Anna All Year Round (5 page)

"Charlie and I," Anna says with a smile. "Charlie and I will build the biggest and best ferris wheel in the world!"

As the day ends, the relatives gradually leave. Snow falls softly, whitening the city streets and sidewalks. Father lights the candles on the tree. He turns out the gas lights. He winds up the new Victrola and plays "
Stille Nacht
" for Mother. It's his last Christmas surprise, "Silent Night," sung in German.

Anna sits on the sofa between Mother and Father. Father sips a glass of dandelion wine. Mother eats a piece of chocolate from her favorite shop, Page & Shaw's.

Anna hugs her doll. "This is the best Christmas ever," she says.

"You say that every year," Mother says.

"And every year it's true," says Anna.

IT'S THE MIDDLE OF JANUARY. ANNA AND CHARLIE
are sitting on the parlor floor, building a tower with Anna's Erector set. They cannot make a ferris wheel because they do not have enough pieces. Santa didn't bring Charlie an Erector set. He brought him mittens, socks, a scarf, and a warm hat instead. Charlie's mother says Santa knows what's best for Charlie but Charlie isn't so sure of that.

"Santa didn't bring me an Erector set, either," Anna reminds Charlie. "My uncles and aunts gave it to me."

"Maybe Santa ran out of Erector sets," Charlie says glumly.

"That must be it," Anna agrees. "Santa's elves couldn't make enough for everyone this year. You'll get your set next Christmas."

Anna and Charlie work quietly for a while. Then Charlie says, "Your birthday is next week. Are you having a party?"

Anna shakes her head. She has pestered Mother for days but it has done no good. Mother will not say yes to a party.

Charlie looks as disappointed as Anna feels. "That's too bad," he says. "I heard Rosa tell Beatrice it's your turn to have a party. She says she won't invite you to her party next year if you don't invite her to a party at your house this year."

Anna frowns at Charlie. "That's not fair," she says. "It's not my fault Mother won't let me have a party."

"Don't get cross with me," Charlie says. "I'm just telling you what Rosa says."

"Rosa is a boring, stuck-up snob," Anna says. "I don't care if she never invites me to another party. In fact, I won't go, not even if she gets down on her knees and begs me."

Charlie agrees. "I won't go either. Rosa might kiss me again." He makes a face.

Anna giggles, but she hopes Charlie doesn't feel the same way about kissing her.

After Charlie leaves, Anna puts away her Erector set and goes to the kitchen to find Mother. "Rosa won't invite me to her birthday party if I don't invite her to my birthday party," she tells Mother.

"That's just as well," Mother says. "We won't have to buy her any more presents."

"But, Mother—"

"Anna, I've told you over and over again that you cannot have a party. If you ask once more, Father and I won't celebrate your birthday at all. There will be no gifts for you. No cake. No ice cream."

Anna knows Mother means every word. Feeling sad, she goes to the parlor and sits in Father's chair, her favorite thinking place. While Mother moves around the kitchen preparing supper, Anna stares out the window. The winter day is ending. Across the street, the housetops and chimneys are black against the sunset. They look as if they've been cut from paper and pasted onto the sky.

Slowly an idea forms in Anna's head. Mother will be very cross, but Anna doesn't care. She must have a birthday party. She absolutely must.

The next day Anna has a piano lesson at Madame Wehman's house. When it's over, she walks down North Avenue to the five-and-dime and buys a small box of pretty stationery. It costs her five cents, half of the dime Father gives her every Saturday for spending money.

That night before she goes to bed, Anna writes a note to each child on her block. At school, she hands one to Charlie, Wally, Patrick, Beatrice, and Rosa.

On the way home, Charlie reads his note out loud:

Dear Charlie,

You are invited to a birthday party at my home on January 20. Come after school. Do not dress up. We will play outside.

Sincerely yours,
Anna E. Sherwood

"A birthday party," Charlie says. "Hurrah for you, Anna!"

Anna smiles but her insides feel cold. Her birthday is only a few days away. She doesn't know what Mother will say when her friends arrive. What will she do about cake? How will she get ice cream?

