Chapter 44

THE SUN WILL COME OUT

I just about flew across the neighborhood when Esme told me that she had a friend at the playhouse who had given her tickets for us all to see Annie. They even got a ticket for Ronan. When I told her how happy I was about that, Esme said, “Well, he’s one of us now, isn’t he?”

So when the big day arrives, Olive, Grammy, the Laskos, Ronan, and I all pile onto a bench in the back of the theater. I see Mrs. Fiester first. Then Brandy and Tressa follow. Brandy sees me and waves a little, and I wave back. They head up to the front of the theater and sit really close to the stage.

The play begins with “It’s a Hard-Knock Life,” and I think about how differently I feel about that song now than I did before. Papa Joseph used to say that if everyone put their troubles in the middle of the table, most would take their own back. I wasn’t sure what he was talking about when I was younger, but now I get it—I don’t think my life is too hard-knock after all.

But mostly, I sit up real straight so I can see as much as I can of Michael and Aimee.

Aimee is amazing as Annie. The audience loves her, and I’m so proud of her.

And Michael turned out to be a great Rooster. He acted like such a twit, I’m sure he made Madam Schofield proud.

At the end, I am the first to lead the standing ovation. I hoot and holler and yell Michael’s and Aimee’s names. Aimee looks for me in the audience, and when she finally sees me, she waves wildly.

When Ronan and I go to wait outside the stage door to see Aimee and Michael, Tressa and Brandy are there, too.

When Aimee arrives, I start yelling, “Miss Polloch! Miss Polloch! May I have your autograph!” I do the same for Michael.

Aimee unhooks the rope that everyone must wait behind and says, “C’mon, Delsie and Ronan! The director said I can take you backstage. I’ll show you the costumes and stuff.”

“Aimee. Delsie,” Tressa yells. “Can we come, too?”

Before we can say anything, Michael steps forward. “Aren’t you the one who wrote on her back with sunscreen and treated her like trash all summer? Now you want a favor? I don’t think so.”

Tressa squints. Brandy stares at me. But not in an angry way. She looks sad, actually.

“It’s okay, Michael,” I say. “I don’t care if they come if you and Aimee are okay with it.”

“After everything they did?” he asks. “Are you kidding me?”

I shrug. “That stuff happened earlier in the summer. It just doesn’t matter anymore,” I say, feeling stronger. Knowing that I have real friends who have my back and will protect my feelings—people like Aimee, Michael, and Ronan—makes all the difference. Brandy and Tressa going backstage won’t change any of that.

Michael’s still not convinced.

“Besides,” I say, “Tressa came to my house and gave me my kitten, Boots. And that made me pretty happy.”

Brandy whips her head around. “What?” She turns to Tressa. “You did?”

Tressa shrugs. “Yeah. Whatever. Can we come or not? I didn’t know this was going to be a committee.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Brandy asks her.

Tressa looks away. “It’s not like I have to tell you everything.”

The look that falls over Brandy’s face tells me that Tressa doesn’t protect her feelings, either.

Watching Brandy, I realize this makes me wish I could have kept her from changing this summer. Kept her from doing all the things that she did. And didn’t do. And then I think of my mom and wish I could keep her from doing the things she does. The things that made her leave and keep her away. It really is true that you can control other people about as easily as you can control the weather.

Aimee takes Michael by the shoulders and moves him over. “C’mon,” she says. “Whoever is coming. C’mon.” And with that, we all follow her up the stairs and into the playhouse.