so that we can make our French fries for the party tomorrow.
Mrs. Jokobeck makes Addie go upstairs to change into some cooking clothes. That is because cooking is very messy.
I am already changed into my cooking clothes, and those are my play jeans with a big sweatshirt that used to be Kaitlyn’s. It says “I heart NY” on the front of it.
And while I am sitting in Addie’s living room, waiting very patient and quietly, Maybelle decides to show up. This time, she is wearing a fancy green dress and green tights.
“Those are very beautiful green tights,” I say. “You look just like a beautiful princess.”
“Thank you.” Maybelle flies around the living room. “I took them off a doll in room five while everyone was at recess.” And then I notice something else.
“Maybelle!” I gasp. “You got your hair done up!” Maybelle’s hair is now in flowing curls and ringlets all around her shoulders. It looks very gorgeous.
“Yes,” she says. “Do you love it?”
“I love it,” I say. “You look very pretty.” I reach up and touch my own hair. I think maybe someday soon I might need to get my hair done. And maybe a princess dress like Maybelle is wearing. But mine will be light blue. And I will also have a beautiful sparkly tiara.
“I did it all by myself,” she says. “And let me tell you, it is not easy to curl the back of your hair without looking.”
“Wow.” I jump off of Addie’s couch and head over to get a better look at that wonderful new hairdo. “Maybelle,” I say, “I think maybe you should be a fancy hairdresser instead of a magic sprite.”
“LOOK!” Addie Jokobeck yells. She is all of a sudden in the room. Maybelle screams because she is so surprised to see Addie. “ME AND YOU ARE TWINS!” And Addie Jokobeck is wearing a shirt that says “I heart NY” just like my sweatshirt!
I decide I like being twins with Addie Jokobeck.
When we go into the kitchen, I find out that Addie Jokobeck’s dad is very, very fun and funny. He pulls a big chef’s hat out of a drawer. And then he pretends that he is a French chef.
“Why, hello, mademoiselles ,” he says. Mademoiselle is French for “Miss.” I like being called “Miss.” That is what the lady at the library always calls me when I check out books.
Addie Jokobeck’s dad also puts on a fake black mustache! It is all furry and has a sticky back that sticks right to your skin! And he has one for me and one for Addie Jokobeck, too.
“We should all pick out French names,” he tells us.
“I will be Mademoiselle Hailey,” I say.
“That name is not French,” Maybelle says. She puts her nose up, up, up in the air. “That is just your own name with ‘Miss’ in front of it.”
“I don’t care,” I say.
“You don’t care about what?” Addie asks. Me and Addie are scrubbing some potatoes in a big pot of water. Scrub, scrub, scrub.
“Um,” I say. “I don’t care that I am going to get my fingernails all dirty from scrubbing these potatoes!” I drop one potato into the pot, and some of the water splashes up on my face. I laugh and wipe my face off with the sleeve of my sweatshirt.
“How are those potatoes coming?” Mr. Jokobeck asks. He twirls his fake mustache around his finger. “Are they almost ready to be cut?”
“Yes,” Addie and I say. Then Addie and I watch while Mr. Jokobeck cuts up the French fries in a special slicer. He puts them into the fryer, and they come out all golden and crispy. Addie and I use big salt and pepper shakers to sprink, sprink, sprinkle them all up.
And then we each get to eat some! I put lots of ketchup on mine, and drag them in a line all over the plate.
“Look, Addie,” I say, “these are our French fries and we are dragging them through a bloodbath!”
“And now I am eating the bloodbath!” And then Addie Jokobeck takes a whole handful of French fries and ketchup and shoves it right in her mouth! And ketchup and salt is all over her mouth and even dripping