***

The afternoon before her birthday, Anna asks mother if she can help bake the cake. "I want a big cake this year," she says, "with lots and lots of thick, sweet icing. And gallons of strawberry ice cream."

Mother shakes her head. "The cake is always a surprise, Anna. After dinner tomorrow night, you'll see what I've baked."

"But, Mother—"

Mother frowns. "When will you learn that no means no, Anna? Not yes, not maybe, but NO."

"Will you make a big cake?" Anna persists. "And can we have strawberry ice cream with it?"

"Don't worry," Mother says. "There will be plenty of cake for the three of us."

"I'll pick up strawberry ice cream on my way home tomorrow," Father says. "A pint should do nicely."

That night Anna has trouble sleeping. What if the cake is too small for six children? What if Father doesn't bring the ice cream home in time? What if a pint isn't enough?

The party is beginning to remind Anna of one of Miss Levine's arithmetic problems. Perhaps she should tell her friends that the party has been canceled.

But when Anna arrives at school, everyone is smiling secret smiles and whispering about the packages in their coat pockets. It's too late to cancel the party.

After school, Anna runs home. Mother and Aunt May are at the kitchen table as usual. Anna hears Aunt May say, "Henry came home late again last night. We had a rip-snorting argument."

Usually Anna would lurk in the hall and listen, but not today. She goes into the parlor and peeks out the window. Rosa and Beatrice are coming down the hill toward her house. Charlie is running across the street. Patrick and Wally are with him. They are all carrying presents.

A moment later, the doorbell chimes. Anna hurries to open the door.

"Happy birthday, Anna!" says Charlie.

"Yes, happy birthday!" Rosa adds.

Anna's friends spill through the front door and fill the hall. "Happy birthday," they shout. "Happy birthday!"

Mother and Aunt May come to the kitchen door and gasp at the sight of the children.

"Anna," Mother says. "
Was ist das?
"

Mother is so startled that she has forgotten to speak English, but Anna knows what she means. "It's a surprise party," Anna says. "For me. For my birthday!"

"Anna, Anna!" Aunt May begins to laugh. "
Ach, mein kluges Liebling!
A surprise party indeed!"

Mother does not laugh. She stares at Anna. The children stare at Anna, too. No one speaks. The only sound is the hall clock ticking.

Anna's eyes fill with tears. She has made a horrible mistake. Mother will never forgive her for this clever little surprise. Nobody will invite Anna to another birthday party as long as she lives. She is disgraced.

Suddenly Aunt May steps forward. "Rosa," she says, "and Beatrice. How nice to see you." She turns to the boys. "Thank you for coming, Charlie, Wally, and Patrick."

Suddenly everything is all right. Rosa smoothes her curls and smiles at Charlie. Beatrice giggles. Wally pokes Patrick. Patrick pokes Wally. Charlie shows everyone the tower he and Anna have almost finished building on the parlor floor.

In the meantime, Aunt May pulls Mother into the kitchen. Anna hears them whispering in German. "
Das Eis,
" Mother says. "
Der Kuchen.
"

Aunt May tells Mother not to worry. She comes back to the parlor and asks Anna, "Why don't you take your friends outside to play?"

Wally scowls. "If we play spin-the-bottle, I'm going home!"

"No spin-the-bottle," Anna promises, though secretly she'd love for Charlie to kiss her again. "Red-rover," she adds. "And Mother, May I. That's what we'll play.'"

Anna leads the children outside. Rosa and Beatrice are wearing their best dresses even though Anna told them not to, but the boys are wearing their play clothes.

"It's too cold to play outdoors," Rosa says, but she joins the others just the same. She doesn't want to be left out.

While the children are playing, Anna sees Aunt May scoot down the hill toward the shops on North Avenue. When she comes back, she's carrying a quart of ice cream and a big white box from Leidig's Bakery.

Anna begins to enjoy herself. It looks like she's going to have a real party after all, complete with presents, cake, and ice cream.

Soon Mother calls the children inside. A white cake sits on the dining-room table. Nine candles are stuck in the thick, sugary icing. There is plenty of strawberry ice cream.

