Marie watched Ellen, who looked awkward and uncomfortable standing front row center, with two rows of children behind her.
As if she felt Anne Marie’s eyes on her, Ellen glanced in her direction. When she saw Anne Marie, the girl’s entire face was transformed by the beauty of her smile. Seeing how happy her presence had made Ellen, Anne Marie was glad she’d taken the trouble to show up. She sent the girl a small wave. Ellen waved back.
The music died down as the singing director stepped in front of the choir and raised both hands. The children on the risers instantly came to attention.
The performance, which turned out to be a rather inventive version of “Snow White,” lasted forty minutes. No one was going to mistake it for professional theater. But the dwarves were hilarious and the singing was lively. Anne Marie nodded her head to the beat.
When the performance was finished, the principal came forward and announced that juice and cookies would be served in the children’s rooms. Anne Marie checked her watch. She really should be getting back to the store. Then again, a few more minutes wouldn’t hurt.
As she started toward Ellen’s classroom, she nearly bumped into Helen Mayer, the school counselor.
“Anne Marie!” she exclaimed. “I’m so glad you could make it.”
“Yes, the play was very well done,” she said warmly. “Thank you for telling me about it.”
“No, thank you, thank you so much.”
With a quick smile, she hurried off in the opposite direction.
Anne Marie was standing by Ellen’s desk when the child walked into the room, her eyes bright with happiness. “Did you hear me?” she asked. “Did you hear me sing?”
Anne Marie hadn’t been able to discern Ellen’s small voice among so many others. But in this case she figured a white lie was appropriate. “I did, and you were terrific.”
Ellen blushed at the praise.
“You didn’t tell me you like to sing.”
Ellen nodded. “Mrs. Maxwell said I have a good voice. She’s the music teacher.”
“How many other second-grade students were part of the choir?” Anne Marie asked, although she already knew the answer.
“I was the only one.”
“Just you?” Anne Marie feigned surprise.
“Yup, just me. Mrs. Maxwell said maybe by the time I’m in fourth or fifth grade I might get to sing a solo.”
“Ellen, that’s wonderful. Congratulations.” Anne Marie had never seen the girl this excited.
The classroom had begun to fill up with other children and parents.
“Would you like some juice?” Ellen asked politely. The juice and cookies were set up on a table in the front.
Anne Marie noticed that the other students were delivering refreshments to their parents.
“That would be very nice. Thank you, Ellen.”
The child waited for her turn and poured Anne Marie a small paper cup full of juice, which appeared to be some watered-down fruit punch. She also brought her two small cookies, definitely a store-bought variety.
“You didn’t get anything for yourself,” Anne Marie said.
“That’s because you’re supposed to serve your guests first,” Ellen informed her solemnly.
“Of course,” Anne Marie murmured. “I must’ve forgotten my manners.”
Silently Ellen stood next to her.
Anne Marie bent down and whispered, “What’s going to happen next?”
“Nothing,” Ellen said. “You’re supposed to drink your juice and eat your cookies.”
“Okay.” Anne Marie sampled a cookie, which crumbled in her mouth at the first bite. She washed it down with a gulp of juice that was far too sweet. Ellen waited until Anne Marie had finished before she returned to the refreshment table and poured a second cup of juice and took two small cookies for herself.
“Baxter wanted me to tell you hello,” Anne Marie said when she came back.
Ellen swallowed the cookie she was chewing and nodded. “He’s a good dog.”
“A little spoiled, though.”
“I’ll teach him how to roll over the next time you bring him to school,” Ellen promised. “I got a book from the library and I read about teaching dogs tricks. Baxter’s smart and I know how to get him to roll over.”
“I hope you can show me how to teach him, too.”
“I will,” Ellen said.
“I’ve tried to teach Baxter new tricks, but he doesn’t seem to understand the concept.” Anne Marie felt it only fair to warn Ellen; she didn’t want to discourage the girl, nor did she want her to think it would be an easy task.
One of the other mothers glanced speculatively at Anne Marie and Ellen and moved toward them. “Are you Ellen’s mom?” she asked Anne Marie.
“Actually, no, I’m her friend.”
“Anne Marie is my Lunch Buddy,” Ellen explained proudly. “She brought her dog for me to meet.”
“Oh.” The other woman drew a tiny long-haired girl close to her side. “I’m Shelly Lombard and this is my daughter, Cassie. She’s friends with Ellen.”
“Hi, Shelly, Cassie,” Anne Marie said, smiling. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“I wanted to ask if Ellen could come over for a play date one afternoon. Would that be possible?”
This wasn’t something Anne Marie could answer. “You’ll have to ask her grandmother.”
“Ellen lives with her grandmother, then?”
Anne Marie nodded.
“Oh…well, I don’t know if that would work. I was actually hoping we could exchange play dates once in a while.”
“I see.”
“It’s just that occasionally I have an appointment after school and it’s difficult to find someone to look after Cassie for just an hour or two.”
“You could always ask her grandmother,” Anne Marie said a second time.
“Yes, of course, but if she couldn’t arrange to come for Ellen’s performance, it’s unlikely she’d be up to looking after an extra child.”
Shelly had a point. Anne Marie remembered Ellen’s saying that her grandmother slept a lot, which made her wonder if the woman was ill.
