The Best Gift of All

This story takes place during the setting of Andi's Scary School Days. She's too little to earn money (and is not very good at saving her pennies, anyway) to buy her mother a birthday gift, so what can Andi do instead?

October 1874, Fresno, California

CHAPTER 1

Andi Carter stood high up on her tiptoes. She pressed her nose against the glass case in Mr. Goodwin’s general store.

Oh, my! she thought. So many pretty necklaces! So many rings and bracelets.

Andi wrinkled her eyebrows. Which one would Mother like for her birthday? She made a tight fist so her one dime and two pennies would not fall out of her hand.

“How much is that one?” Andi pointed to a glittery, blue-glass pin that would look lovely on Mother’s best Sunday dress.

The shopkeeper smiled. “It’s two—”

Andi’s heart leaped. I can buy it!

“. . . dollars and twenty-five cents,” Mr. Goodwin said.

Andi let out a big breath. She had been going to school for only one month, so she didn’t know much about arithmetic yet. But even I know that two pennies and two dollars are miles apart. And a dime is only ten cents.

No help there.

“Your mother would love it,” Mr. Goodwin said.

“No, thank you.” Andi shook her head. “I will keep looking.”

Andi walked along the glass case. Hmmm. A hankie? No. Wooden spoons? No. Hair pins? No.

A mustache cup? Andi giggled. Certainly not!

So many choices.

But not many that only two pennies and one dime would buy.

Near the doorway, big sister Melinda chatted with her friend Sarah.

Andi scowled. No fair! Melinda knows exactly what she plans to buy.

Melinda had saved her money for weeks and weeks to buy a soft, cozy, pink shawl.

Andi uncurled her fingers. She stared at the dime and two pennies. She had not forgotten Mother’s birthday was coming. No indeed!

But weeks were so long, and sometimes Andi forgot to do her chores. Nobody gave her any pennies or dimes on those days.

Melinda waved good-bye to Sarah and came up next to Andi. “What did you buy?”

“Nothing.”

“What?” Melinda huffed. “What have you been doing this whole time?”

“Looking,” Andi said in a small voice.

“Well, you have to buy Mother a birthday gift. Think of all the nice things she does for you. She’s never forgotten your birthday.”

Andi scowled. Sometimes big sisters were big trouble. “I didn’t forget. I’m going to buy her a present.”

“What?”

“I’m still looking.”

Melinda tapped her foot. That meant, Hurry up. “Justin will be by to pick us up in a few minutes.”

“Is an hour up already?” Andi’s heart skipped. “Please help me, Melinda. What can I buy with my money?”

Melinda sighed. She shifted her brown paper package under her arm. “How much do you have?”

Andi opened her palm.

“Is that all?” Melinda’s eyes got big. “You can’t buy anything for twelve cents.”

Andi felt tears sting her eyes.

Everybody in the family had bought a nice gift for Mother.

Melinda was giving her the beautiful shawl.

Justin had shown Andi a pretty pearl necklace he’d bought in San Francisco.

Big brothers Mitch and Chad had thought and thought. They finally thought of something Mother would love—a new saddle.

But I won’t have anything to give her.

Andi swallowed the lump in her throat. “Can’t I buy anything with a dime and two pennies?”

Melinda shrugged. “Not anything nice. Maybe a few hair pins or a mouse trap.”

Andi wrinkled her nose. “A mouse trap? Why would Mother want a mouse trap?”

Melinda didn’t answer. “I suppose I could give you two quarters,” she said instead. “That way you can get Mother a teacup or a new hairbrush.”

Andi thought for a minute. Then she shook her head. “If you give me the money, then it isn’t my very own present to Mother.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Melinda said.

She sounded glad that she didn’t have to give Andi any money. “Here comes Justin. Let’s see what he says.”

CHAPTER 2

 “Well, lovely ladies, are you ready to go home?” Justin tugged one of Andi’s dark braids.

Andi was not ready to go home.

“What did you buy for Mother?” he asked.

“I bought her a new shawl,” Melinda said. “But Andi didn’t buy anything. She doesn’t have enough money. She’s always spending it on lemon drops or—”

“I want to buy a present,” Andi yelled. “I just can’t find one I like.”

Andi ducked her head. Yelling at someone, even a bossy big sister, was not polite. She waited for Justin to scold her.

He didn’t.

To Andi’s surprise, Justin squatted down until he could look right into Andi’s eyes. “Why don’t you tell me about it.” He smiled.

