Junie B. Jones Loves Handsome Warren - Barbara Park [5]
I wiped my mouth with my hand. Then I quick jumped down from my chair.
“’Scuse me, please! ’Scuse me from the table! ’Cause I’m all filled up!”
I runned down the hall. And zoomed into the nursery.
The nursery is where my baby brother named Ollie lives.
“YOU GUYS DO THE DISHES!” I hollered to Mother and Daddy. “I’LL PUT OLLIE’S SWEATER ON HIS HEAD! ’CAUSE THAT WILL SAVE US TIME, I THINK!”
I quick climbed into Ollie’s crib.
Then I tried to pull that baby’s sweater on him. Only his giant head didn’t fit through the hole.
He waked up from his nap.
Then he started to cry very loud.
I heard loud feet running in the hall.
“JUNIE B. JONES! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?” yelled an angry voice.
It was Mother.
She runned in the room. And picked up baby Ollie.
She patted his giant head.
“That’s quite a melon he has there,” I said very quiet.
Baby Ollie kept on crying.
“Want me to get a leash?” I asked Mother. “Let’s put him on a leash, okay? ’Cause he is all jazzied up, I think. And so how will we even control him at the mall?”
Mother rolled her eyes way back in her head.
“We’re not going to the mall, Junie B.,” she said. “We are not going anywhere.”
I stamped my foot.
“Yes!” I said. “We have to! We have to go to the mall to get my princess dress! And my shoes with lightning. Or else that boy will not love me, I tell you!”
Mother closed her eyes. She did some deep breaths.
Her voice got softer.
“Okay. I want you to listen to me. And I want you to listen carefully,” she said. “You don’t make friends by wearing new dresses or shoes with lightning. You make new friends by being fun to be with. And by being nice to people. And by caring about their feelings.”
She lifted me out of the crib.
“And honesty is important, too, Junie B.,” she said. “You have to be honest with people. And that means that you can’t pretend to be someone you’re not.”
She smoothed my hair.
“You’re not Lucille, Junie B. And you’re not Grace, either. You’re just you. You’re just Junie B. Jones. And believe me, that’s a big enough job for anyone.”
I did a sniffle. Also I did a snort and a swallow.
“Yeah, only I know I am Junie B. Jones,” I said. “I just want to be Junie B. Jones in a princess dress.”
I put my head on her shoulder.
“Didn’t you ever want a princess dress when you were a little girl?” I asked. “Huh, Mother? Didn’t you?”
Mother didn’t answer. She was thinking it over probably.
Just then, I looked over her shoulder.
I saw a new toy on baby Ollie’s shelf.
“Hey! What’s that, Mother? What’s that on that shelf there? Is that a new teddy bear I see?”
I runned and pulled that guy down.
“Look, Mother! Look what this bear is wearing! It is a ribbon made out of rich, red velvet! And that is ’zactly the kind of cloth I’ve been looking for!”
I took the bow off the teddy. And I held it next to my hair.
“How do I look? Huh, Mother? Do I look like a beautiful princess? Do I look gorgeous? Huh? Do I?”
Just then, I felt happy and sparkly inside.
I quick kissed Mother and zoomed out of the room.
’Cause maybe there was more princess clothes right in my very own house!
6/Speechless
The next day, that Grace saw me on the bus.
Her mouth came all the way open.
I smiled very gorgeous.
“I know why you’re looking at me like that, Grace,” I said. “Mother said when people saw me, they would be speechless.”
I fluffed my hair.
“Speechless is when your mouth can’t speech,” I explained.
That Grace pointed at my neck.
“What is that? Is that a dog collar you’re wearing?” she said.
I laughed and laughed at her.
“You sillyhead, Grace!” I said. “Don’t you know anything? This is a lovely collar of jewels! It is the kind of jewels that princesses wear! Only I didn’t even know we had this gorgeous thing! I found it where Mother keeps the dog food. Only I don’t actually know why it got put there.”
I holded out my arms.
“And did you notice these, Grace? Did you notice my long white princess gloves? They are the kind of gloves that Cinderella wears. And Cinderella is a real, actual princess. Plus also she does floors.”
I