Anastasia on Her Own Read Online Free PDF Page A

that you don't like—say, for example, they tell you that they want you to redo the gazelles—"
    "They won't. Those gazelles are perfect."
    "It's just an example, Mom. If they tell you that, you should say, 'Make my day.'"
    "'Make my day'?" Her mother made the same sort of face she had made about the glittering. "I don't understand what that means, even."
    Anastasia stood up. "Here, I'll show you. It's all in the inflection. It has to be casual, and bored, and sarcastic. You play the part of the film producer, okay? And I'll be you. Tell me I have to redo the gazelles."
    Her mother grinned and put down the shoes. She glanced around, picked up a ballpoint pen from the dresser, and clamped it between her teeth like a cigar. "Here's the thing, Ms. Krupnik," she said in a deep, harsh voice. "We're going to need a whole new set of gazelles here, something a little cuter, you get the idea?" She flicked some ashes from the imaginary cigar.
    Anastasia leaned in a casual, languid pose against the bedpost. She looked at her mother, the film producer, with a bored stare, her eyes half closed. In a low, sarcastic voice, she said, "Like, maaake my
daaay.
"
    Her mother dropped the ballpoint cigar and roared with laughter. "I love it," she said. "I
love
it, Ana-stasia." She picked the shoes back up and put them into the suitcase. "But I can't do it. It just isn't me."
    Anastasia flopped back down on the bed. She handed her mother some pantyhose that were waiting to be packed. She sighed. "Well," she said, "I just sincerely hope that you're not too humiliated out there."
    Sam dashed into the room, naked and giggling. He glanced over his shoulder and called, "You can't catch me!" He dropped to the floor and disappeared under his parents' bed.
    Dr. Krupnik appeared at the door with Sam's pajamas in his hand. "Where did he go?" he asked.
    Anastasia and her mother pointed under the bed. "He's going to need another whole bath, Myron," Mrs. Krupnik said. "There are a thousand dust balls under there. I forgot to vacuum yesterday, even though it was on the schedule."

    Sam's carpool driver honked in the driveway in the morning. Sam kissed his mother good-bye, pulled on his mittens, and trudged out through the snow to the car. Before he got in, he turned and waved cheerfully toward the kitchen window.
    "I've never been away from Sam before," said Mrs. Krupnik after she had waved back and the car had driven away. "What a strange feeling."
    "We'll take good care of him, Mom," Anastasia said.
    She sighed. "I know you will. It's all set with the nursery school. They'll keep him for lunch and for the afternoon session. He'll be home by three-thirty every day. Now you be sure to be here, Anastasia. They won't leave him at an empty house."
    "I will, Mom, I promise. It's going to ruin my social life for ten days. But I'll be home by three-thirty."
    A backfire sounded from the garage. Then another. Anastasia and her mother looked out the window and saw clouds of black smoke coming from the tail pipe of the car.
    "He'll have the car warmed up in a minute," Anastasia said. "Did he take your suitcase?"
    "It's in the trunk of the car." Mrs. Krupnik put on her coat. "Now, let's see; am I forgetting anything?"
    "Tickets?"
    "I'm picking them up at the airport."
    Anastasia looked around the kitchen. "We all forgot the breakfast dishes," she pointed out. "But I'll do them when I get home from school."
    "Right." Her mother pulled on her gloves, picked up her briefcase, and headed for the door. "You're in charge, Anastasia. I'll call you tomorrow night, just to make sure everything's okay."
    "It will be, Mom. I'm a very organized person, you know."
    "All right, then. I'm off." Her mother gave her a hug. Anastasia watched through the window as she got into the car, which jerked and bounced down the driveway toward the street. She kept waving until it was out of sight.
    Then Anastasia got into her ski jacket and hat. She collected her schoolbooks and was halfway down the