rescuer,” said Nancy. “You know what? We could share the medal. You can borrow it and hang it in your room sometimes.”
“Thanks,” I said.
“Come on,” said Nancy. “We’d better get to work on your Secret Santa gift. Christmas is almost here.”
We worked together awhile. Then I went back to the little house. When I walked inside, I heard Seth talking on the phone. I think he was talking to someone important.
“I do not think it should be left up to the children, or even their parents to decide when the pond is ready for skating. This should be the town’s responsibility,” said Seth.
He was on the phone for a long time. When he hung up, he said, “I have good news, everyone. The mayor’s office has agreed that a town official will decide when the ice on the pond is safe for skating. All winter there will be a flag waving over the pond. It will be a red flag if the ice is not safe and a green flag if it is safe.”
“That is terrific,” said Mommy. “Now no one will ever have to guess whether the pond is safe again.”
At least something good had come out of my mess.
Not-So-Very-Merry Christmas
Andrew and I spent Christmas Eve with Daddy and the rest of our big-house family. There was lots of food and presents and singing. Then Mommy came to take us back to the little house.
“Merry Christmas,” called Kristy before we drove away.
“You too,” I said. But I was not so very merry.
I woke up in my bed at the little house on Christmas morning.
“Merry Christmas, Goosie. Merry Christmas, Emily Junior. Merry Christmas, Hyacynthia,” I said.
Every year I hurry downstairs to see the tree with all the presents. But this Christmas I was not in such a hurry. I stayed in bed and said “Merry Christmas” to every one of my dolls.
“Hey, Karen,” said Andrew. “It is time to get up. Granny and Grandad made us a special breakfast. And there are presents for you under the tree. Come on!”
I got dressed and went downstairs. There were lots of boxes with my name on them under the tree. It was a beautiful tree, too. It had lights and tinsel and ornaments. And there was a smiling angel at the top.
“Come get your blueberry pancakes!” called Grandad. “They are the specialty of the house.”
Ding-dong!
Seth answered the door. It was Nancy with her mommy, daddy, and baby brother, Danny.
“Merry Christmas,” said Nancy. “We brought some presents to put under your tree.”
“Come on in,” said Grandad. “There are plenty of pancakes here for everyone.”
We ate and played and welcomed visitors all morning and into the afternoon. Finally, when it quieted down, it was time to open our presents. We were going to open them all, except the ones from our Secret Santas. We were saving those for the end of the day.
Andrew and I took turns with our presents.
I got games and books and some new clothes. One of my favorite things was a new pink unicorn shirt from Mommy. (My old one had a hole at the elbow.)
“I think you missed a present,” said Granny.
She handed me a small box with a red ribbon. There was a snowman tag on it that said: For Karen, From Tia.
I had not seen that box before. It must have been buried in the pile of bigger boxes.
Tia is the friend I made in Nebraska when I went to visit Granny and Grandad. I untied the ribbon and opened the box.
“Look at this,” I said.
I held up my present for everyone to see. It was a pin shaped like a little yellow chick. When I stayed at Granny and Grandad’s farm, I got to watch some chicks being born. I got to choose one to be my very own. But I let him stay in Nebraska to grow up with his family.
This present was gigundoly neat. But even a present from Tia in Nebraska could not cheer me up.
I knew I was not supposed to punish myself anymore for what I had done. But I could not help it.
That is why it was a not-so-very-merry Christmas.
A Walk and a Talk
“How about taking a walk to the pond with me, Karen,” asked Grandad.
“Sure,” I replied.
I could tell Grandad really wanted my company. And getting out of the house seemed like a good idea.
It was cold, so we bundled up well.
I had not been to the pond since the accident. As soon as we got near it, I started feeling nervous, as if there were butterflies in my stomach.
“Let’s see if they have that flag up yet,” said Grandad. “The temperature has been below freezing for days now. I would not be one bit surprised to see a green flag up today.”
When we turned the bend, I saw it. A flag was waving over the pond. It was green.
“You were right, Grandad,” I said.
“Living out in Nebraska you learn a lot about ice. But the best way to tell if ice is safe to skate on is to measure how thick it is. That is what the people who put up that flag did. It is the right thing to do,” said Grandad. “Say, if it stays cold enough, you and your friends can go skating over your vacation.”