Story by Karen Wegman

My Grandma takes me to acupuncture with her.

"Acu what????"

"AAAK YOO PUNK CHUR"

"What in the world? I never heard of that. I think you just made it up."

"Uh uh, silly. I didn't make it up. It's even on the computer, and I can show you. If I'm not making it up, then you have to tell me "Sorry Princess Charlotte" and I get to wear your crystal bead necklace for a week."

"Deal. If you are making it up, then you have to tell me "Sorry Queen Tiny" and I get to wear your yellow raincoat next time it rains."

"Deal."

Charlotte scooted over to the computer in her grandma's office and turned it on. The sign on the front of the computer said "NO SURFING THE WEB WITHOUT GRAMMY'S OK"

"Aren't you going to ask your grandma?" said Tiny.

"Nah. That's only if she's around. She's taking her nap now anyway. Just keep quiet."

Charlotte made quick work of starting up the computer and clicking her way around until she got online. Then she typed in the web address: www.manchesteracupuncturestudio.org. With Tiny looking over her shoulder, the web page came onto the screen.

Tiny was impatient. "So what IS acto-punch-her?"

"AAAcupuncture Tiny. Listen: A c u p u n c t u r e. It's where you get a bunch of little needles put in your body and then you take a nap." Charlotte snatched herself up in her chair and huffed a little bit, smug that she finally knew something that Tiny did not.

"WHY would anybody want to do that? I would NEVER let somebody put needles in me!"

"Well I would, and I even got one in my arm one time."

"Tiny's eyes widened and she looked horrified. Did you cry?"

"Nope. I wasn't scared, and I didn't even move. Grandma said I didn't have to, but I wanted to do it. And besides, there was a baby there getting acupuncture, and he wasn't crying."

Tiny's eyes remained like saucers. "A baby with needles in it? What did it feel like?"

"I don't even remember. But it didn't hurt. Maybe it tickled."

"Tickled?"

"Or maybe it was like a mosquito bite."

"That's different than tickle! Who put the needle in your arm?"

"Here, I'll show you." Charlotte clicked here, clicked there, and a picture of a woman with black hair bending over a man in a reclining chair came in to view.

"Her?"

"Yep. Her name's Tracy. She's really nice. And there's another guy too, with red hair. He's funny but I was afraid to let him put the needle in my arm. But anyway, that's who my grandma likes."

"Why does your grandma do that?"

"Like the guy with red hair?"

"No, get acupuncture."

"She says it helps her aching back. And her knees. And maybe something else too. Remember last summer when she used to take us to the pool, she used to be able to keep up with us when we walked allll the way across the gym to get there?"

Tiny nodded.

"Well, this year she can't even walk all the way across the gym without using her cane. And sometimes she even stops to rest halfway through. I asked her why she can't keep up and she says I'm just moving faster. But I'm pretty sure her knees hurt. Plus they look like they got bigger. Bigger than most of the knees I've seen."

Tiny slumped in her chair a little and looked concerned. She made a mental note to try and check out Grammy's knees next time she saw her. But without being too obvious. Grammy was like her own grandma. She had been her babysitter since birth, and ever since she and Charlotte had been going to school, Tiny spent most of her waking summer hours with Charlotte at Grammy's house. If her knees hurt and she couldn't keep up any more, did that mean she was going to die?

Charlotte could see that suddenly, Tiny was close to tears. She said in a soft voice while looking down at her lap "Charlotte, is Grammy dying?"

Charlotte shrugged down in her chair. Gone was the burst of pride over her knowledge of acupuncture. Tiny was the smartest person she knew, other than Grammy and Mr. Lewis. Did she know something she didn't? "Dying? I don't think so. I think her knees just hurt. But now I don't know."

The girls were sitting like deflated balloons when they heard an "Ahem." Grammy cleared her throat behind them.

Charlotte shot bolt upright in her chair, reflexively clicked closed the webpage, and moved to shut down the computer. Tiny jumped out of her chair and began to sputter "Hi Grammy. Um... how... was... your... nap? Um, are you feeling okay?"

