Almost Zero Read Free

put that big brain of hers to work to figure away out of her problem.
There has to be a way to get my clothes back,
thought Dyamonde. By the time she reached her front door, she had a plan.
    Dyamonde was careful to be quiet as a mouse that evening. She did all her homework without complaining even once. When she was finished, she cleared her books away without being told and set the table for dinner. She put extra ice in her mom’s glass and poured Mrs. Daniel’s favorite diet soda. For herself she poured milk, like she was supposed to, instead of whiningabout wanting soda too, which is what she usually did.
    After dinner, she cleared the dishes and scrubbed them until they were squeaky clean.
    When Mrs. Daniel went to the living room to watch TV, Dyamonde ran ahead, grabbed the remote control and put it in her mother’s hand. The minute her mom seemed settled comfortably, Dyamonde cleared her throat.
    “Mommy,” said Dyamonde—she never called her mother “Mommy” unless she wanted something—“Mommy, I was wondering.Could I have my clothes back now, please?”
    “I’m sorry, honey,” said her mom, pressing the channel changer on the remote. “What did you say?”
    Dyamonde took a deep breath and tried again, using a voice sweeter than corn bread.
    “I was wondering if I could have my clothes back now,” said Dyamonde.
    “Oh!” said Mrs. Daniel. “But I thought you understood. You already have all the clothes you need.”
    Dyamonde’s smile slid sideways, melting quicker than a snowflake.
    “But the clothes I have are all
dirty,
” said Dyamonde, beginning to whine.
    “Well, then,” said her mom, looking up from the television, “I guess you’d better wash them. But you should do it soon, because it’s almost your bedtime.”
    Dyamonde ground her teeth and made a sound halfway between a growl and a scream.
    Her mom turned back to the television, and Dyamonde stomped off to the bathroom.
    “Don’t pour too much detergent in the sink,” warned hermother. “I don’t want bubbles all over my bathroom floor.”
    Dyamonde slammed the door, ripped off her clothes and filled the sink to the brim. She poured in half a cup of soap powder and stuffed her shirt, panties and socks into the water to soak.
    While Dyamonde waited for the soap to do its job, she stomped into the living room, stark naked, and stood there in the middle of the floor, daring her mom to say something.
    “Sit down,” said Mrs. Daniel. “You’re blocking my view.”
    “Uhhhhh!”
What’s the use?
thought Dyamonde. She glared at her mother and marched right back into the bathroom.
    Dyamonde scrubbed her clothes until she thought they must be clean. Then she rinsed them out and hung them on a dryer rack in the bathtub. If they were still damp in the morning, she could always go to the basement laundry and toss them in the dryer.
    She found herself yawning, more tired than she’d felt in a long time. She padded to the closet, got her pajamas and slipped them on.Her mom switched off the television and went to her bedroom.
    “Good night, Dyamonde,” she said. But Dyamonde didn’t answer. She just pulled out the sofa bed and crawled under the covers.

5. Suddenly Small
    In class on Thursday, Dyamonde slumped down in her seat, trying her best to be invisible. She sat up straight, though, when the principal ducked into the room and handed Mrs. Cordell a piece of paper.
    The teacher’s eyes raced across the note in her hand. When shereached the bottom of the page, she gave a little gasp and shook her head from side to side.
    What is it?
Dyamonde wondered.
    “Class,” said Mrs. Cordell, looking up now. “Some of you may have noticed that Isabel isn’t here today. Last night, there was a terrible fire in the apartment house where her family lives, and their apartment was destroyed. Everyone got out safely, thank God, but the family lost everything they owned. When Isabel comes back to school next week, I want you all to be