The Truth According to Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig (books to read for self improvement txt) 📕

FRIDAY, JANUARY 21ST

We are in the car on the way to see Patrice.

“We aren’t accusing you of stealing,” says Brian, “but you did take that candy bar last week while I was in the hospital.”

I make sure my mouth is shut tight.

“So I’m just going to ask you straight out. Did you steal Alison’s cell phone?”

I can’t lie to him. I can’t lie to anybody because lies aren’t true. Words have to tell the truth. They have to add up just like numbers. It’s a rule.

He looks at me and looks back at the road. I shake my head no.

“Well, I believe you. I really do,” he says.

I get a funny feeling deep inside my chest. Patrice says that people feel things with their bodies. With their hearts and bellies, mostly. She is right. Because I really like Brian and now I feel sick, sick, sick. I really wanted him to be my Forever Dad and right now my chest feels as heavy and cold as a gallon of human milk.

“Your m—I mean, Maura looked through your room today. She didn’t find anything. We haven’t called Ms. Dana back to tell her because I wanted to talk with you first. But I’m sorry about all this, kiddo. About all of it. The timing was just awful. Then all the confusion with the Baby Doll—who knew? Things are different now.”

“I am sorry too,” I say. And it’s true. I’m sorry about everything I did and for what I’m going to do on Tuesday, January 25th. I don’t like any of it but I have to do it.

“Are you crying?” Brian says. He looks at me again and looks back to the road.

We slow down and turn a corner. I nod my head yes. My eyes are wet but that still doesn’t make the human milk go away.

“You’re a good girl, Ginny. No matter what anybody else might say.”

EXACTLY 11:19 IN THE MORNING,

SUNDAY, JANUARY 23RD

I am at the Special Olympics basketball tournament. There are police officers in the building. I counted three when we were walking to the court. Then two more when I was sitting on the bench waiting for the first game to start. I am okay because I knew the police officers would be here. They come to all the Special Olympics tournaments. They aren’t here to keep me safe from Gloria.

I walk onto the court with Brenda Richardson and Larry and Kayla Zadambidge. There are two partners as well. Partners are not special kids. They can keep their mouths closed when they’re thinking and can tie their own shoes. They play on the same team as the special kids but they don’t shoot baskets. So it is the six of us on Court Three against the Hamden Hornets. We are the Lee Lancers. On our banners and shirts there is a picture of a knight with a long pointy spear.

In the bleachers I see Brian. He is watching the game with Brenda Richardson’s parents and some of the other parents too. Rick is not there. I want to wave to Brian but then I see the ball go bouncing past me. Then someone yells, “Ginny!” and I see that Kayla Zadambidge is looking at me with a mad face.

Which means I got distracted again.

“Ginny, let’s keep your eyes on the ball,” says Coach Dan. He is wearing a blue-and-yellow T-shirt and a blue-and-yellow hat. My uniform is blue and yellow. Everyone on the Lee Lancers has a blue-and-yellow uniform. But the Hamden Hornets have black-and-yellow uniforms like they are bees.

“Ginny?” says Brenda Richardson.

She is standing next to me but I don’t remember how she got there. “I think you need to take the ball out.”

She is pointing to the other side of the court where I see Coach Dan. He is pointing to a spot on the ground and making a hand motion to me with his other hand. I go to see what he’s looking at and when I get there he says, “Stand here, okay?” So I do. I stand there and the referee gives me the ball. I like the referee because he always knows the rules and he has a whistle and he always wears black and white.

“Pass the ball to the player in front of you,” says Coach Dan.

“But that’s a Hamden Hornet,” I say.

“I know,” says Coach Dan. “I promise he’ll give it back.”

So I pass the ball to the player in front of me and he catches it and bounces it to me. I catch it. “Now pass the ball to one of our players!” says Coach Dan and moves away fast. So I look and I see Brenda Richardson and Larry and three players from the Hamden Hornets. I throw the ball to Larry who is in his wheelchair today. He catches it and starts to bounce and sing. I can’t hear the words.

“Get down court!” says Coach Dan. Everyone starts to run. I run with them. Then I look up to see Brian again but my eyes look in a different place on the bleachers and I see someone else.

It is Gloria.

I am confused. I don’t know why she’s here. It isn’t time for our little rendezvous yet. She is wearing a purple sweatshirt but her head is the same as the one from the parking lot. Plus there is a little girl sitting next to her. A little girl with long brown hair. She is shorter than I was when I was nine years old but I’m guessing her eyes are green even though I can’t see them from so far away.

Which means I have been replaced.

Gloria got an Other Ginny. Or Another Ginny. I don’t know which. I don’t know if the Other Ginny is adopted or if she was hiding someplace in the apartment or if she is a ghost.

Gloria stands up. She waves at me slowly and with no noise. Back and forth, back and forth. She gives me the thumbs-up