“I already told you,” Melinda said. “She only—”

“Melinda, perhaps you should wait in the buggy.” Justin used his do-it-now voice. “I’ll help Andi with her present.”

Andi knew Melinda didn’t want to obey Justin. She scowled, then huffed, then she stomped out of the store.

Things went better after Melinda left.

Justin let Andi look around. He gave her a few ideas.

But even Justin could not do much with twelve cents.

“Mother might like lemon drops,” he said. “Candy would be a nice birthday treat. You can buy a sack of lemon drops for a dime.”

“Luisa is making Mother a birthday cake,” Andi said. “With white icing.”

“Hmmm,” Justin said. “I see.”

Pretty soon, Andi felt tears sneaking back into her eyes. I have to hurry up and find something, she told herself, or Mother’s birthday will come and I won’t be ready.

“I have an idea,” Justin said when Andi felt a few tears leaking out.

“What is it?” So far none of Justin’s ideas had been very good.

“Why don’t you draw Mother a picture? She loved the picture you drew last week of Coco. A drawing doesn’t cost anything.”

Andi chewed on the end of her braid. “It doesn’t seem as special as a shawl or a saddle or a pearl necklace.”

“It would be special if it was in this beautiful frame,” Mr. Goodwin said from behind the counter.

Andi turned.

Mr. Goodwin held up a small gold frame that would look beautiful on top of Mother’s dresser.

“Does it cost a dime and two pennies?”

Mr. Goodwin winked at Justin. “It costs exactly twelve cents.”

Andi beamed. This beautiful frame would be perfect. She handed over her dime and two pennies.

Mr. Goodwin wrapped the frame in brown paper and gave it to her.

“Thank you!”
     Andi hugged the package close to her chest and walked with Justin to the buggy. He lifted her in beside Melinda and then went around to get in on the other side.

“What did you buy?” Melinda asked. “Did Justin give you the money?”

“Nope,” Andi said. “I bought a frame.”

“An empty frame?” Melinda giggled. “Why would Mother want an empty frame?”

Andi scowled. Giggle box! “You’ll see.”

Justin cleared his throat.

Melinda and Andi stopped talking.

It was close to suppertime by the time they got home.

Andi’s belly turned over in fear. Here was this beautiful frame but there was no drawing in it! There was no time to draw another picture of Coco. That one had taken almost an hour to draw.

What am I going to do?

CHAPTER 3

When she had to, Andi could think fast. She thought fast right then.

She grabbed a pencil and a sheet of paper from Justin’s desk. Then she ran as fast as she could up to her room.

Andi sat down on the floor and thought and thought.

What can I draw?

For practice, she traced around one of her hands.

Then she got an idea. An excellent idea.

“Andi, it’s time for supper.” Melinda came into the room with a pitcher of water. “What are you doing?”

Andi didn’t answer. She was too busy.

“What kind of drawing is that?” Melinda bent over Andi’s shoulder.

“It’s my handprint, with all these little hearts around it,” Andi said. “I’m coloring the hearts red and pink.”

“I can see that,” Melinda said.

Andi looked up. “Could you please write the words for me? I’ll tell you what to say.”

Sometimes Melinda could be very nice. She set down the pitcher. “Sure. What do you want me to write?”

“Dear Mother,” Andi said.

Melinda formed the letters in her best writing. “Got that,” she said. “Now what?”

“I drew my left hand, the one closest to my heart. Love, Andi.”

Melinda finished writing then handed Andi the pencil. “You know how to write your own name. You can do that part.”

Andi took the pencil and did her best, but it didn’t look very good.

Worse, Melinda had a puzzled look on her face. “What do those words mean, anyway?” she asked.

Andi’s stomach flip-flopped. It was a beautiful frame, but what if Mother didn’t understand the words either?

Andi took a deep breath. “Remember when Mother was teaching me what hand was my left hand and what hand was my right hand?”

Melinda nodded. “Sure I remember. So?”

"She asked me to tell her what hand Mitch used to hold the reins, or what hand Justin used to write with, or what hand Luisa used to stir the soup," Andi said. "Remember?"

“I said I remembered. So, why did you draw your left hand? You’re right-handed.”

“Well . . .” Andi swallowed. She blinked hard.

Father had died last spring, two months before Andi turned six. She didn’t have very many memories of him. Not as many as Justin and Chad and Mitch and Melinda had.

“Well, what?” Melinda said.

