‘The Yellow Cap’

OLIVIA first saw the yellow cap, decorated with two bluebirds, on the kitchen table. What a wonderful surprise. From Mom? Or maybe Grandmother? Special, also, because the cap was exactly like Carly’s. Carly was Olivia’s friend who lived at the beach. And today was Saturday, their beach day. They could wear their yellow caps together. And be twins all afternoon. Olivia could hardly wait.

But when the car pulled up to the beach, Carly didn’t seem excited at all to see Olivia wearing the yellow cap. Instead, Carly’s mouth dropped open. Her eyes got bigger and blinked fast. And at first, she didn’t say anything.

Finally, she asked, “Where did you get that cap?” and her voice was shaky and cross. Not at all what Olivia expected.

“It was a surprise,” Olivia explained. “I think from Grandmother. Carly, get yours, so we can be twins.”

“I can’t now. I have to help Mom with our lunch.” And Carly raced back into the house.

What was wrong? Olivia didn’t know. She spread the beach towels on the sand where their picnic lunch would be and watched her little brother, Stevie.

Stevie, a toy boat in one hand and a ball in the other, dropped them to grab a beach towel. “Mine,” he said.

“No, Stevie, play with your toys.”

“Mine,” he said and threw the ball. “Mine,” he said and pushed his boat across the sand.

Olivia stayed with Stevie until the two moms and Carly brought out the lunch. Nothing more was said about the yellow cap.

But the day was not a happy one. When she was home again, Olivia flopped on a kitchen chair and dropped the yellow cap. She put her elbows on the table and her chin in her hands and closed her eyes. She thought about all that had happened and tried to figure out what had gone wrong. Everything had been strange from the beginning. The very first thing Carly had asked was – where did Olivia get the yellow cap?

From Mom. Or Grandmother. Well, that’s what Olivia thought. Now she wasn’t so sure. Olivia took a deep breath and held it a long time. She guessed now neither Mom nor Grandmother had given her the yellow cap. Neither one. And a fear streaked through her. Could the cap be Carly’s? Because Carly had behaved so strangely? But how did … how could… .

At that very second, Stevie ran into the kitchen, scooped up the yellow cap from the floor and plopped it on his head. “Mine,” he said.

Olivia sat very still. Like a statue. Oh, my gosh. Little Stevie. That was how. He had taken it. He thought everything was his.

Olivia jumped up. “Mom,” she called. “Mom!”

“I’m here.”

“Mom, I’ve solved the mystery of the yellow cap. Stevie was the one.” And Olivia told the whole story. “I didn’t catch on at first, but Carly thought I took her cap and I pretended it was mine. I know she believed it. She just couldn’t speak. So now I have to make everything right again. Really, really right.”

Olivia stopped to catch her breath. “So Mom, do you think we can buy another yellow cap with two bluebirds on it? And next Saturday, we’ll take both caps to the beach and I’ll explain that at Stevie’s age, he thinks everything belongs to him. And I’m so sorry for the mix-up.” Olivia looked at her mom. “And Carly and I can both wear a yellow cap and be twins together. OK?”

Mom sighed. “Olivia, we won’t be going to the beach next Saturday.”

“We won’t?” Olivia’s disappointment was strong, until she glimpsed a tiny smile on Mom’s face.

“We’ll be going on Sunday instead. You see, Sunday is Mother’s Day, and Carly’s mom and I are both single moms. And we decided to celebrate together. And what better way for me than to see a smile back on my little girl’s face and to know your mystery is solved.”

Olivia really smiled then. She knew everything would soon be all right with her friend Carly.

And just maybe they could get a yellow cap with two bluebirds on it for each mom.

Then Olivia laughed out loud. Maybe they should get one for little Stevie too, for a truly happy Mother’s Day.

Patricia McCune Irvine is the author of “Pedro and Mac.”