brain.â
âYeah,â Harry said. âToo bad he isnât handing out those invitations. I love weddings. Theyâre fun.â
âThey are? Iâve never been to one.â
âYou have never been to a wedding, Doug?â
âNope,â I said, shaking my head. âBut I saw one on TV and one in a movie.â
âThatâs not the same thing as being there. Weâve got to do something about this.â
When Harry spotted Song Lee walking up the street, he suddenly snapped his fingers. âThatâs it! And doing it on Valentineâs Day would be perfect!â
âDoing ... what?â
âYouâll see, Doug.â Then he flashed his big toothy smile. âFirst, I have to pick up a few things at the party store, and then I need to borrow some of Momâs red fingernail polish.â
What was Harry up to? I couldnât wait to find out!
Big Wedding Plans
Â
Â
Â
Â
H arry came to school the next morning with a special homemade valentine. There was a big heart painted on it with red fingernail polish.
âIâm asking Song Lee today,â he said as he walked into class.
âAsking her what?â I whispered.
âYouâll see.â
Harry sat there holding his valentine while Miss Mackle was reading Pinocchio. He was so interested in todayâs episode that he didnât pass the card. Finally, the teacher stopped readingâright where the serpent laughs so loud he bursts a blood vessel.
âEeyew, gross,â I said.
âEeyew, neat-o,â Harry replied. Then he turned and handed me the valentine. âPass this to Song Lee,â he whispered.
At last! I thought. Now I could find out what Harry was up to. Quickly I read the message on the card.
Twice. I couldnât believe it the first time.
Harry wanted to marry Song Lee!
A few minutes later, a note came back. I decided not to unfold it. Song Leeâs answer was private. Besides, I figured I could tell what Song Lee said just by watching Harry when he read the note.
But I couldnât.
Harry didnât blink while he was reading it. He didnât put his head down on his desk and he didnât smile. He just looked at the clock.
What did Song Lee say?
I didnât find out until lunch recess. Harry rounded up me and Sidney, and then we found Song Lee playing hop-scotch with Ida and Mary by the dumpster. Harry said it was okay for Mary and Ida to listen too.
âSong Lee,â he said. âDo you want to get married on Valentineâs Day?â
âOhh!â Mary sighed. âHow romantic!â
âHarry,â Song Lee said, âI tell you in my note. We are not grown-up. My aunt get married last summer but she was twenty-two. I am just seven and a half now.â
Harry shrugged. âSo? Iâm eight and Iâve been to three weddings. We could have our own ceremony, ourselves!â
âWe could?â Song Lee replied.
âSure,â Harry said. âI just have to check with Sidney on a few details. How was that wedding rehearsal last night?â
Everyone stared at Sidney.
âWhose wedding rehearsal?â Mary asked.
Sidney kicked a piece of chalk on the blacktop. âMy momâs,â he grumbled.
âYOUR MOTHER IS GETTING MARRIED?â
Sidney groaned. âUnfortunately.â
âThatâs so exciting!â Mary exclaimed. âWhat do you do in the wedding?â
âIâm the ring bearer. I carry the ring down the aisle on a little pillow and then I stand near the minister.â
âThatâs neat,â Ida replied.
âHey, Sid,â Harry said. âCan you remember some of the words your minister says and say them for Song Lee and me?â
Sidney shrugged. âIf you want me to, I guess I can.â
Everyone looked at Mary. She was usually the one who organized things.
âI couldnât be the minister,â Mary said. âIâve never
Anna Badkhen
Loveand the Single Heiress
Brandon Zenner
Jennifer Crusie
Karen Marie Moning
Glenn Bullion
Kendra Ashe
Hallee A. Bridgeman
Claire Cameron
T. Kingfisher