After the whole mess about the sign-up sheet for the play, life started to get a little better for Margaret. Glenda and Gary noticed that their daughter had a bit more spring in her step.
Every day at school, Mrs. Ford ran play rehearsals during usual music time, and then different groups rehearsed on different days for an hour after school. Margaret had been worried about being in the Lullaby League at first, but when she saw that Jessica had won the part of another munchkin, she felt much better. Even if people did snicker or snort, she would have someone by her side to stand up for her. Well, other than Mrs. Ford.
As it turned out, rehearsing for a play was really really fun. As part of the Lullaby League, Margaret got to do a special little dance. She thought it was neat how her voice sounded so perfect when she sang along with Jessica and the third "munchkin," Lilly. As the rehearsals went on, Margaret and Jessica became better and better friends. In fact, Margaret felt like maybe Jessica would be her best friend, and for a long time. They always seemed to laugh at the same things, and they liked a lot of the same stuff.
With this in mind, Margaret asked her mom if she and Jessica could have a sleep-over. It was the weekend before the big play, and Margaret and Jessica were so excited that they couldn't seem to sit still. They weren't nervous at all. Margaret told her mom that they wanted to practice a little more, it wouldn't JUST be for fun stuff.
Glenda was delighted that Margaret had not only made such a good friend but that her daughter already wanted to have a slumber party. However, it was important to establish ground rules early.
"Do you know if Jessica is allowed to go to sleepovers, M?"
Margaret was confused. "Why wouldn't she?"
"Well, sometimes mommies and daddies get a little nervous about their kids going to stay at other peoples' houses," Glenda said. "I would be a little nervous about you staying at Jessica's house because I've never met her mommy or daddy and I don't know where she lives. I'm sure it would be the same for her parents."
Margaret didn't think that made a whole lot of sense, but she was starting to get a heavy feeling in her tummy. It felt a lot like disappointment.
"Do you have Jessica's number?" Glenda asked. She saw that Margaret's face was starting to look awfully cloudy.
"No, but I could get it tomorrow!" Margaret said.
"Ok, get her phone number and I'll call her parents tomorrow night. Ok?"
Margaret felt a little better, but she was also kind of nervous. What if her mom convinced Jessica's parents that a sleepover was a bad idea? What if Jessica's parents were against the whole idea?
Margaret talked to Jessica at lunch the next day and explained the whole situation. Jessica wrote her number on Margaret's napkin, which Margaret carefully folded and put into her lunchbox. Both girls were still a little hazy on why a sleepover was such a big deal, but Jessica said that her parents probably would not have any problem with her visiting.
That day went by very slowly. Even rehearsal seemed to drag on a bit. Margaret had heard lots of kids talking about how they had gone to each others' houses and had so much fun. She really hoped that she and her new friend would be able to brag about their fun time!
Margaret practically ran off the bus and immediately opened her lunchbox, where Jessica's number napkin was still carefully folded. Glenda told her that there were some crackers out with a little bowl of tuna fish salad for a snack. Glenda went into the living room, where she and Isaac had been watching television. She was hoping Isaac would take a nap.
Margaret sat down and started spooning some tuna salad on to her buttery crackers. Then she noticed that her mom had not even walked towards the phone, and Jessica's number was lying there on the table.
"Mom, why aren't you calling Jessica's parents? I gave you the number!"
"Don't they work, babe?" Glenda called over the TV.
"I don't know but you could still call," Margaret said impatiently. Little crumbs of cracker were falling all over her shirt.
Glenda knew that Margaret would not rest until the call had been made. "Was I ever this impatient when I was a kid," Glenda wondered to herself.
The call was made, and Glenda was happy to report to Margaret that Jessica would be dropped off Saturday morning, and her mom would pick her up on Sunday morning. Margaret was relieved and happy and excited all at the same time.
"You'll clean up your room before then, right? You don't want your friend to think that you live in a pigsty!"
Margaret kind of heard this, but she was busily running up the stairs, trying to imagine what fun she and Jessica would have. Saturday could not come soon enough.
For the rest of the week, Margaret and Jessica planned and plotted how their little party would go. They really were going to practice for the play. A lot. But they needed to let Margaret's mom know what they wanted to eat, and what movies they would watch, and what they would do outside if it wasn't too cold.
Finally, Saturday morning came. A purplish car pulled into the driveway and before the doorbell could ring, Margaret flew out to meet Jessica. Glenda came out with Isaac in her arms so that she could meet Jessica's mom. Margaret saw them chatting but she and Jessica were already on their way. Margaret had decided that a spot in the far corner of the backyard would be a perfect place to practice. There was a big tree that they could pretend was Dorothy, because Mrs. Ford said it was important to keep eye contact.
The girls had been practicing for awhile and Margaret was having lots of fun.
"I think you're going to be the best munchkin ever!" Jessica said while they were taking a little breather.
"Yeah? Really?" Margaret was flattered.
"Oh yeah, I mean, you sound the part, you look the part. You're perfect!"
Before Margaret could even take in what had just happened, tears were flowing down her cheeks. She couldn't even look at Jessica. She ran into the house, ran up the stairs, ran to her room, and slammed the door. She heard her dad calling her name, then her mom, but she didn't stop. She flopped on her bed and cried and cried. She felt like her heart was breaking into a million little pieces. All of the fun she had been looking forward to didn't matter now. Jessica was clearly not a friend. Had she been laughing at Margaret this whole time?
Margaret heard a knock on the door but didn't say anything. Her mom opened the door.
"What the heck happened? I thought you two were having a great time out there!"
"I want her to go away," Margaret sputtered. "I want her to go away and I never want to see her again!"
Now Margaret's father came into the room. "What did she do?" He was kind of asking Margaret but was also kind of asking Glenda.
"She said that I make a perfect munchkin because I look like one!" Margaret squealed. "She's probably been making fun of me this whole time!"
"Oh for heaven's sakes," Margaret's father sighed. "She probably was trying to pay you a compliment and you just took it as an insult."
"No, she's mean! Make her go away!"
Margaret's mom nodded towards Gary. He sighed one more time, left the room, and closed the door. Glenda picked Margaret up and cuddled her.
"What exactly did she say, babe?" Glenda asked after a little while.
"She said I would make the perfect muchkin cuz I sound like one and look like one."
"Well, I'm sure she was trying to be nice and it just came out wrong, sweetie. She's very upset downstairs and doesn't really know why you're so upset. Don't you want to go down and talk to her?"
"No, I don't care if she's upset. She's mean and I don't like her anymore," Margaret whimpered.
Glenda kissed Margaret on the top of the head. "OK, well, we're going to go and try to explain what happened, and we'll call Jessica's parents."
Margaret's bedroom door closed again. She was sure beyond a shadow of a doubt that she would never ever ever have a real and true friend.
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