Megan Stine_Jeffery & the Third-Grade Ghost 03 by Christmas Visitors

Author:Christmas Visitors
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Body, Christmas & Advent, Juvenile Fiction, Christmas Stories, Fiction, Religion, Horror & Ghost Stories, Supernatural, Mind & Spirit, Best Friends, Ghosts, Holidays, Christmas
ISBN: 9780449903285
Publisher: Random House Digital, Inc.
Published: 1988-10-22T05:00:00+00:00

Jonathan laughed as Jeffrey went with his father.

“Jeffrey, three things to remember,” Mr. Becker said. “First, Wendy and Jonathan are our guests, so no more sarcastic remarks. Second, the Alamo. Third, if you try, you might actually have fun with your cousins this week.”

Reluctantly, Jeffrey promised to try to get along with Jonathan. Then he walked back to his room.

When dinnertime came that night, Jeffrey hid in his room. He could hear Jonathan downstairs whining like a broken record. Jonathan kept saying over and over, “That’s not how we do it at Christmas.” But suddenly his whining voice was replaced by slow, quiet music. It came from the piano in the family room.

The melody was so beautiful and sad that it drew Jeffrey downstairs. Mr. and Mrs. Becker came out of the kitchen, too. They all found Wendy sitting at the piano. She swayed back and forth a little as she played. When she was done and the last long note died away, Mr. Becker said, “That was beautiful.”

“No way,” Wendy said. “Your piano’s out of tune a quarter tone in the midrange. It made my teeth clench.”

Mrs. Becker ignored the insult. “Dinner is ready,” she said pleasantly.

All through dinner, Jeffrey’s mom had a faraway look on her face. Finally, she told him what she was thinking. “Jeffrey,” she said, “I really wish you had stuck to your piano lessons. I’d give anything for you to be able to play as wonderfully as Wendy.”

“I will, Mom,” he said. “But not when I’m a kid. Everyone does that. I’m going to learn to play when I’m ninety years old. That’s when people will really be surprised.”

“Oh, gross, Jeffrey,” Wendy said. “Don’t eat your potato puffs with your fingers. It’s not good manners.”

Jeffrey looked at his hand and then at the potato puff in it. His parents and Wendy were looking at him. Jonathan laughed his big horse laugh. Jeffrey felt like a criminal who had been caught red-handed.

“Well, tomorrow’s going to be a fun day,” said Mr. Becker, trying to change the subject. “We’ve got to buy our Christmas tree and decorate it—”

“You mean you decorate your tree before Christmas Eve?” Wendy interrupted. She and her brother looked at each other in surprise.

“What do you do?” Jeffrey asked. “Build a little Christmas tree house in it?”

“We wait until it’s Christmas Eve to decorate our tree,” Wendy said.

“And at midnight we give each other one present,” Jonathan added.

“And then we have turkey for dinner the next day,” Wendy went on. “But my mom said you won’t have turkey. You always have roast beef.” She dropped her fork loudly on her plate. “Why do we have to do everything your way?”

Jeffrey’s parents didn’t have an answer ready.

Jonathan noisily scooted his chair back and left the table. “This Christmas is going to be no fun at all,” he grumbled on his way out of the dining room.

“Well,” Jeffrey said to Wendy, “for once your brother and I agree. This Christmas is no fun at all!”

With that, Jeffrey scooted out his chair and stomped out of the room, too.

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