Beezus and Ramona - Beverly Cleary [30]
“And what did Mother do?” inquired Beezus, eager for the whole story.
“We had a dreadful quarrel and I got spanked,” said Aunt Beatrice. “Your mother didn’t love me one little bit for a long, long time. And I wouldn’t admit it, but I felt terrible because I had spoiled her autograph album. Fortunately Christmas came along about that time and we were both given albums and that put an end to the whole thing.”
Why, thought Beezus, Aunt Beatrice used to be every bit as awful as Ramona. And yet look how nice she is now. Beezus could scarcely believe it. And now Mother and Aunt Beatrice, who had quarreled when they were girls, loved each other and thought the things they had done were funny! They actually laughed about it. Well, maybe when she was grown up she would think it was funny that Ramona had put eggshells in one birthday cake and baked her rubber doll with another. Maybe she wouldn’t think Ramona was so exasperating, after all. Maybe that was just the way things were with sisters. A lovely feeling of relief came over Beezus. What if she didn’t love Ramona all the time? It didn’t matter at all. She was just like any other sister.
“Mother,” whispered Beezus, happier than she had felt in a long time, “I hope Ramona comes back before we have my birthday cake.”
“Don’t worry,” Mother said, smiling. “I’m sure she wouldn’t miss it for anything.”
And sure enough, in a few minutes Ramona appeared from the bedroom and took her place at the table. “I can behave myself,” she said.
“It’s about time,” observed Father.
Beezus watched Ramona eating her cold mashed potatoes and jelly and thought how much easier things would be now that she could look at her sister when she was exasperating and think, Ha-ha, Ramona, this is one of those times when I don’t have to love you.
“Girls with birthdays don’t have to help clear the table,” said Mother, beginning to carry out the dishes.
Beezus waited expectantly for the most important moment of the day. She heard her mother take the cake out of its box and strike a match to light the candles. “Oh,” she breathed happily, when Mother appeared in the doorway with the cake in her hands. It was the most beautiful cake she had ever seen—pink with a wreath of white roses made of icing, and ten pink candles that threw a soft glowing light on Mother’s face.
“‘Happy birthday to you,’” sang Mother and Father and Aunt Beatrice and Ramona.
“‘Happy birthday, dear Beezus, happy birthday to you.’”
“Make a wish,” said Father.
Beezus paused a minute. Then she closed her eyes and thought, I wish all my birthdays would turn out to be as wonderful as this one finally did. She opened her eyes and blew as hard as she could.
“Your wish is granted!” cried Aunt Beatrice, smiling across the ten smoking candles.
“‘Happy birthday, dear Beezus, happy birthday to you!’” sang Ramona at the top of her voice.
“All right, Ramona,” said Mother with a touch of exasperation in her voice. “Once is enough.”
But at that moment Beezus did not think her little sister was exasperating at all.
About the Author
BEVERLY CLEARY is one of America’s most popular authors. Born in McMinnville, Oregon, she lived on a farm in Yamhill until she was six and then moved to Portland. After college, as the children’s librarian in Yakima, Washington, she was challenged to find stories for non-readers. She wrote her first book, HENRY HUGGINS, in response to a boy’s question, “Where are the books about kids like us?”
Mrs. Cleary’s books have earned her many prestigious awards, including the American Library Association’s Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, presented in recognition of her lasting contribution to children’s literature. Her DEAR MR. HENSHAW was awarded the 1984 John Newbery Medal, and both RAMONA QUIMBY, AGE 8 and RAMONA AND HER FATHER have been named Newbery Honor Books. In addition, her books have won more than thirty-five statewide awards based on the votes of her young readers. Her characters, including Henry Huggins, Ellen Tebbits, Otis Spofford, and Beezus and Ramona Quimby, as well