Coming Up Roses

Coming Up Roses by Catherine R. Daly

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Authors: Catherine R. Daly
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her.
    “It’s funny,” I said directly to Rose. “Lisa and I remember when
Ashley
used to be really into acting.”
    “That’s right,” said Lisa. “She even got the lead in the third-grade play.”
    “You did?” Rose asked Ashley. “I thought you said acting was for losers.”
    Ashley looked down at her admittedly fabulous pair of clog boots. “That was a long time ago,” she said.
    “Ashley couldn’t remember any of her lines,” I went on, “and Lisa had to whisper them to her. Then she walked off the stage in the middle of the first act and Lisa had to play two parts!”
    “I quit the play because it was lame!” Ashley insisted.
    “So, Rose,” I said. “It’s not that Ashley thinks Drama Club is for losers, it’s that she hates drama. Because she wasn’t very good at it.”
    Ashley snapped open her locker. “That’s not true,” she said with a sneer. “I really do think it’s totes for losers.”
    Ugh. Of all of Ashley’s abbreviations, that one had to be the worst! I cleared my throat, about to lecture my sister. “I know it’s been hard not having the lead role. Butnext year, I’m sure you’ll get a bigger part. And before you know it …”
    “Zip it, Del,” said Rose. She smiled at me. “You’ve convinced me. Thank you.” My mouth fell open as Rose turned to Lisa and the two began chatting as they walked down the hallway.
    Ashley stared after my sister, her hands on her hips, her mouth set into a thin line. Then she shrugged and spun open her lock. “Whatev,” she said. She turned to me. “You still here? Um, do you mind moving away from my locker? I don’t want people to think we’re hanging out or anything.”
    “With pleasure, Paris Hilton,” I said, naming the worst actress I could think of.
    Ashley looked at me blankly. It didn’t matter that she had no idea what I had meant. It felt good to me. So I took off after Rose and Lisa. I tapped Rose on the shoulder and she and Lisa turned around.
    Lisa beamed at me. “Rose is coming back to Drama Club!” she said.
    “That’s great,” I told them both. I grinned at Rose. “Was I really that persuasive?” I couldn’t help asking.
    Rose bit her lip. “Oh, maybe a little,” she said. “Well, what really happened was that Aster and her goth friends walked by yesterday and Ashley started making fun of them. I told her to lay off and she wouldn’t. That is so totally uncool.” She took a deep breath. “Plus, I missed going to rehearsal, even though I wasn’t the star. And I met a fun girl in my math class. We’re going to the mall together on Sunday.”
    “Oh good,” I said, feeling slightly deflated. I guess I wasn’t quite as helpful as I had imagined. Still, things were back to normal, and that was all that mattered, anyway.
    Rose gave me a quick hug. “I do appreciate your looking out for me, Del,” she said.
    “Of course,” I said. I watched as she and Lisa headed to rehearsal. That was one less person to help with the corsage making this afternoon. But it was totally worth it.
    I packed up my books and went to collect Aster at her locker.
    “Rose won’t be joining us today,” I told her. “She’s at rehearsal!”
    “Oh, Del, that’s great!” Aster said. “I knew you could do it!”
    “Actually, I think Rose figured it out for herself,” I told her.
    “Hello, everyone!” I called out as I pushed open the flower shop door. The bell rang merrily.
    “Hello, Delphinium, Aster,” said Aunt Lily. My stomach sank. She, Mom, Debbie, and Nicholas were sitting at the worktable. They were surrounded by leaves, yellow and red roses, floral wire, tape, and corsage pins. My great-aunt was dressed in a tweedy suit as usual, but her hat and jacket were off and the sleeves of her pale blue silk blouse were rolled up. There was a pile of expertly made corsages next to her.
    “Hey, Aunt Lily,” I said. “Did you make those corsages?”
    She nodded, smiling. “It comes right back to you!” she said,

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