heard me because I’m not going to lie I was crying pretty loudly I probably sounded like a cat that had been kicked Hard Honey what’s wrong I sniffed and wiped my arm across my eyes and started to tell her but all that came out of my mouth was wailing and hiccups and it probably sounded something like Sh Sh Frankieaaaaaaa Cir hic cir Circle hic emmmmm Mom knelt down and wrapped her arms around me Somehow she had understood my blubbery warbling Moms are good at that Oh honey I’m so sorry Your dad and I were going to tell you about that this weekend She huffed out a breath Frankie’s parents weren’t supposed to tell her so soon They’d had her on a waiting list and a spot just opened up But but I said into Mom’s hair between hiccups She squeezed me tighter I’m so sorry Bea 6 Joanne LEVY
But ca ca can’t can’t I go too Pleeeeeease Mom pulled away and sat back on her heels She looked sad as she shook her head I’m sorry Bea We just can’t afford it this year It’s more than double the cost of Camp Shalom There had to be a way I would do anything I’ll drop out of Hebrew school I offered Mom rolled her eyes Nice try Busted Mom knew I hate Hebrew school but there was no way I’d get out of that It’s not that I don’t like being Jewish I just hate sitting in MORE school after regular school and on Sundays A girl can only handle so much school no matter how interesting the topics might be She sighed I know you’re disappointed but there just isn’t enough money Bea You know your dad and I went to Camp Shalom and we both had great experiences there meeting other kids from all over the world 7 The Sun Will Come Out
She put a big smile on her face but her sales pitch had worked a lot better when Frankie was coming with me What about if I don’t go to any movies and donate my savings I’m sorry It wouldn’t be enough And that was it I was going to be stuck alone at stupid Camp Shalom while Frankie got to ride horses all summer It was so unfair Maybe you should get a job then I blurted out Maybe if you had a real job I could go I realized right away that I’d made a huge mistake but it was too late to take it back Mom’s eyes got very narrow as she stood up and crossed her arms I do have a real job Bea Not only am I your and Stevie’s mom which believe me is a full-time career but I am also an artist Not everything worth doing has to be something that earns money I didn’t say a word only scowled at her 8 Joanne LEVY
Bea she continued remember when we went to the art gallery Remember how much you enjoyed seeing all that arwork What would happen if all those artists had decided not to create because they weren’t being paid enough I shrugged Maybe I’d appreciate my mother’s art more if she painted horses and not just the blobs and smears that she called abstract Anyway Mom went on Camp Shalom is a great camp and it isn’t cheap either Maybe you should feel lucky that you get to go some kids are going to day camps or none at all She didn’t get it I didn’t think she was even trying to understand I don’t care about other kids I yelled I don’t understand why you have to paint all day when other kids moms have jobs where they earn enough money to send their kids to horse camp I was speaking of Frankie’s mom of course She’s a doctor not a wannabe artist 9 The Sun Will Come Out
