November 27, 2:15 P.M.

Dear Tara*Starr,

Well, it’s the day after Thanksgiving, and I just got your letters. I guess we both know I couldn’t have come for Thanksgiving, even if I had gotten the letters in time. But I really, really, REALLY appreciate that you invited me. And I especially appreciate that Barb and Luke said you guys could use some of your savings to help pay for the plane ticket — at the exact time when you are saving for a house and probably need the money to make a down payment on your back door. You know what? If I had been allowed to visit you for Thanksgiving I think I might have needed to borrow some money. I’m still trying to figure out all the financial stuff. (Financial — a fancy word for money that my parents use about a thousand times an hour.) But this is the main thing: I think we are in Very Big Trouble. I don’t quite know what happened, but somehow Mom and Dad didn’t save much of the money Dad earned. Mom keeps reminding Dad that he bought a house he couldn’t afford, and that all of our money goes into upkeep. By “upkeep” I think Mom means paying Jeannemarie, Martha, the gardeners, the decorator, the pool people, and stuff. Plus — and I know I am not supposed to tell you this, so please don’t even tell Barb and Luke — I found out that our house cost six hundred thousand dollars. Now a quarter of a million dollars doesn’t sound like so much money. With hardly any savings, and no one earning money around here, how are we going to pay for anything? Dad is still paying for the house. Mom said we have a huge mortgage. Are we going to have to move?

Tara, when I think of these things my stomach starts to feel queasy. Speaking of stomachs (which made me think of food), guess what. Yesterday we had the annual family Thanksgiving. As usual, Dad had been planning it forever — 30 guests, an enormous turkey, and the fanciest dinner ever. Dad insisted that we have it, to keep up appearances for his family. We weren’t allowed to tell them he had been fired. It’s always important to Dad to show his family how well he’s doing. And so we had a very stiff, strained, huge, expensive dinner, and Dad didn’t tell his family what happened, and I don’t know how he paid for everything.

Okay, let me answer the rest of your questions.

Yes, it’s okay for you to call me. My dad won’t go ballistic, although he might not actually be thrilled. Just remember two things. 1. Now that Dad isn’t working, he’s almost always at home and might answer the phone. 2. DO NOT MENTION ANY OF THE FINANCIAL STUFF I HAVE BEEN WRITING TO YOU ABOUT. IT IS A BIG FAMILY SECRET. I AM PRACTICALLY UNDER OATH NOT TO TALK ABOUT IT. However, I would really love to talk to you, or to you and Barb, again. I felt sooooo much better after your other call.

About Emma. No, she doesn’t understand what’s happening. She knows something is going on and that it’s not good, but she doesn’t know what “fired” means, let alone understand financial things. All she knows is that Daddy is home all day now. At first she was really excited about that, but now she tries to steer clear of him. So do I. As you can imagine, he is not in the best mood. Today he hasn’t even gotten dressed yet.

Yes, I think Mom is still upset. She could be upset because:

a) we don’t have enough money.

b) Dad sits around at home all day.

c) Dad thinks he’s not going to get another job.

d) we might not have a house to live in.

e) there seems to be plenty of money for deliveries from the liquor store.

f) she hates Data-Pro.

g) she’s afraid.

I think the last answer is the most likely one. It covers everything. Plus … I’m afraid too. So I kind of know how she feels.

I don’t know if Mom is going to stop volunteering at Kate’s Kitchen. She goes there absolutely every day. She even went on Thanksgiving Day for a few hours. (In fact, I think maybe she’s spent more time there since Dad got fired.) I don’t know if she’ll get a job. I know she wants one, but Dad still doesn’t want her to work, especially not now. (He doesn’t want people to think she needs to work.) I could ask her about it, but I really don’t want to ask her about anything touchy right now.

I haven’t found out anything more about the package. But what Barb said makes sense. If Dad got some money when he was fired, then that would explain why he said we could use the package to build up our savings account. I guess he meant we could use it to start a savings account. But then Mom’s right — if we save that money, what will we live on???

Yes, I’m okay, I guess. I don’t really know what to tell you. I feel scared and sad and I have no idea what’s going to happen to us now. If Dad found another job, that would change everything. But can he get one that pays him a quarter of a million dollars? There aren’t a lot of jobs like that around. He’ll probably start looking on Monday, though. I’m just glad I have Emma and poetry and Mrs. Jackson (she’s my English teacher). I love Mrs. Jackson. She is so cool.

What can you do to help? JUST KEEP WRITING!!! I look forward to your letters sooooo much. I check the mail every day, just in case. And if you and Barb call, that will be great.

Hey — tell Barb and Luke to stop practicing and start planning! I want you to have a little brother or sister. You don’t know how great it will be.

Love,

P.S. Of course you should be talking about the play and your friends. I like knowing there’s a different life going on, one that isn’t mine. And right now yours seems kind of perfect.