Read Online Cold War on Maplewood Street by Gayle Rosengren - Free Book Online Page A

Sam!”
    Joanna nodded, cheeks burning. “How long does it take to get a letter to him?” She followed Mom to her bedroom, where she took an already stamped and addressed envelope from a box on top of her dresser.
    Mom gave a tiny shrug. “It’s hard to know for certain, but it seems like somewhere between five and seven days.”
    â€œThat
long
?” Joanna cried.
    â€œIt will go by quickly, you’ll see.” Mom kissed Joanna’s forehead before returning to the bathroom to finish combing her hair. Joanna looked at the envelope in her hand and sighed. She had wasted so much time.
    Pamela was full of her uncle Zach that morning. Uncle Zach said this and Uncle Zach said that. “Uncle Zach told us that he was actually the brother who fell for Mom first, but that Daddy—his dashing older brother—swept her off her feet. Isn’t that romantic?”
    Joanna grinned. “Is Uncle Zach married?”
    Pamela laughed. “No. He says he’s still pining away for Mom.” She clapped a hand to her heart dramatically.
    Joanna was so interested in Pamela’s tales of romance that she nearly walked right past the mailbox on the corner. “Whoa!” she cried, and pulled Sam’s letter from her math book to poke it into the slot.
    â€œIs that a letter to Sam?” Pamela asked.
    â€œYep.”
    Pamela frowned. “I thought you promised you wouldn’t write to him.”
    â€œI know,” Joanna admitted. “But with all that’s going on with Cuba, well, I just have to.” She dropped the letter into the mailbox. Soon the postman would pick it up and it would be on its way to Sam.
    Joanna added, “He’s part of the quarantine. I just know it. He could be hurt and the last thing I said to him was so awful.” She gulped. “I needed to tell him I didn’t mean it. Besides, writing to him is the closest I can come to talking to him. And I really miss talking to him.”
    Pamela nodded. She understood.
    They stepped into the street and Pamela gestured at the small shop on the opposite corner. The sign out front said HILLYER’S GROCERIES, but everyone in the neighborhood just called it the corner store. “Remind me to buy milk on the way home, will you? We ran out at breakfast. Mom used the last of it to make French toast in honor ofUncle Zach. Did I tell you he climbs mountains for fun? And he’s traveled nearly everywhere—even Alaska!” And it was Uncle Zach, Uncle Zach, Uncle Zach the rest of the way to school.
    The playground was fuller and noisier than it had been the day before. Almost back to normal. Kids were playing jump rope and tag. Balls were flying back and forth. A cluster of sixth-grade boys were showing off their yo-yo tricks. It was a much nicer start to the day than yesterday’s frightened huddles.
    When Joanna arrived in her classroom, Carl and Billy were scuffling over a piece of paper. Theo swooped in and snatched it away from both of them just seconds before the bell. The looks of surprise on Carl’s and Billy’s faces made Joanna laugh. Theo heard and bowed as if to thank her.
    Joanna laughed again. She took a step toward him. This might be her chance to start a conversation about his horse, since it didn’t look like she would be going to the party. But at that very moment Sherry breezed past her. “Theo!” she cried. “I just heard you have a horse! That’s so cool. What’s his name?”
    Joanna stopped mid-step. Her stomach dipped and she gritted her teeth. If only she’d been faster! Now Sherry was the one Theo was beaming at and telling about his horse, Jasper. It wasn’t fair! Sherry couldn’t possibly love horses as much as Joanna did. But she would bet anythingit would be Sherry who got to ride Theo’s horse now, not her. More important, Sherry would be the one he danced with at the party. She’d be the one he’d be