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started to read: “Kendra couldn’t wait. She peeked out from under her red blanket—”
    â€œNurse Jim read that one yesterday!” A Thumbalina-sized girl sitting on the bed across from Ebony blasted that news. She had short, reddish hair braided in a pattern that looked like the lines on a soccer ball.

    â€œOh. I didn’t know that, Loren. Um….” My mind raced.
    See? Told you you’ d flop.
    I twisted one of my locks and chewed my bottom lip. I tried to think of what to do next. My mother had only given me two books.
    Maybe I better go ask her for more.
    You are such a baby! You can’ t even get through the first few minutes without Mama!
    â€œWell, I wasn’t here yesterday, Loren!” A skinny girl said that. Over a dozen teeny braids were caught in shiny yellow and red baubles that decorated her hair as if it was a gumball garden. “I want to hear about the surprise party, too.”
    I was glad to know that, thanks to Shantay, the problem was over.
    â€œOkay, girls. I think Shantay’s the tie breaker.”
    â€œWhat’s that mean?” asked Loren.
    â€œThe party wins.”
    â€œGoody!” yelped Ebony.
    â€œAw man !” moaned Loren.
    â€œSorry, Loren. I’ll read the other book next, okay?”
    Loren’s lip poked out. “Okay.”
    I started to read again:, “Kendra couldn’t wait.
She peeked out from under her red blanket—”
    â€œHey, girls! Sorry for interrupting, but it’s time to check your glucose levels.”
    I looked up.
    Mama breezed into the room in dark blue pants and a midnight blue smock that had galaxies glowing and swirling all over it. She carried a tray of medical stuff.
    I slumped back in my chair, frustrated. Just when I was getting to work, I had to stop.
    â€œDang!” said Ebony. “Nurse Alima, we was just getting our story!”
    Yeah, dang.
    â€œHey, Mama,” I muttered, waving a blasé hand when she brushed passed me.
    She headed toward Loren’s bed. “Sorry, girls. I’ll be as quick as I can. Taneesha, how’re things going in here?”
    â€œGood. Like Ebony said, we were just about to read .”
    I wanted Mama to go away. I was ready to get down to business. With her in the room, I didn’t feel so on top of everything anymore.
    â€œOkay. I hear you. I’ll be out of your way in a minute. Promise.

    â€œWith diabetes we have to make sure glucose levels aren’t too high or too low.” Mama stood over Loren. “Glucose is sugar, Taneesha. If you’ve got too much or too little in your blood—”
    â€œYou can faint or die,” Shantay blurted out, matter-of-factly.
    Her words shocked me. The girls seemed fine. I’d almost forgotten they were patients in a hospital. It was hard to imagine that any one of them was really sick.
    â€œNow Shantay,” Mama said, fluffing Loren’s pillow, “none of you need to worry about that. You’re in good hands here. As long as you do what your doctors and parents say, you’ll be fine. You just had a few complications—some problems we need to look into—but we’re taking good care of you.”
    I felt better hearing Mama say that. But I also worried about those girls.
    I watched Mama hold the end of a thing that looked like a fat white pen without a point to Loren’s fingertip. A speck of blood appeared on Loren’s finger.
    Ouch!
    I was surprised that little girl didn’t shout
herself.
    â€œTaneesha, this is a glucose meter. It reads bloodsugar levels.”
    The new thing Mama held looked like a cell phone without a key pad.
    â€œOh.”
    â€œOkay, Ms. Loren, you just need to take your insulin and you’re good to go. Taneesha, insulin helps keep the right amount of glucose in your blood. It also helps your body use sugar correctly.”
    â€œWhere’s it come from?”
    â€œInsulin? Your body makes it. But