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shop,” Carole said. “Is that what you propose to buy for my father for his birthday? Because ifyou do, I think he and some of his Marine Corps buddies may have a few things to say about it.”
    “No, no,” Stevie said. “I was just thinking that, as long as we’re out there—you know. We might look for something for us, like to wear to the party.”
    Carole dug into her sundae, which had just arrived. “I was thinking more of getting some plates or something.”
    “Plates?” Stevie asked. She was so surprised she couldn’t even pick up her spoon. “What do we want with plates?”
    “Well, for, like to eat off of,” Carole explained.
    “Don’t you already have some of those in your house? I mean, seems to me the last time I ate there, we definitely used plates. I think they had flowers on them. Did they all break?”
    “Of course not,” said Carole. “But don’t you think we should use paper plates for the party?”
    “Okay, then, we’ll use paper plates,” Stevie agreed. “Then we won’t have so much to clean up. Good thinking.”
    “But what are we going to put on them?” Carole asked. “If we’re giving a party, we have to have food and things to drink, don’t we?”
    “Every good party does,” Stevie agreed. “The troubleis, I don’t have any idea what to get—or how much. Do you know how many people are coming?”
    Carole shook her head. “We sent out the invitations a while ago, and some people have called or told me in person that they were coming, but I don’t remember who or how many.”
    “Some party-giving team we are,” Stevie said, almost groaning. “We need to organize.”
    “We sure do. The problem is that we’ve always been able to rely on Lisa to do the organizing, but she’s busy with Skye and the movie.”
    Stevie put her chin in her cupped hands and her elbows on the table. It was a way she had of thinking. There was no doubt about it: Lisa, the straight-A student, was the organizer of the group. She could always figure out what needed to be done. Stevie was the one who then usually figured out how to get it done. Without Lisa, she felt a little lost.
    “Darn that movie,” Stevie said. “It’s ruining the party.”
    “Nah,” Carole said. “It’s just making it harder. Besides, it’s a wonderful thing for Lisa. Even though we miss her for this, what she’s doing is important.”
    “I know, I know,” said Stevie. “I just wish—”
    “Yeah, me too,” Carole agreed.
    “All right, then, but what is, is. So, let’s get started on our own. Let’s make a list.”
    That seemed like a very good idea until both girls realized that neither of them had either paper or pencil to make it with. Fortunately, the waitress loaned them an order pad and a dull pencil. It was a start.
    Their first stop at the mall was Marie’s, where, as Stevie predicted, there was a sale going on. They didn’t have enough money to buy anything, even on sale, but that didn’t stop them from trying on clothes.
    “Isn’t this pink top just beautiful?” Carole asked, holding it up to herself in front of a mirror.
    “Very pretty,” Stevie agreed. “And I bet it would go well with your green skirt. You could wear that to the party. Your dad would love it!”
    “Oh, the party,” Carole said, recalling their actual mission at the mall. “I think we’d better get going, don’t you?”
    Reluctantly, the girls left Marie’s and moved on to another store. Their next stop was a joke shop. Stevie was in seventh heaven. The place was filled with things that made strange sounds and/or jumped out of containers at unexpected moments. There was even a battery-operated “human” hand that sort of wiggled.
    “Oh, gross!” Carole said.
    “Your dad would love it!” Stevie said.
    “That’s what I meant,” said Carole. “Anyway, we’re not here to buy a present for Dad. The party
is
his present. We’re supposed to be buying things for the party,and I don’t think a wiggling