Jimmy

Chapter 6: Hide it Under a Bush

The school year went by quickly. When school let out for the summer, Harry taught Janey and Becky to climb trees. Janey taught Harry and Becky a bunch of songs, and Becky taught Harry and Janey how to play hopscotch.

One day, Harry was running a little late and ran the whole way to the small clearing in the park the kids played in. He stopped suddenly when he realised there was no one there.

"Hiya, Jimmy!"

Harry looked up into the magnolia above him. Janey was waving from a branch, grinning. "Janey! You made it!"

Janey nodded, looking pleased. "All by myself, too. Come on up. Becky isn't here yet."

Harry climbed the tree quickly and settled down beside her. He took a deep breath, inhaling the sweet scent of the magnolias. "It's really nice up here."

"Isn't it?" Janey agreed. "And if Dudley and his gang come through, they won't be able to see us."

Harry nodded. Janey swung her feet back and forth for a couple minutes, then suddenly windmilled wildly as she slipped backwards on the branch. Harry reached out and caught her by the wrist before she fell off, then pulled her back up.

"Jimmy and Janey sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" someone chanted. Harry and Janey looked down to see Becky grinning up at them rather sadly from below. "Hey, you two. Come on down. I need to talk to you."

Harry jumped down, turned back to the tree, and held out his arms for Janey. She jumped, and Harry caught her and set her down. "Okay, Becky, what's up?"

Becky looked at her shoes. "We're moving to America!"

"What? When?" Harry and Janey gasped.

"Next week!" Becky wailed. "We've got to leave--I don't want to move!"

Janey bit her lip. "I wasn't going to say anything yet, but...we're moving, too. Not to America--just to another town--but I won't be coming back to school here next fall." She looked miserable. "Are you moving, Jimmy?"

"Nope," Harry answered sadly. "I'll be here for the rest of my life."

"No, you won't," Janey said stoically. "You'll get out of here someday. You'll see."

"You'll be famous," Becky said encouragingly. "You'll have loads of friends--everyone will know your name--and Dudley will be scared to lay a hand on you."

"I don't know about that," Harry said.

"It'll happen, I know it," Becky said stubbornly. Her face suddenly dissolved. "But it won't be anytime soon."

"What are we going to do?" Janey wailed, beginning to cry.

Harry himself was close to tears. "We'll--we'll just have to spend as much time as we can together before you move," he stammered decidedly.

And they did. For the next week, the three of them played together every chance they got. Finally, Saturday rolled around--the day Becky was moving.

Harry and Janey went to say goodbye. She hugged them both and cried that she'd never forget them and that she'd write as soon as she got to her new house. (She never did.) They promised to write back. Then her father called her to get into the car...she waved through the window until she reached the end of the block...the car turned the corner and Becky was gone forever.

Janey reached for Harry's hand and squeezed it tight, tears pouring down her face. "I'm going to miss her," she whispered, leaning her head on Harry's shoulder.

"Me, too," Harry answered.

~~~

The two spent the next week together--Harry even helped Janey pack her things for the move. But when Saturday rolled around again, Harry went to Janey's house for the last time to say goodbye. In his hands he held a flat package.

Janey had been watching for him, because when he came up in front of the house she ran across the yard and threw her arms around his neck, sobbing. "I knew you'd come!" she cried. "Jimmy, I don't want to leave!"

Harry hugged her back. He was crying too. "I know," he whispered.

When they pulled apart, he held out the package. "This is for you," he told her. "I know you'll like it."

She opened the package and gasped, then hugged Harry again. "Oh, Jimmy...I love it! Thank you so much!"

It was a book of nursery and Mother Goose rhymes. The book was battered and well-loved, but Janey was enthralled with it. Harry had given it to her from the bottom of his heart, but she never would have taken it if she'd known that it was Harry's treasured possession--his only book--the only thing he had to call his own. He gave it to her because she was his best friend and he wanted her to have it--he really didn't think anything of it.

She pulled back, tears in her eyes again. "I'll keep it forever. I'll make a special place for it on my bookshelf and put it right under the painting you made for me."

Her father called to her. She hugged Harry one last time and, with a last, lingering look, climbed slowly into the car. Harry waved to her as she left until he couldn't see the car anymore. He stood, a lonely figure on an empty sidewalk before an abandoned house, and suddenly he felt more alone than he ever had before he'd met Janey and Becky.