This was Andi’s own special memory. Will Melinda laugh if I tell her?

Maybe her big sister would understand what her drawing meant.

“Father always patted my head with his left hand,” Andi finally said. “He always tugged on my braid with his left hand.”

Melinda looked thoughtful.

Andi took another big breath and said, “One day, I asked Father why he always used his left hand. He told me it’s because it was the hand on the side closest to his heart.”

Andi sniffed. “He said it has the most love, and . . .”

A tear leaked out. Andi couldn’t say anything more.

Melinda patted Andi’s shoulder. “So you want Mother to know that you drew your hand with the most love?”

Andi nodded.

Melinda hugged her. “I think Mother will love it. Let me help you wrap it up.”

CHAPTER 4

 

“Happy birthday, Mother!”

Supper was delicious. Luisa fixed all of Mother’s favorite foods.

Fried chicken, biscuits and jam, and corn on the cob were Andi’s favorite foods too. She ate until she was stuffed.

After dinner, the whole family sat in Mother’s fancy parlor to watch her open her gifts.

She opened Justin’s present first. “Oh, you shouldn’t have!” She held up the beautiful pearl necklace and matching earrings.

Justin chuckled.

“But I’m glad you did,” Mother finished. She kissed his cheek.

“Open mine next!” Melinda begged.

Soon the pink shawl with a pretty design of red roses lay across Mother’s shoulders. “It’s lovely, dear. Thank you.”

Melinda beamed.

“Our turn, Chad,” Mitch said.

They left the parlor and returned a minute later. It was hard to carry the large, blanket-covered gift.

 Chad yanked off the blanket and shouted, “Happy birthday, Mother!”

 “Chad! Mitch! How perfect.”

Mother ran her fingers over the smooth leather of the new saddle. “How did you know Misty and I were wishing for a new saddle?”

 “Well, now,” Chad teased, “it sure was hard to guess, wasn’t it, Mitch? Especially since she kept saying after every ride, ‘I wish I had a new saddle.’”

Everybody laughed.

Andi smiled, but she sure didn’t feel like laughing. The other birthday presents were so nice. Her own gift was so . . . so ordinary.

What if Mother doesn’t like my drawing, even in the pretty frame?

“I think I have one more gift,” Mother said brightly.

She reached for the small, square package. It was wrapped in tissue paper and tied with a pink bow.

Melinda had made Andi’s gift look pretty on the outside, but would Mother like the gift inside?

Before Mother’s fingers touched the gift, Andi jumped up. She grabbed the gift and held it behind her back.  

 “I changed my mind.” Andi burst into tears. “I don’t want you to open it. It’s not a good present.”

“Darling!” Mother patted the couch. “Come here.”

Andi sat down, but she couldn’t stop crying.

“I would much rather see a smile on my birthday,” Mother said.

Andi shook her head. “Oh, Mother, I’m sorry! I spent all my pennies on me, so I only had twelve cents left to buy you a present. It’s not nice at all. Not like a shawl or a necklace or a saddle. You won’t like it.”

 “I’m sure I’ll love whatever you give me, sweetheart.”

 “But I only bought part of your present at the store. Mostly I made it myself.”

 Andi hung onto the present, but Mother gently pried her fingers away. “May I open it and see? Please?”

Andi gave Mother an unhappy nod.

Mother tore open the tissue paper. “Oh, Andrea.”

Mother’s eyes filled with tears. One tear dripped down her cheek. “Your father used to tell you that about your left hand all the time.” Her voice sounded choky.

 “You don’t like it,” Andi whispered. “I made you cry.”

 “I’m crying because it’s the nicest gift anyone has given me in a long time. It’s easy to buy something at the store, but you gave me something from your heart. I’ll treasure it always.”

“Truly?”

“Truly,” Mother promised, and she never lied.

Andi felt a lot better about the gift. She was a teensy bit sorry, though, for her brothers and sister. Mother didn’t say their presents were the nicest.

But it looked like they didn’t care. Not one little bit.

Even Melinda was smiling.

Just then Luisa brought in a big white cake with glowing candles.

Everyone sang to Mother. Luisa cut the cake, and Mother let Andi have first pick.

Chad tickled Andi to keep her from taking the biggest piece. “That one’s mine,” he whispered with a grin.

Andi let him have it. Mother was having a happy birthday, after all.

And maybe—if she asked nicely—Melinda could help Andi save money for Mother’s birthday next year.

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