GIRLFRIENDS
Brenda
The
Three Muskadips
Like a dying elephant hunkered in
the corner of the basement, the wooden trunk
beckoned me and bored Brenda.
AYou
know, I bet it=s
big enough for us to get inside,@
I said.
AForts
are for little kids
C
we=re
in 6th grade now.@
AIt
could be a clubhouse.@
AThat
could be cool.@
I wrestled up an old nappy spread,
molded by time and basement floods, and handed it to
Brenda.
AWe
could have a secret club.@
Brenda rubbed her nose with one finger and pinned
the spread up against her chest with the other hand.
AWhere
should I put this?@
AUmm,@
I poked my head up to scan the cluttered room.
AOn
the washing machine, I guess. What about Madeline?@
AI
thought your mom said only one friend at a time?@
AWell,
it depends.@
I ran my fingers along a blocky thing in the bottom
of the trunk, couldn=t
quite find a grip on it.
AOn what?@
AWhat?@
AWhat does
it depend on? Whether you feel like it?@
I shrugged from the darkness of the
trunk.
AYeah, I
figured.@
Brenda rubbed her nose. She=d
recently learned she had a roman nose and called the
high bridge her
AItalian
bump.@
Ever since, she couldn=t
seem to leave it alone, fingers constantly exploring her
new exotic feature.
AYou know
how last year, you and Madeline were best friends, and
kept secrets from me and stuff?@
I spoke into the trunk. Whatever it was, the blocky
thing was heavy.
AYeah,@
Brenda began an elaborate pattern tracing up and down
the bump.
ASorry.
I guess that was mean.@
AWell, I
just thought that maybe this year I could be the best
friend.@
AAnd team up
against Madeline?@
It felt like a big wooden box, wrapped in
felt. The wood underneath was roughened from old water,
splinters caught the fabric.
AThat=s
pretty mean, doncha think?@
Brenda asked.
AYou guys
did it to me!@
AYeah, but
we didn=t
plan it out or anything.@ |
