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Authors: Suzy Kline

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“Eeyew, gross,” I said.

“Eeyew, neat-o,” Harry replied. Then he turned and handed me the valentine. “Pass this to Song Lee,” he whispered.

At last!
I thought. Now I could find out what Harry was up to. Quickly I read the message on the card.

Twice. I couldn't believe it the first time.

Harry wanted to marry Song Lee!

A few minutes later, a note came back. I decided
not
to unfold it. Song Lee's answer was private. Besides, I figured I could tell what Song Lee said just by watching Harry when he read the note.

But I couldn't.

Harry didn't blink while he was reading it. He didn't put his head down on his desk and he didn't smile. He just looked at the clock.

What did Song Lee say?

I didn't find out until lunch recess. Harry rounded up me and Sidney, and then we found Song Lee playing hop-scotch with Ida and Mary by the dumpster. Harry said it was okay for Mary and Ida to listen too.

“Song Lee,” he said. “Do you want to get married on Valentine's Day?”

“Ohh!” Mary sighed. “How romantic!”

“Harry,” Song Lee said, “I tell you in my note. We are not grown-up. My aunt get married last summer but she was twenty-two. I am just seven and a half now.”

Harry shrugged. “So? I'm eight and I've been to
three
weddings. We could have our own ceremony, ourselves!”

“We could?” Song Lee replied.

“Sure,” Harry said. “I just have to check with Sidney on a few details. How was that wedding rehearsal last night?”

Everyone stared at Sidney.

“Whose
wedding rehearsal?” Mary asked.

Sidney kicked a piece of chalk on the blacktop. “My mom's,” he grumbled.

“YOUR MOTHER IS GETTING MARRIED?”

Sidney groaned. “Unfortunately.”

“That's so exciting!” Mary exclaimed. “What do you do in the wedding?”

“I'm the ring bearer. I carry the ring down the aisle on a little pillow and then I stand near the minister.”

“That's neat,” Ida replied.

“Hey, Sid,” Harry said. “Can you remember some of the words your minister says and say them for Song Lee and me?”

Sidney shrugged. “If you want me to, I guess I can.”

Everyone looked at Mary. She was usually the one who organized things.

“I couldn't be the minister,” Mary said. “I've never been to a wedding before.”

I smiled. I was glad I wasn't the only one.

Sidney stopped grumbling. I think he liked being in charge for a change. “Well, where do you want to have the ceremony?”

Harry looked at the big tree on the playground. There was a squirrel running across the branches. “Hey, how about by the tree, Thursday morning?”

“I remember tree the first day of second grade,” Song Lee giggled.

“Me too,” I said. “That's where Harry trapped you with his garter snake.”

“Heh! Heh! Heh!” Harry chuckled. “Just being friendly.”

Mary put her nose in Harry's face. “No snakes in this wedding ceremony!”

“Okay!”
Harry said, putting his hands up. Then he lowered his voice. “How about a couple of bugs?”

“Only if they're not real,” Mary scolded.

“You want bogus bugs?” Harry replied. “You get bogus bugs.”

For the next ten minutes Sidney helped us make our big wedding plans. When we were finished, he said, “Well, Song Lee, now I know that Harry would rather marry
you
than a hot dog or a kickball.”

Everyone laughed except Harry.

“I was just kidding!” Sidney explained.

Harry made a half smile. “Well, did we forget anything?”

Song Lee nodded. “I think I should ask Mother first. If she gives me permission, then I marry you, Harry.”

Harry dropped to his knees like he was praying. “Pleeeeease say yes!”

I couldn't believe it.

On Valentine's Day, I might be going to my first wedding.

HARRY'S!

Harry's True Love

W
ednesday morning when it was our turn to use the art table, Song Lee told us what her mother said.

“It is okay to pretend we get married. Mother is making me veil out of old lacy white curtain from ... bathroom.” Then she giggled.

Harry socked the air. “Yahoo!”

Sidney cut something out of brown construction paper and taped it under his nose. “Now do I look like a minister?”

“With that mustache,” I said, “you look more like Groucho Marx.”

“Very funny, Doug.”

“No, I like it! Do you have any good ideas for me? What does the best man wear?”

“A boutonniere.”

“A boo-tin-what?”

“Boutonniere,” Sidney repeated. “That's a white carnation.”

“I can show you how to make one, Doug,” Mary said. “Just get me some Kleenex.”

As we worked at the art table, Mary and Ida made daisies out of yellow and orange construction paper for their bridesmaid bouquets. Song Lee made some insects out of folded paper and glued them on her wedding bouquet.

“That's neat,” Harry said.

“It is origami,” Song Lee said. “Japanese paper folding. I show you how to make grasshopper.”