by Mary Hoffman
“Presenting . . .” said Kester in a loud voice, “Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, Beauty and theßast and A Tale of Two Halves!”
The audience loved all the well-known stories, especially when Grace got pushed in the oven by Crishell (I knew it would be fun to be a witch again, Grace thought), Kester and Maria sharing one of Nana’s nighties (which was smaller than Tasha’s mom’s) and Maria kissing a beastly sleeping Raj.
Then it was time for A Tale of Two Halves.
“Once upon a time,” began Maria. “There were a King and a Queen who had just one daughter . . .”
Crishell and Raj came on with one of Grace’s dolls. At first they acted lovey-dovey and then they pretended to quarrel.
“Then the King went away to a new country and was King there, with a new Queen,” said Maria. “And the first Queen looked after the baby by herself. It grew into a very clever girl.”
Now Grace was the daughter and Kester came on as a new King for Crishell to marry. They gave each other very soppy looks.
“Soon the Queen and the King had a new baby,” said Maria. And the doll was brought back on. Grace cuddled it.
“Oh, my lovely baby sister,” she said.
Then Raj came back on with the Beast head Maria had made.
“One day a fearsome beast came and kidnapped the baby,” said Maria. And Raj snatched up the doll, roaring terribly and rushing off, while Grace acted being surprised and horrified. Then Crishell and Kester did lots of moaning and wringing of their hands.
“Don’t worry,” said Grace. “I’ll save the baby.” She took up a wooden sword that Maria passed to her and set off in pursuit of Raj.
“Rraar!” went Raj. “There’s nothing I like better than a nice breakfast of baby!” He pretended to put the doll in his mouth. Then Grace rushed on with the sword and pretended to chop off his head. She held up the cardboard head to show the audience, then carried it off to Crishell and Kester, with the doll under her arm.
“Oh, my precious baby!” said Crishell dramatically. “Oh, my clever daughter!”
Now Raj was narrator. “When the baby grew up,” he said, as Maria came on in a little short dress that used to be Grace’s, “she never forgot how her big sister saved her life. And they were the best of friends.”
Grace and Maria skipped off together while Raj held up a sign saying THE END. And everyone applauded loudly.
“Bravo, Grace!” said Vince loudly, clapping his hands.
“What does that mean, Ma?” said Grace when everyone had gone home. “Bravo, I mean.”
“It means,” said Ma, “very well done.”
“Ah,” said Grace. “Bravo, Ma, then.”
“What for?” asked Ma.
“For finding Vince,” said Grace. “And, you know, having the baby. I’ve made up my mind. I really am going to try to be the best sister in the world.”
“Then I’m sure you will be,” said Ma, giving her a big hug.
“Yes,” said Nana. “We all know what it’s like when Grace puts her mind to something.”
One More Present
It was Christmas again and Nana and Vince were cooking the dinner. Ma was taking it easy on the sofa because she was so big; she was already on maternity leave and the baby was due in two weeks.
“Phew,” she said, fanning herself with a napkin. “Is the heating on really high?” Ma was always too hot these days.
Grace was running between the kitchen and the living room, doing errands for whichever grown-up needed her.
“Sit down a bit,” said Ma. “How’s dinner coming along?”
“Great,” said Grace. “I think Vince is really getting to be a good cook.”
“Remember last year,” said Ma, “when Nana forgot to put the turkey in?”
They both laughed. “That was because Vince asked you to marry him,” said Grace, “and she was all flustered.”
Ma sighed. “So much has happened this year, hasn’t it? First the new house, then the wedding and soon the baby. I wouldn’t have believed it a year ago.”
“And Aimee is gone,” said Grace, “but Crishell’s much happier. And she and Kester like each other. And Russell’s stopped bullying people.”
“Grace,” called Vince, “can you take the potatoes out?”
“Oh good.” said Ma. “It sounds as if we’re going to eat.”
That evening, when they were all playing Monopoly, Ma suddenly winced.
“What is it?” asked Grace.
“A bit too much Christmas pudding, I think,” said Ma, shakily. “Will you take over my turn? I’m going to lie down for a bit.”
Grace went to kiss her ma goodnight before she went to bed but Ma seemed to be asleep. Nana was staying the night, so Paw-Paw came to sleep on Grace’s feet.
In the middle of the night, Grace woke up. There were strange sounds. She went to her bedroom door and saw Vince, fully dressed, carrying a suitcase. For one awful moment, in her sleepy state, Grace thought he was going to leave them.
“Don’t go, Vince!” she said, flinging her arms round him.
Vince gave her a big grin. “I’ve got to go, Grace. Your ma’s about to make me a dad and I need to be there.”
“You’re a dad already, remember?” said Grace, giving him a hug. “My stepdad.”
Ma came out of the bedroom, looking a bit wobbly. “Oh, Grace,” she said. “I’m so glad you’re awake. It looks as if you’re going to be a big sister earlier than we thought.”
Nana came up the stairs with her hair in curlers, carrying a mug. “Oh, are you off?” she said. “What about your tea?”
“Too late for that,” said Ma, trying to smile. “If Vince doesn’t take me soon, this baby’s going to be born on the stairs!”
“You drink it, Nana,” said Grace, when the others had gone. The house seemed very still and quiet after all the rushing about.
Nana sat down on the stairs and pulled Grace inside her big warm dressing gown. They shared the mug of tea and waited for Vince’s phone call.
“A boy!” said Crishell, when Grace phoned her next morning.
“Benjamin Jack,” said Grace. “Ma and Vince had the name Benjamin all ready, but I chose Jack, because he was born on Boxing Day—Jack-in-the-Box!”
“Have you seen him yet?” asked Crishell.
“We’re just off to the hospital,” said Grace. She was feeling quite light-headed from lack of sleep.
“How does it feel to be a sister?” asked Crishell.
“Great,” said Grace. “I think.”
Later, she held her baby brother in her arms for the first time.
“Hello, Ben,” she said.
Ma seemed tired but happy. Vince looked as if he would never stop smiling. He was holding a video camera.
“What do you think of him?” Ma said.
“He’s perfect,” said Grace. And it was true. “I don’t want him to be my half brother,” she said suddenly. “I want all of him to be my brother.”
“Bravo, Grace,” said Nana softly.
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