The Case Of The Not-So-Nice Nurse. Mabel Maney

      Over a chocolate sundae, Cherry filled her friends in on the mysterious events of the last few days. “Although I don’t know exactly what’s going on, I still have to deliver this package to Oregon. Why, that’s halfway to San Francisco. I couldn’t change my mind now if I wanted to. Which I don’t,” she added somewhat ruefully. “All I know is, my parents don’t like the idea.”

      “Oh, go, Cherry, go,” said Dessa, a darling brown-eyed girl with a snub nose and a smattering of freckles across her face. “You’ve got two weeks’ pay and a place to stay—why, that head nurse practically ordered you to go!”

      “And you know how you love to obey orders, Nurse Aimless,” giggled Beth, the athlete of the group, whose strong shoulders attested to her love of swimming. “Cherry, you need a break, and staying here with your family is no vacation,” she continued in a more serious tone.

      “They’re right,” broke in Arlene, a raven-haired beauty with a beguiling smile and a forthright manner. “Pleasantville is not exactly the most exciting place on the planet!”

      Cherry licked the last bit of chocolate sauce from her spoon, and ordered another sundae. If she was going to stand up to her parents, she’d better get more courage—and quick!

      When she arrived home, her mother was sitting at the kitchen table, absent-mindedly looking through a recipe book. Her father was asleep on the davenport, the evening paper spread at his feet. Cherry steeled herself for her mother’s reaction to her trip, but before she could open her mouth, her mother surprised her.

      “If you’re going, you’d better get to bed soon, dear,” Mrs. Aimless said, shutting The Joy of Cooking and placing it back on the shelf.

      Cherry jumped up and down with glee. “You mean you don’t mind? And Father too?”

      “I made a deal with your father. He lets you visit Gert, and I promise not to put arsenic in his coffee!” The twinkle in her eye let Cherry in on the joke, and they had a good laugh.

      “Oh,” squealed Cherry. “There’s so much to do! I’ve got dirty clothes to wash, and I promised Aunt Gert I’d call her tonight.”

      Her mother interrupted. “While you were out with your friends I did your laundry; it’s all ironed and pressed and on your bed. And I called Gert, but she wasn’t home.”

      “That’s funny,” Cherry said. “Tonight was the night we set aside to talk. She wanted to know exactly when I was arriving so she could be home.”

      “You know your Aunt Gert, sometimes forgets where she’s supposed to be. She always has her head in the clouds, just like someone else I know.” Mrs. Aimless grinned and shook her head. “You always were like two peas in a pod,” she said. “The older you get, the more you become like Gert. Why, I was just telling her last week that when I look at you, sometimes I swear I see her.”

      Cherry was amazed. “You and Aunt Gert keep in touch?”

      Mrs. Aimless smiled. “What your father doesn’t know …”

      “… won’t hurt him!” Cherry grinned, sweeping her mother up in her arms for a quick waltz around the kitchen table. She deposited a dizzy Mrs. Aimless on the yellow Formica countertop.

      Cherry hugged her mother, who was turning out to be more of an ally than she had imagined. She tried to put her thanks into words. “I know it’s hard for you, with Charley and me so faraway …”

      Her mother hugged her back, and wiped a little tear from her eye. “I guess we’ve all got to follow our rainbows, dear. Now, off to bed with you!” she said, playfully pushing Cherry toward the stairs. “Oh, and Cherry, I put that lavender handkerchief back in the pocket of your uniform. Who on earth is M.M.?”

      But Cherry wasn’t listening. She was too excited to hear anything but the plans buzzing in her head. She didn’t know how she was ever going to sleep! “I’m really, truly going to San Francisco,” she whispered as she raced up the stairs to her attic room. She didn’t know why, but she had a feeling something very special was awaiting her in the city by the bay!