Chapter 4

Chapter 4 During supper, Dink and Sammi told Dink's mom the real reason why Sammi was in the United States. "Oh, Sammi," Dink's mom said. "I am so sorry. Thank you for telling me." After they all had some ice cream, Dink and his mother helped Sammi unpack. Dink's mother held up a long wooden box decorated with gold. "This is heavy, Sammi. What's inside?" she asked.

Sammi opened the lid and took out a shiny kaleidoscope. Its golden sides were encrusted with jewels. "This kaleidoscope has been in my family for many years," Sammi explained. "It belonged to my grandfather's grandfather and his grandfather! Now it is my father's." "What a lovely idea!" Dink's mother said. "Will the kaleidoscope belong to you someday?" "On my fifteenth birthday, my father will give this to me," Sammi said. He frowned. "At least he would have, but now… I don't know what will happen." Dink felt badly for Sammi. He couldn't imagine what he would feel like if his parents ever got kidnapped. Dink's mother sat on the bed next to Sammi. She took his hand. "Sammi, I'm sure your parents will be found soon," she said. "Didn't you tell us that your father's friends are searching every corner of your country?" Sammi nodded. "But his enemies are clever," he said. "They may have taken my parents far away from Costra."

Dink's mother gave Sammi a hug. Then she laid his pajamas and slippers on his bed. The pj's were red silk, and the slippers were purple velvet with floppy gold tassels. "Pretty snazzy," Dink said, grinning at Sammi. "I usually sleep in an old T-shirt and shorts!" Just then, the front doorbell rang. Dink's mother left the room. "Watch," Sammi said, kneeling on the floor. He unscrewed the large end of the kaleidoscope and poured out all the pieces of glass. They made a red, yellow, and blue mound on the rug. "It comes apart!" Dink said. He picked up some of the glass. The thin pieces felt smooth in his fingers. A knock came at the door to Sammi's room. Joan Klinker poked her head in. "Hi, Sammi," she said. Sammi smiled and scooped up the glass. "I'm showing Dink my kaleidoscope," he said. Dink helped Sammi put the kaleidoscope back in its box. "Fine, Sammi," Joan said, looking at her watch. "It's almost eight. How about a short French lesson?"

She dropped a yellow book on Sammi's bed. "Will you excuse Sammi for a little while?" she said to Dink. "Can't he stay?" Sammi asked. "Dink can have a lesson with me!" Joan Klinker looked at Dink for a moment, then said, "Sure. Why not?" "Great!" Dink said. He sat next to Sammi on the floor. Joan perched on the bed and opened the yellow book. "First, some colors," Joan said. She pointed at Dink's shirt. "Blue. But in French, we say bleu. Repeat, Sammi." Sammi said, "Bleu." To Dink, it sounded almost the same as "blue." Joan pointed at Dink. "Now you, please." "Bleu," said Dink, trying to imitate Sammi. "Good!" Joan put a hand on Sammi's folded pajamas. "Red," she said. "Rouge," said Sammi. To Dink, it sounded almost like "rooj," so that's what he said. Joan Klinker held up the yellow book. "Jaune," she said. "Le livre est jaune. The book is yellow." She pointed at Dink. "Can you say jaune?"

Dink blushed. "Joan," he finally said. "No, Joan is my name," the tutor said. Dink tried again. "Zhone," he said. Sammi laughed. "That's okay," he said. "It took me a month to learn to say jaune." "Now we will do some numbers," Joan said. A half hour later, she closed the yellow book. "That's all for tonight," she said. "Tomorrow we will continue." She checked the locks on Sammi's window, his bathroom door, and the door out into the hall. Then she turned and smiled. "Bonsoir, Sammi." "Bonsoir, madame," Sammi answered. After Joan left, Dink stood up and yawned. "Night, Sammi. I'll wake you up for breakfast." Dink headed into the bathroom and brushed his teeth. He smiled at his reflection in the mirror. Tomorrow, he decided, he'd learn how to say "My toothbrush is purple." In French!