"I know!" Rosie said. Then she called out, "Stacey?"

Stacey gulped. She thought she was hearing things. Rosie couldn't possibly expect her to —

"Stacey, will you read with me?" Rosie called.

The house fell silent. Rosie, Uncle Dandy, and Ms. Yu stared at Stacey. Her heart started beating like crazy. "Uh . . . okay."

Stacey was stuck. How could she say no?

She walked into the room, feeling as if she were going to pass out. She stood next to Rosie and looked at the script. "Start here," Rosie whispered, pointing to a place that said SCENE 3.

Stacey cleared her throat. " 'Dad answers knock/ " she read.

"No, that's a stage direction!" Rosie said.

"Oh, sorry. Uh . . . 'Who could be bothering me at this hour? Yes, what can I — ' "

" 'You got anything to drink?' " Rosie said in a dull, flat voice.

It said pause, so Stacey paused. " 'Darling,' " she said. Then it said, He stares at her, so Stacey stared at Rosie, then lost her place. "Uh . . . wait a minute . . .oh! Here! Um, 'It can't be. Oh, darling, my darling, it's you!' "

" 'Leave me alone, you creep, I'm thirsty,' " Rosie said.

" 'But my sweet, dear Josy, my love. Don't you remember? It's me, Daddy!' " Then it said, He grabs her by the shoulders and kisses her, but Stacey decided against that. " 'Daddy, who changed your diapers. Daddy, who sang, "Hush little baby, don't say a word, Poppa's gonna buy you a mockingbird . . ." ' "

Stacey was dying. This was so embarrassing!

(I would have given anything to have been there.)

Anyway, Rosie dropped her script on the

floor. She turned to Stacey and gawked with her mouth hanging open. " "D-D-Daddy?' " she whispered.

Stacey tried to look at the script on the floor. She bent down, thinking she must have had a line.