Charlotte, after shutting down the computer, sat with her hands in her lap and head down. She had been using the computer often while Grammy was napping, but this was the first time she got caught.

She felt worse than ever. She broke Grammy's trust, and to make matters worse, Grammy might even be dying.

Grammy was standing in the doorway with arms crossed. But to the girl's surprise, she had a slight smile on her face. They could feel her warmth reach out to them as she extended her arms.

Instantly, Charlotte and Tiny shot out of their chairs and into her arms. Grammy drew them to the couch to sit down.

Dressed in a flowing cotton dress, Tiny tried furtively to catch a glimpse of Grammy's knees. She couldn't see much without looking improper, but she could tell they looked like grapefruits under the fabric.

Grammy, holding a girl on each side of her said. "I am not dying yet," then made the sign of a cross over her chest and raised her fingers to the sky like she did every time she made a wish. But you were right about my knees. Sometimes my knees hurt, sometimes my back hurts. And for that matter, sometimes my hips, sometimes my hands. . . Grammy seemed to drift off for a moment. And then she said firmly:

And THAT's why I get acupuncture. It gets rid of the pain for a good while, and helps me keep up with you girls. Especially since the older you get, the more you forget.

Charlotte and Tiny looked confused. Forget?

Grammy raised her eyebrows; "like how to READ!" She glanced at the sign on the computer monitor.

Charlotte shrunk slightly, awaiting the verdict for her punishment. Right now, she was so relieved that Grammy wasn't dying that she was willing to do anything, or go without anything.

Tiny hadn't forgotten about the baby with needles in it, and piped up. "Even babies get acupuncture? Do they have problems with their knees?"

Grammy chuckled. I don't know about the baby you're talking about, but I do know that lots of people get acupuncture for lots of different reasons. From what I know, though I'm no expert, it can help people relax, sleep better, be happier, stop their pain, and more and more.

Tiny was intrigued; if acupuncture could help people relax and be happier, she was planning to run right home and tell her mother. Maybe THIS was a way to help her be happier. Tiny hadn't seen her smile since she lost her job at the bank, and now everybody was worried about money. And Grammy, as always, seemed to be able to read her mind. "Tiny, maybe your mother would like to come with me to get acupuncture some time. Shall I invite her?"

Tiny's little body swelled with hope. "You mean she can go with you?"

"Absolutely. And so can you if you want to check things out."

Tiny's hopes soared, and then, as was becoming usual lately, she began to worry about the cost. Maybe Mama would just say "it's a nice idea, but we can't afford it."

Again, Grammy somehow knew. She went on "And this clinic where I go, it's very inexpensive. It's cheaper than taking one of you to a movie."

Tiny brightened again. So maybe Mama really would try it. She was squirming on the couch now, eager to leave. "Grammy, so I can tell my mom to be expecting your call?" she said in a serious voice of confirmation.

"Absolutely." Grammy said.

Before Tiny squeezed out the door, Charlotte whispered quickly in her ear "Don't forget about our bet!" Tiny looked back and squirmed. "Fine Princess Charlotte! Just fine!"

With Tiny gone, Charlotte knew that her punishment was coming. But unexpectedly, Grammy reached out to her and pulled her into her arms once again. "Charlotte, why did I make those rules for the computer?"

"Because I am too young to have the judgment to sort through all the things on the web" Charlotte quoted verbatim.

"And what would you do if you couldn't trust me, Charlotte?"

Charlotte felt her heart sink into her stomach. She had never thought of that before. What IF she couldn't trust Grammy. Her eyes welled with tears and her lips quivered.

"That would be awful. I'm so sorry Grammy. You can trust me."

Grammy knelt down and took Charlotte's face in her hands, looking directly into her eyes.

"I know I can trust you. Case closed."

Grammy stood up again, with a little difficulty. As she turned and walked away, Charlotte could hear her say to herself, "Now I could never do THAT if it weren't for acupuncture."