German warplanes haven’t crossed the Atlantic Ocean yet, and we pray they never do.”Ĭharlotte nodded. “You both know it’s a precaution, don’t you? The school turns out the lights just in case-so it won’t look like a war factory from above and become a target like the steel mills are. She sat between Charlotte and Robbie at the table and took their hands in hers. “I’m sure they don’t plan on bombing schoolchildren, either,” Ma said. “Even those mean old Germans wouldn’t bomb cows.” “I wish we lived out in the country,” Robbie said. Like we’re really in trouble and it’s not just practice.” I know that should make me feel better, but instead I feel worse. The Cussick twins always pray during the drills. So had their mothers.Ĭharlotte didn’t want to be disloyal to her friend, but she couldn’t lie, either. She and Charlotte had been best friends forever.

“Did many kids get upset this time? Did Betsy?” Ma wore her serious look. She swirled the paint in the can with a wooden stick, making the white disappear into the darker colors. “Was the drill a bad one?”Ĭharlotte shrugged. “Why don’t you quit while you’re ahead, Robbie?” Ma said with a grin. Is that good enough?” He wrinkled his nose and Charlotte held back a laugh. Robbie raised a grubby hand, palm facing toward her. “Spit on your hand and swear then, buster,” Charlotte said. “But, Charlie, you promised,” Robbie protested. “You stop that right now, Robbie Campbell, or I won’t paint your dumb tugboat for you.” Phewie!” He waved his hand in front of his nose.Ĭharlotte pushed back from the kitchen table where she was mixing black, blue, and white paints in a can. And I got stuck sitting between two girls. “We had an air-raid drill,” Robbie interrupted. “The quiz was postponed,” Charlotte began. “How was school, honey? Did you do all right on that history quiz?” Ma stood at the kitchen sink, peeling vegetables for homemade soup. For Elena, for Rachel my daughters, my friends

North by Night by Katherine Ayres