"
Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Geburtstag,
Anna!" Aunt May says.

"Yes," says Mother. "Happy birthday, Anna!"

"Blow out the candles and make a wish,
Liebling,
" says Aunt May.

Anna leans across the table, takes a deep breath, and blows as hard as she can. The candles flicker and go out.

As the children sing "Happy Birthday," Anna glances at Mother and smiles.

Mother meets Anna's eyes and hesitates a moment. A frown lurks in the corners of her mouth. Aunt May pats Mother's hand and whispers in her ear. To Anna's relief, Mother gives her a small smile. Anna hopes this means her wish that Mother isn't cross with her has come true.

After the children have eaten all the cake they want, they troop into the parlor to watch Anna open her presents. Rosa gives her a lacy handkerchief and Beatrice gives her a bar of scented soap. Wally gives her a drawing tablet, and Patrick gives her a bag of peppermint candy.

Last of all, Anna opens Charlie's gift. It's a tiny china dog. "He's a watchdog," Charlie explains. "He can guard our tower."

Anna smiles and puts the little dog in front of the tower. It's her favorite present, but Anna is too polite to say so. She thanks everyone, especially Charlie, and says good-bye to her guests.

Now Anna must face Mother and Aunt May. She goes to the kitchen and puts her arms around Mother. "I'm sorry," she whispers. "Please don't be angry with me."

"Anna, you embarrassed me today," Mother says. "You disobeyed me, too. I said you could not have a party and yet you went right ahead and invited those children without telling me. That was very wrong."

"Now, now, Lizzie," Aunt May says. "I admit Anna was naughty, but no harm's done."

Mother frowns at her sister. "Suppose you hadn't been here, May?" she asks. "How would I have gotten the cake and ice cream? I spent my grocery money yesterday."

Aunt May hugs Mother. "That's what sisters are for, Lizzie. To help each other. Someday you'll do the same for me."

Mother sighs and goes to the pantry. She comes back with a beautiful little cake, trimmed with pink and yellow flowers. On top Mother has written, "Happy Birthday, Anna." It's much prettier than the plain cake from the bakery but not nearly big enough for six children.

"This was to be Anna's birthday cake," Mother says. "Take it home with you, May, and surprise Henry with it. Anna has had enough cake for one day. And enough surprises, too."

Anna opens her mouth to protest but then shuts it. Now is not the time to complain.

"But what about Ira?" Aunt May asks. "He must be expecting cake for dessert."

"Ira will understand," Mother says.

Now Anna feels even worse. Because of her, poor Father won't have cake tonight.

After Aunt May leaves, Mother sends Anna to her room. Anna takes Charlie's little dog with her but she feels too bad to play with him. Instead she lies on her bed and waits for Father to come home. When she hears him at the front door, calling hello, she begins to cry. If this is how nine is going to be, she wishes she were still eight.

After a while Anna hears Father coming up the stairs. He taps on Anna's door, and she tells him to come in.

"I hear you had a party today," Father says. "A surprise party."

Anna walks the little china dog up and down her arm. She's too embarrassed to look at Father. "I'm sorry," she whispers. "Mother gave my cake to Aunt May. Uncle Henry will have it for his dessert. And you won't have any." A tear splashes down on Anna's dress.

"Who needs cake?" Father asks. "I don't want to get fat, you know."

Since Father is just as skinny as Anna, she knows he's joking to make her feel better. She puts her arms around his neck and hugs him. Because he's just come in from outside, he's still wearing the soft scarf Anna gave him for Christmas.

"Happy ninth birthday, Anna," Father says. "And many, many more to come."

IT IS MARCH. THE DAYS ARE LONGER NOW. AND
warmer.

Every day after school, Anna and Charlie put on their roller skates and head for the hill on Walbrook Avenue. Even though it's not very steep, Anna is the only girl who dares to skate all the way to the bottom. With Charlie beside her, Anna bumps over the paving stones, faster and faster. The wind blows in her face, and her skates go clickety-clack, clickety-clack like the wheels of a train.