"You mean you won't come to the movies with me?" Logan sounded confused.

    "Well . . . no." "Okay," said Logan uncertainly.

    "I have to go," I said in a rush. "I'm about to be late. I'll talk to you tomorrow." We hung up the phone then, and I had to force myself not to cry. I concentrated on Jenny. That was my job. I could think about Logan some other time.

    I left the house in a hurry then, and ran all the way to the Prezziosos'. (They live nearby, and it was still light out.) I made it just in time.

    Mr. and Mrs. P. left pretty quickly, so soon I was alone with Jenny. When her parents had left, Jenny held out her wrist and said, "Look. Mommy bought me a watch! I can't tell time yet, but a watch is a very grown-up thing to have. That's what Mommy said. She bought me some other stuff, too. Want to see?" "Sure," I replied.

    I followed Jenny upstairs to her bedroom. Jenny, as usual, was dressed to the nines. That's what my friend Kristy's stepfather would say, meaning that Jenny was very dressed up (even though it was just a regular old day). Mrs. P. loves to dress up Jenny and herself. That's what Dawn meant when she said they look like contestants in a mother-daughter beauty contest. They look like that most of the time.

    Jenny took my hand and pulled me into her room. "Here," she said, heading for her dresser. "Mommy got me more grown-up stuff. Stick-on earrings, and look - sneakers with laces. Mommy says big girls learn how to tie their shoes." "Wow, that's great, Jenny!" I exclaimed, looking at her old sneakers, which fastened with Velcro straps and were pretty ratty compared to her new red Keds.

    The phone rang then, so I said, "Come on, Jenny. Race you to the telephone." Giggling, we ran down to the kitchen.