CHAPTER XIII
DECK THE HALLS WITH BOUGHS OF HOLLY
"What's the matter with Mimi?" Madge asked Sue. "Everytime any onementions Christmas she flounces out of the room."
"I hadn't noticed but I can guess. It's the first Christmas she wasever away from her folks and that must be it. She has the grandestfamily. I'll miss them, too. The Hammond's always have open house allthrough the holidays and our crowd almost lives over there."
"I'm glad I asked you. I was beginning to think it was I. I am queerbut I can't help it. I couldn't bear it if Mimi stopped liking me."
"Don't be silly. Mimi likes everybody. She doesn't think you are queer.I don't either. I've heard her say you were a very interesting girl. Sothere."
"Have you really, Sue? Cross your heart?"
"Yeh."
"Thanks. Thanks too much. I like Mimi better than any girl in school. Ialways have and since she turned down those bids to join the clubs,I've adored her. Gee! That took nerve. But you won't tell her, willyou, Sue?"
"No, I cross my heart again."
"Thanks."
Sue forgot Madge's sensitiveness right away. She had other things toconsider in regard to Mimi. Why hadn't she thought sooner that Mimi hadnowhere to go Christmas? Gee! It would be terrible if she had to stayhere with everyone else home. Sue would write home for permission toinvite Mimi to her house. No. That would take too long. Mimi wasalready dreading Christmas. Sue knew that every other year Mimi hadconsidered Christmas the wish-come-true time of times. She'd ask hernow and then write home. Sometimes she had to do things backwards. Herdaddy called it taking the bull by the horns.
"A--D--F A--B--F!" Sue thrilled as she walked faster and faster towardthe gym. She was trying so hard to memorize Souvenir for the Christmasrecital but she couldn't practice until she settled Mimi's Christmasarrangements.
"E-e-e-prettee!" She shrieked the old camp call from the balcony of thegym.
Mimi let the ball fly sidewise as she looked up.
"Hey! Aw Sue, you made me miss."
"Sorry. Getting good?"
"Am I? Seven fouls out of ten. Not bad?"
"Regular dead eye!"
"What brings you here fiddle in hand? Are you going to play a balconyscene?"
"No. I came to invite you to spend Christmas with me."
Bowling Green--Cissy, King, Von, Miss Jane and Dick, Dottie, Margie,Jean, Honky--heaven! As near perfect a Christmas as could be withoutprecious, precious Mother Dear and Junior so far, so very far away. Thedistance had been widening daily ever since Mimi had mailed theirpresents to Germany. She had wrapped her packages quietly and mailedthem without telling, but she had known they were gone, known howlonely Christmas would be and Sue had guessed. Dear roly-poly Sue whowas never lonesome herself.
Mimi blinked and gasped.
"Sue, do you really?"
"No savvy Englesh?"
"Why, Sue! I'd love to, only, do you think it will be all right withyour Mother?"
"You don't think I'd ask you if it wasn't, do you? Why--" Sue had to beconvincing now. "Mother is writing Mrs. Cole--and Dr. Barnes both sothat there can be no question about your permission!" Sue stoppedtriumphantly. When Mrs. Cole's and Dr. Barnes' names were mentioned,all was said that could be said.
"Providing the permission comes through, I accept. Yes, a thousandtimes yes."
"Good! See you at supper."
Mimi watched Sue disappear. Sweet Sue. She put the basket ball back inthe locker, without putting her sweater on, she jogged across the shortcut from the back door of the gym to Prep Hall ell.
So much to do! She hadn't been studying as much as she should of late.The lessons and notebooks had been piling up to be worked on duringChristmas while her suite mates were gone. Now that she was going tocelebrate too, she would have to make things fly. As soon as shechanged clothes, she'd go to the library and get _Greene's Source Book_and catch up on her outside reading in history. At study hall tonightshe'd make every minute count. She would not look at the clock a singletime, or get permission to speak to a soul, or to sharpen her pencil orto fill her pen unless it was an emergency. After study hall she wouldmend her hose, straighten her trunk, the dresser's drawers and if therewas time before light bell, she'd check up on her allowance and see ifshe could squeeze out a new pair of gloves. While she was home shecould get several things. Daddy had oked a charge account for her andhad told her she could order things but so far she hadn't used it. Shewas trying to spend as little as possible because Daddy's expenses mustbe terrific. She knew he had not planned on spending so much on heruntil she was college age.
Plans were racing through her head.
"I'm going to Bowling Green, I'm going to Bowling Green." Her mindplayed an accompaniment to her marching feet. Thinking was sothrilling, before she realized it, those marching feet were detouringby Sue's practice room instead of keeping the straight trail to thelibrary. She'd only stay a minute. She'd have to rave a while and calmdown or she could never sit still in the library with the source book.
Opening the big door to the practice rooms was like opening the door ofa menagerie at feeding time. Standing in the hall from which the celllike rooms opened, Mimi's ears were assailed by squeaks, grunts, andferociously thundering bass notes. Mimi bumped into the proctor who waslooking through the glass windows in the doors to check and be surethat the music students were keeping their regular practice timesand--that no one was playing jazz. She scowled at Mimi.
"Could I speak to Sue a second?"
"If you'll hurry and leave before I do. I am not supposed to leave anyone here without special permission."
Mimi ducked in Sue's cell. The watchful eye of the proctor crampedMimi's style but she got in a few hurried expostulations. Who could saymuch with the feeling that some one was holding a stop watch over them?
