Crystal (Orphans 2)

mouthpiece and asked Karl and Thelma, telling them

what Bernie had to show me.

"As long as you don't stay out too late," Karl

said. Thelma just smiled.

"I'll be there as soon as I finish helping clean up

our dinner dishes," I told Bernie. He hung up without

saying good-bye.

"You don't have to help me," Thelma said. "It's

not much. Go on."

"Are you sure, Mom?"

"Of course."

I went to my room and got my light jacket.

When I started out, Thelma was at the door. "You're going to go look at cross sections of a

human heart?" she asked.

"That's what he says."

She shook her head. "I'm sure that's interesting.

Is he a good-looking boy?"

"He's all right," I said. "I'm really more

interested in the slides."

She tilted her head like a puppy when it hears a

totally confusing noise. Then she smiled, laughed, and

said, "Wouldn't it be something if you could see love

under a microscope, too? Then we'd know if someone

was really heartsick." She laughed again. "Have a

good time," she called back as she returned to the

kitchen.

I shook my head and laughed myself. It would be something if we could see feelings and know if

they were honest and true.

Then everyone would know if I really was more

interested in the slides.