September 11

5:36 P.M.

Dear Tara*Starr,

Ha-ha. Very funny. You know perfectly well that Miss Fine’s does not have a pun for a motto. They don’t have enough imagination for that. Their motto is … well, actually, they don’t have one.

Hmm. I just reread your letter for, like, the tenth time. I keep reading it over and over because it’s SORT OF like having you here with me. I keep looking at my copy of our scrapbooks too. Remember the day we made them? Mom couldn’t believe we were making such a mess right after Martha had cleaned up. (If I just keep that footstool three inches off center, it covers the toeprint you accidentally made that day. Don’t you think there’s something funny about a footstool covering a toeprint?)

I miss you so much! And it’s all the Charents’ fault. Charents. I like that word. It’s ugly, which is a good thing, since I’m mad at the Charents. Later, if I get over being mad at them, maybe I’ll decide it’s a nice word. Anyway, I keep reading the letter, but what I really want is to talk to you and I can’t believe we can’t even call each other. You at least have a good excuse, since the Charents say it’s too expensive. I can understand that. But my dad is just being strict as usual. “No phoning Tara.” (How come he’ll never call you Tara*Starr?)

Oh, well. Now I’ve read your letter for the 11th time and I’m going to answer all your questions in the order you asked them.

1. On the first day of school, I wore jeans, loafers, and a white blouse. Plus, Mom helped me French-braid my hair and lent me her gold hoop earrings.

2. I don’t know how you’re going to become a great American writer if there’s no time for creative writing — except you can make your own time for it. Why don’t you try keeping a notebook (and not losing it)? This year I have Mr. Dougherty for creative writing, so things are off to a good start. (I do wish you had a writing class, though. I’d be disappointed too if I didn’t have one.)

3. Yes, Tara*Starr is much more exciting than Tara-Starr. I love it. What can you do for Elizabeth? Maybe I need a change too.

4. For dinner after the first day of school Jeannemarie made pork chops, string beans, and a salad. And she made crème brûlée for dessert. Dad missed dinner entirely because of some emergency meeting at Data-Pro. Sometimes being a vice president isn’t worth it. I don’t know about Dad, but I’d take pork chops over a meeting any day.

Emma just came into the room. Now she’s standing at my elbow, asking me what I’m doing. I tell her I’m writing you a letter and she says she misses you. She does, too. She thinks you’re funny. I’m going to try to be funnier for her.

Love,

P.S. I’m really proud of you for being the new kid at school and being so brave about it and telling that kid you saw a disaster in his future. I would never be able to be so brave. Have you made any friends yet?

P.P.S. I don’t think Emma hates Miss Fine’s so much anymore. They have Day-Glo Play-Doh.