"Put your sweater on," motherly little Sue called after her.
"Thanks a lot," Mimi said as she brushed past the proctor on the wayout. Some hopeful soprano was singing, "Who Is Sylvia?"
"Not Sylvia. Who is Chloe?" As if she didn't have enough on her mindwithout being haunted by that.
Mimi had no sooner stored away the mystery about Chloe, the happyholidays ahead, and determinedly buried herself in the source book whensome one stepped up behind her and covered her eyes with two coldhands. She started to cry out, then remembered where she was. Placardswith "SILENCE" were in plain sight all around in case one was prone toforget. Silently she removed the fingers and twisted around. It wasChloe; her glowing dark eyes lighted up her whole beautiful face. Mimihad never seen her so radiant.
"Meet me outside--quick," she whispered.
Goodbye history reading. Mimi's insatiable curiosity had the best ofher. She followed Chloe out as quickly as she could return the book tothe desk.
"Guess what?" Chloe exclaimed when they were safely out of the quietzone.
Mimi could only think of one thing. Chloe had a clue to her identity.
"You have found out--?" She didn't know how to say what she was hoping.
"Not that," Chloe replied quickly sobering up. "But maybe while we'rethere we can find out--"
"While we're where?"
"At Aunt Marcia's! I just received a letter and she says I may bringsomeone home for the holidays and, of course, I want you, Mimi. I'masking you first."
What could Mimi do? As much as she would love to go to Sue's she wouldmiss all that fun for the chance to ferret out more about Chloe. Shewanted to meet Aunt Marcia. She and Chloe would have a good time, too.
"That's mighty nice of you, Chloe."
As Mimi fumbled for words she could see Chloe's feathers fall.
"It isn't that I don't want to. Please don't think that--but I'veaccepted Sue's invitation, but maybe----"
"Oh, it's quite all right." Chloe's chin went up. "I understandperfectly."
As they walked too silently toward Tumble Inn, Mimi was sure shedidn't. However what happened next d
id help. Betsy was rushing to meetthem.
"Mimi, I've looked high and low for you. Where have you been?"
"The library."
"No!"
"Yes, I have. Study has caught up with me. Before holidays begin I amgoing to know more than--"
"Holidays? That's what I want to see you about. Mother says I may bringyou home for the holidays. Of course, you'll come?"
"Home-for-the-holidays." Mimi repeated slowly. "What is this a frame upor a song?"
"A what?"
"It is funny," Chloe was smiling now. "You see, Betsy, Sue asked her,you ask her, I ask her! Whew! Is she popular?"
"Please--" Mimi was embarrassed. "You are all honeys to want me. Istill think you're kidding!"
"We are not," said Sue having arrived in time to hear the last of thediscussion. "We want you. But remember, you've promised _me_."
"What we should have," Mimi said suddenly inspired, "is a house party!Then we could all be together. A progressive house party. Oh, if MotherDear were only home!"
For several days the girls buzzed with ideas about a house party but asMimi disgustedly phrased it they, "got no where fast." However, Sue'smother, as Mothers often do these days, had followed Sue's instructionsto the letter.
After calling Mimi on the carpet, not the magic carpet by any chance,and impressing upon her what a trying position the school would be inif anything should happen to her, Mimi received permission.
Now on the day before departure she was stacking out her things to pack.
"Sue, I can hardly contain myself."
Mimi went into a rhapsody ending in a clog. She poised breathless,hands on hips, head to one side, face flushed.
"I'm as thrilled as I was when we packed for camp. Far as I amconcerned they might as well not meet classes today. All I want to dois 'Deck the halls with boughs of holly, fa, la, la, la, la; la, la,la, la'."
"Why are you holding your head, Mimi?" Chloe asked tumbling in from thehall over Sue's bag.
"I'm kind of dizzy," Mimi replied sitting down on the side of the bed."I'll be all right in a minute."
She wasn't. When she came up to her room after lunch she was aching andshivering. Soda! That was what she needed, soda water--That would cureanything.
Ca-chew! Yes, if this was a cold soda was the very thing. She'd goright down to the kitchen now and get some. If she went to theinfirmary--Well, no use taking a chance. But she was all right. She hadto be--Ca-chew! She remembered her last trip for soda and felt her faceburning. Betsy and Madge and the alarm. Betsy still did not know whyMadge failed. That was the only secret she had from Betsy now. Ca-chew!
She sneezed once too often. Mrs. Cole passing and hearing poked herhead in.
"Who is that sneezing? Here let me feel your head. Child, you havefever. Come with me."
Too amazed to resist, and aching and feeling much worse than she caredto admit, Mimi allowed Mrs. Cole to lead her to the Infirmary Wing.Nurse took one good look.
"Flu," she said. "If we don't have some freezing weather soon, therewill be an epidemic. Quarantine, for you, young lady."
"I can't come up here. I'm leaving tomorrow." Mimi protested. "I'm allright, really I am, Nurse."
"Fever one hundred and one-half; eyes red, nose dripping."
"Sue's mother will fix--Ca-chew!--me up--"
"Mrs. Cole have her roommate bring up her robe and pajamas and toilettearticles. Mimi is staying with me."
As Nurse tucked her in and put an ice bag on her hot head, Mimi raisedto her elbows.
"What now?"
"The singing," Mimi said smiling sadly. "Hear."
Into the open window floated the strains of "Noel, Noel." The Glee Clubwas practicing but the glad tidings sounded very faint and far away toMimi. For once in her life Christmas would come too soon.