by Manfred Koehler

Desiree stared at the back of the bus driver’s head. She desperately wished he’d go faster. Her friend Katie sat next to her, talking 90 miles an hour about who-knows-what.

Why can’t the bus go that fast? Desiree wondered. Another red light, and the bus stopped. She wasn’t going to make it. Calvin, her computer-hog brother, was going to beat her home . . . again. Desiree shook her head.

"You don’t care about Cindy’s chatroom?" Katie asked, her voice louder than normal.

Desiree turned. "What do you mean?"

"You were just shaking your head!" Katie gasped in total disbelief. "Cindy will have everyone in her chatroom tonight."

Desiree blinked. She’d forgotten all about it.

"What time?" Desiree asked.

"Six o’clock. You logging on or not?"

Desiree nodded absently. Her stomach was in knots. Calvin didn’t have to go to bed until 8 p.m. The bus moved again. Katie resumed chatting with herself. And Desiree prayed the driver wouldn’t hit another red light.

When the bus reached her stop, Desiree flew out the door. In the distance, a runty kid with a backpack had almost reached the driveway of her house.

It seemed hopeless, but Desiree ran. He may beat me to the house, she thought, but he’ll want his cinnamon toast and milk first.

The race was on. The finish line was the computer room.

Trick or Toast

Bursting into the kitchen, she almost knocked someone over.

"Sorry, Mom," Desiree blurted. Then she noticed the cinnamon toast and milk in her mother’s hands.

"Careful, Darling. What’s the rush?" Her mother gazed at the blop of milk on the floor.

"Lots to do," Desiree muttered. "I’ll clean it up."

Her mother smiled. Then she turned toward the stairs.

"Is that for Calvin?" Desiree asked.

"It’s not for me. You’ll have to get some for yourself, though. I have to hurry to the library."

"Let me take it to him," Desiree offered. She had a plan.

Her mother squinted, a question on her lips. But the question went unspoken. She handed the food to her daughter. "Don’t forget the rules. I don’t want you two fighting over that computer."

Desiree nodded. Then she smiled as her mother headed outside. She’d play according to the rules all right.

Opening the computer room door, Desiree already knew what she’d see. Her blond-haired brother wearing a bicycle helmet, throttling a joystick and sticking out his tongue.

Sure enough, there he was. The monitor reflected off his glasses. Machine gun noises filled the room.

Calvin knew the rules, too. First one to the computer room wins. Second one waits until the first leaves. Any fights and the computer goes off for a week.

Desiree forced herself to sound casual. "There’s milk and toast in the kitchen for you."

Calvin played on.

Desiree walked a little closer, fighting her emotions. "Cal, Mom’s made cinnamon toast for you."

Still no response.

Desiree pressed her nose against Calvin’s helmet, just above his ear. "Hey, Buddy! Milk and toast! Kitchen table! Get going before I eat it myself!"

She stepped back. The machine guns stopped, replaced by the sound of a crashing biplane.

Calvin tore off his helmet. "You wrecked my high score!"

Closing the door, Desiree covered her mouth and snickered all the way to her room. Once inside, she left her door open. She picked up her Bible, but kept one eye on the computer room.

Half an hour later, Desiree had read Psalm 51 three times. Not a word of it had registered. Her mind was too anxious. What a hog! Calvin always got to the computer first. Then he stayed until Mom forced him to bed.

The door opened. Desiree hid behind her Bible. She heard a hungry Calvin step into the hall.

Desiree could feel him looking her direction.

She concentrated on Psalm 51. The phrase cleanse me from my sin stood out. She closed her eyes. The word sin wasn’t something she wanted to think about right now.

Desiree peered over her Bible as Calvin crept down the stairs. He looked back once, but she saw it coming. Desiree lifted her Bible and kept pretending to read. For I know my transgressions . . .

She wasn’t interested in her transgressions either. Desiree waited until she was sure Calvin was in the kitchen.

