Читать книгу Are We There Yet? - Дэвид Левитан, David Levithan, Рэйчел Кон - Страница 18

“SO THIS IS YOUR BROTHER?” PENELOPE WHISPERS, POINTING OVER Elijah’s shoulder. He doesn’t know why she is whispering. Then he turns and sees that Danny has fallen asleep on his tray table, the edge of his shoulder spotlighted by the overhead lamp.

“Do you think he needs a pillow?” Elijah asks.

“No. He’ll be all right.”

Elijah reaches over the armrest and presses the lightbulb button. Then he turns back to Penelope and asks her if she has any brothers or sisters. She has three sisters, one of whom is getting married in a matter of months.

“She’s older than me, thank God,” Penelope says with a sigh. “I have to wear this hideous dress. I told her – I said, ‘This dress is hideous.’ Her dress is gorgeous, by the way. Bridesmaids only exist to make the brides look good. I don’t care what anyone says. It’s not an honour. It’s a mockery.

“Her dress has a train. When I saw it, I just started to cry. Not because I’m not the one who’s getting married. I can handle that. But to see my sister in a white satin train – it was like we were playing dress-up again. She’d always let my mother’s dresses trail behind her. Of course, I’d jump on them and try to trip her up. And I was always the one who got in trouble for the footprints – it didn’t matter that the bottom was also covered with dust. Anyway – seeing her at the fitting, it struck me that I can’t jump on her dress any more. I can’t pull it over her head and show her underwear to the congregation. I can’t even tell her that it isn’t hers, that she has to put it back in the closet before our mother comes home. No, it’s hers. And it’s her.”

Penelope shakes her head.