The Braid Girls by Sherri Winston

Author:Sherri Winston [WINSTON, SHERRI]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published: 2023-06-13T00:00:00+00:00

“Your brothers have gotten so big!” Maggie says on Saturday afternoon. She and Callie come over to our townhouse. And they’ve brought Taz along, too.

“I know, right?” I say. We’ve taken over the living room and dining room. Believe it or not, Kiki likes having the boys over. It isn’t the first time I’ve done their hair or earned babysitting money from watching them. But it has been a while since the twins were here.

At least I’ve pulled myself together. I have to get my mind right. Ballerinas have to be steel butterflies—graceful, light on their feet, but strong and tough.

My brothers and Taz are playing a video game. We are helping Kiki clean up after the chili she served.

Maggie dries her hands and drapes an arm around my shoulders. “You’re a good big sister, Daija Ryan,” she says. She leans in, resting the side of her forehead against mine.

“Aw, shucks!” I reply.

Callie smiles. “You two are silly, but Maggie is right, Daija. That was really nice of you, helping him out like that. Your dad, I mean.”

I feel a whole lot better than I felt last night. Me, Callie, and Maggie go into our tiny backyard, and Kiki sends the boys outside, too.

“Let’s play Safari,” Taz says. “My granny is going to Africa.”

“I know how to walk like an elephant,” Justin says.

“Lions are my favorite. Grrrr-owww!” says Jayden.

The three of them run around being wild beasts. Maggie says, “They remind me of that book I used to love so much, Where the Wild Things Are.”

“Oh my goodness!” exclaims Callie. “I loved that book, too!”

We go on like that, chitchatting about books and stuff. We have a portable speaker set up to a streaming radio service and when Callie hears Anais singing, she gets all starry-eyed.

“You’re a trip, you know that?” I say to Callie, but I smile.

“How did your session go with the tutor?” she asks.

“I can tell I’m improving. Miss Honey says so, too. It’s just… I don’t know. I get nervous, which makes me wobble. And nobody got time for a wobbly ballerina!”

“My old teacher used to say pointe work was ninety percent mental,” says Callie.

“Miss Honey said the same thing!”

Kiki sticks her head out the patio door. “Boys, come get your stuff. Your dad is here.” We all tromp back inside, helping the boys gather their things.

Out of the blue, Callie turns to my dad and says, “Mr. Ryan, Daija is an amazing dancer. You must be very proud of her.”

It’s so embarrassing I want to shake her!

My breath catches in my chest and I go still. My father, wearing one of his casual suits—Kiki used to make fun of him for wearing suits all the time—looks from Callie to me, then back to Callie.

“Of course. I know my daughter is very talented. And a hard worker. I know she’ll make an excellent ballet dancer or whatever she puts her mind to.”

His tone is businesslike, but he smiles at us and I feel myself exhale. Maybe he does notice me.

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