Enemy Territory

Calvin stood at the door. A glass of milk and plate of toast hung in his hands. A pout covered his face.

"Sorry, Man. You know the rules. The computer is mine now."

"But I just went to get my toast." Calvin spoke softly.

"Yeah, well, life’s hard." Desiree logged into Cindy’s chatroom, hoping to find a few early arrivals.

"You were on all last night, Des." Calvin’s voice was barely a whisper. "You wouldn’t even give me 15 minutes before bed."

"I feel bad, Guy. But we both know the rules, right?"

No one was in Cindy’s chatroom. She’d hang out listening to Twila Paris until someone showed. Desiree could hear the same music on her CD player, but that would leave the computer to Calvin.

Calvin looked like he was going to cry, but he left without a word.

So long. Desiree got up to close the door. Try your luck again tomorrow.

Tired of Twila Paris, Desiree was about to play some Michael Card when the doorbell rang. She glanced at her watch: 5:36 p.m. Someone should show in Cindy’s chatroom soon.

A loud knock on the door made her jump.

"Katie wants to see you!"

Desiree groaned. This was just the excuse Calvin needed to take back the computer room.

"Tell her to come on up."

No response.

Desiree blew at her bangs. Getting up, she opened the door. Calvin was nowhere to be seen. Peering around, Desiree ran down the stairs, two at a time. If she was quick, Calvin would miss his chance.

Reaching the hallway, she looked around for Calvin. All Desiree saw was the front door. Closed.

That’s strange, she thought. Opening the door, she saw no one. Stepping outside, she looked down the street. Nothing.

Calvin.

Desiree dashed up the stairs. She slowed long enough to get by her mother without raising a fuss. One fight, and the computer would be off. Not tonight. She couldn’t afford that.

"You little liar." Desiree spoke through gritted teeth.

Calvin jostled the joystick into a steep dive, machine guns blasting. His goofy helmet was on backward.

"Aren’t you a Christian, Cal?" Desiree’s hands were on her hips. Calvin kept shooting, his tongue moving with the joystick. In her best big-sister voice, Desiree continued, "Don’t you realize lying is a sin? Jesus heard you, you know."

Calvin jerked the joystick to one side. "Mom said you told her you would bring my toast up for me."

Desiree pushed back her bangs. "What’s that got to do with anything?"

Calvin fired a rocket. Bits of airplane splintered off the screen. "What if I tell Mom you just left my toast in the kitchen to trick me?"

"You go ahead and do that, Space Cadet. We’ll both kiss the computer goodbye. You know the rules."

The enemy shot down, Calvin leveled his plane. Then he turned to his sister. "Doesn’t that make you a liar, too?"

Desiree didn’t have time to think about that. A movement caught her eye.

There stood her mother, tears running down her face.

Brotherly Love

Desiree lay on her bed, her Bible open. Her mind swirled. The bickering. Her hatred. The name-calling. Her selfishness. The lies. Through it all she could see the pain and the questions on her mother’s face. Desiree looked again at Psalm 51.

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.

Her mother stepped inside her room, holding the computer’s main cable. It would disappear for a week.

"I saw Cindy at the library tonight. She told me to remind you about the chatroom."

Desiree closed her eyes. Too late for that.

"You understand I dislike doing this, don’t you?"

Desiree smiled a crooked smile. The corners of her eyes filled with tears.

"If you both just treated each other with love, it would be much easier for me." Her mother twirled the cable between her hands. "People who love each other know how to share."

Desiree shook her head in silent frustration.

"I hate being a referee, Darling. You and Cal are supposed to be on the same team."

She sat beside her daughter on the bed.

"Wouldn’t it be easier to love Cal than racing home every day with that angry look on your face?"

Desiree stared, surprised her mother had noticed. She curled into her mother’s arms.

It was time for some more hard thinking.

	Q: Where do bees go after they get married? A: On a honeymoon. Abby B., 10, Massachusetts Clubhouse Jr. Click here to subscribe