ing much longer, because she’s going to have a baby.”

Ramona sat down on the bed with a

thump. A damp, dribbly baby, another

Quimby. “Why would Mother do a thing

41

like that when she already has us?”

“Don’t ask me,” said Beezus, “but I’m pretty sure she is.”

“Why?” asked Ramona, hoping her sister

was wrong.

“Well, you remember how Aunt Bea is

always asking Mother how she is feeling, as if she had a special reason for asking?”

Looking back, Ramona realized Beezus

was right.

“And Mother doesn’t eat dessert any-

more,” continued Beezus,“so she won’t gain too much weight.”

“Maybe she just doesn’t want to get fat.”

Ramona was doubtful about this. Her mother had always been slender, never worrying

about her weight like most mothers.

“And twice, back around Thanksgiving,

Mother threw up after breakfast.” Beezus

added another reason.

“That’s nothing,” scoffed Ramona. “I’ve

42

thrown up lots of times, and mince pie always makes me want to urp.”

“But ladies who are going to have babies

sometimes throw up in the morning,”

explained Beezus.

“They do?” This was news to Ramona.

Beezus might be right. She was interested in such things.“Why don’t we go ask Mother?”

“When she wants us to know, she will tell

us. And of course, I might be wrong. . . .”

Doubt crept into Beezus’s voice before she said,“Oh, I hope I’m right. I love babies. I’d love to help take care of one of our own. I just know it would be darling.”

Ramona sat on the bed thinking while

Beezus opened her books.A little brother or sister? She did not like the idea, not one bit.

If she had a little brother or sister, grown-ups would say in their knowing way, as if

children could not understand, Somebody’s

nose is out of joint. Ramona had heard them 43

say it many times about children who had new babies in the family.This was their way of talking about children behind their backs in front of them.

“But if it’s true, I sure hope Daddy finds a teaching job fast,” said Beezus. “Now go away. I have to study.”

Ramona wandered into the living room,

where her mother was lying on the couch

watching the evening news on TV with the

sound turned low so it would not disturb

her husband, who was studying at the dining room table. Ramona knew she was not supposed to interrupt when he was studying,

but this time she decided he wasn’t really working, just doodling on a piece of scratch paper with a worried look on his face. She slipped her head up between his ribs and arm.

“Hi,” said her father, as if Ramona had

brought his thoughts back to the dining

room.

44

“Hi,” answered Ramona as her father