Two Naomis Read Online Free Page A

stand to clear my plate when Brianna says, “Why did you say cookies? What about the coconut cake?”
    â€œWe’ll be having the wonderful cookies that Tom and Naomi were thoughtful enough to bring.” Valerie’s teeth are clenched even when she’s talking, and I am certain her eyes, staring straight at Brianna, could not possibly be open any wider.
    â€œCould we have both?” the other Naomi asks. “Cookies and coconut cake?”
    I don’t like coconut cake, so I don’t really see what the big deal is.
    Dad says, “Valerie, if you made something special, then by all means, please serve it. Save the cookies for another day.”
    â€œBut I—”
    Dad doesn’t let me finish. “I’ve always wanted to try your coconut cake.”
    I whisper, probably a little too loudly, “I don’t like coconut cake.” The truth is, I’ve never even tasted it. But I don’t usually like coconut anything. And I want those cookies. And if she isn’t going to serve them, I want her to close that box right up and wrap the string around it again and hand it back to me so we can take it home.
    Everyone heard me. It’s quiet for a little too long. Finally, Valerie says, “Let’s have both. It’s a special occasion, having Naomi and Tom over for the first time.”
    â€œI told you it was a special ’cay-zhun,” Brianna says to her sister. “You should of wored a dress. Not the skating clothes with the hole.”
    â€œHey, um,” the other Naomi says to me in a really sweet voice, “you should taste my mom’s cake, just a tiny taste. Everyone loves it.”
    So I kind of have to. And I guess it is pretty good. But I can’t make myself eat more than that one bite. That doesn’t keep me from eating cookies. Seven of them.
    When we leave, Valerie puts all the extra cookies and one big piece of coconut cake into the Morningstar box to take home. Knowing Dad, that will be our lunch tomorrow. Mmm.

CHAPTER FIVE
Naomi Marie
    â€œAre you awake yet?”
    â€œNo.” I pull my comforter all the way up over my head. I haven’t slept a real sleep since last Saturday’s lunch “surprise.”
    â€œThen how come you talked?”
    â€œBecause you woke me up.”
    â€œBut—”
    â€œIf you don’t leave me alone, I’ll tell Momma about the peanut butter you put in Rahel’s hair.”
    â€œYou told me to!”
    â€œEverybody knows you don’t put peanut butter in doll hair. But I’ll still tell. So leave me alone.”
    â€œYou’re not supposed to tretten me. I’m telling.”
    ARGH!!!! I sit up and throw my small yellow pillow at Bri’s head. “Hello, I’m trying to sleep, doughnut hole! And the word is threaten , as in this .” I make a scary face at her.
    She throws the pillow back at me and climbs into the bed next to me. “So do you want to play school instead? I can be the teacher now.”
    I give up. “Okay, but . . . it’s bedschool. That means the students get to lie down the whole time.”
    â€œOkay. My name is Mrs. Vitamin C. Welcome to my bedschool. What’s your name, little girl?”
    â€œNaomi,” I mumble. “And I have a condition where I keep my eyes closed.”
    â€œWelcome, Naomi! There’s another Naomi in this class too. You can be Black Naomi, and she can be White Naomi. I think you should be line partners!”
    I roll out of bed to the floor. “ I’m Naomi,” I say. “And I’m not being line partners with anyone. I’m not even playing anymore.” I wait for Bri to cry and call Momma.
    She gets out of my bed and sits next to me. “Want to play something else?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œAre you sleeping again?”
    I pull a pillow down and hold it over my head until I hear her leave. Then I feel bad, because she’s going to be gone all day