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Show -90- Peppermint Monda; care about Billy's grades. I just wanted to change the subject. "Probably," pa said absently. He was still looking at my box of jam. He most likely was trying to remember where he kept his butterfly net. "Billy thinks I can do something about his low grade." I put the box down. I didn't care what pa or anybody else thought. It was my jam and I was proud of it. Pa raised his eyebrow at that. "Then Billy doesn't know either of us very well, does he?" Pa knew I wasn't afraid of bullies like Billy. I knew he would flunk Billy no matter what anybody did or said. Billy wasn't exactly honor student material, he ditched classes a lot, and he liked to ruin desks. I think pa had three different desks with Billy's brand in them. With odds like that against him, Billy didn't have a chance. "If I were you, Carly, I'd worry about my own grades. Don't waste time thinking about Billy flunking." In other words, he would hurry and come up with another science project. Pa was never direct in his criticism. I could see why Grandma Ruby appreciated directness. I was tired of reading between the lines when pa talked. Ma said the jam was pretty and Russ wanted to taste it. I promised he could tomorrow. It was his bedtime and ma liked him on schedule. They went in his room for prayers and I wondered if he still blessed us before Jake. I was sure tempted to go listen, but I knew better. Besides, I was hungry. There had to be something besides rice stew in the fridge. The day of the science fair I showed Andrea my bottle of dandelion jam. She was surprised because I'd never told her about it before. I wanted to shock her a little, and I did. Neither of us had mentioned the jam for a |
