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(6-7)(Spread 1)
It was a rainy day.
The sky was gray like black sesame seed ice cream.
But that didn’t bother Harper! Harper and Mom were in the kitchen, filling donuts with lime green icing. . .
BEEP! BEEP!
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(8-9)(Spread 2)
“Dad’s here!” exclaimed Harper.
Mom’s smile turned upside down, like it always did when Harper had to leave. And this made Harper sad, too.
They wished they could always be with both parents—never a day or night apart.
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(10-11)(Spread 3)
“Don’t forget to take Ray!” said Mom.
Ray is Harper’s special bird.
Harper and Ray went everywhere together. And did everything together, from playing cards to serving the fanciest tea parties.
With a kiss on the cheek from Mom, Harper and Ray were off.
(Ill: Ray is a stuffed white cockatiel)
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(12-13)(Spread 4)
The sky was still gray like black sesame ice cream.
But that didn’t bother Harper, Ray, and Dad. They made spicy tacos that tasted supreme. Then they played hide-and-seek until it was time to sleep.
“Goodnight!” said Dad as he kissed Harper’s cheek.
Harper wished to have a kiss from Mom, too.
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(14-15)(Spread 5)
Snuggled in bed, Harper looked at the moon and said, “I wish there was a rainbow connecting my two houses.”
POOF!
Something magical happened.
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(16-17)(Spread 6)
Ray’s wings flapped faster and faster.
Ray chirped loudly.
Ray’s bright white feathers turned a brilliant purple.
“Harper, I will make your wish come true,” Ray explained. “Tell me something purple that reminds you of your parents.”
“Purple reminds me of royalty. And Mom and Dad are royal to me,” said Harper.
Ray chirped happily and flew out the window.
(Ill: A big, beautiful purple light ray appeared from the window reaching out to Mom’s house.)
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Soon, Ray returned.
“Ray, you’re blue now!” Harped cheered.
“Let’s make the blue ray. What is something blue that reminds you of your parents?” Ray asked.
“Mom and Dad are important, like the blue skies I see every day,” Harper replied.
Ray chirped happily and flew out the window.
(Ill: A big, beautiful blue light ray appeared from the window reaching out to Mom’s house.)
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(20-21)(Spread 8)
Early the next morning and, with a kiss from Dad, Harper was off to Mom’s house. Dad was always sad when it was time to say goodbye. And this made Harper sad, too.
The sky was still a little gray, but now purple and blue rays connected Harper’s two homes.
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(22-23)(Spread 9)
Later that day, Harper and Ray found a four-leaf clover when gardening with Mom.
Ray magically turned green.
“Harper, what does green remind of you?” asked Ray.
“Green reminds me of this lucky four-leaf clover because I am so lucky to have two homes,” whispered Harper.
Ray quickly flew into the sky and a big, beautiful green ray reached over to Dad’s house.
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(24-25)(Spread 10)
Later that night, when Harper was tucked warm and cozy in bed, Mom planted a kiss on their cheek. Harper wished Dad was there to give out kisses, too. As Harper squeezed Ray, they wondered if the bird would magically come to life tonight, too.
Suddenly, Ray was yellow!
“Let’s make the yellow ray,” Ray said. “What is something yellow that reminds you of your parents?”
“Mom and Dad are my yellow stars in the night sky!” Harper cheered.
Ray chirped happily and flew out the window.
(Ill: A big, beautiful yellow light ray appeared from the window reaching out to Dad’s house.)
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Soon, Ray returned.
“Ray, you’re now orange!” gasped Harper.
“It’s time to make the orange ray!” Ray said. “What is something orange that reminds you of your parents?”
“Mom and Dad make me as happy as an orange,” said Harper.
Ray chirped happily and flew out the window.
(Ill: A big, beautiful orange light ray appeared and reached all the way to Dad’s house.)
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The next morning, Harper waited for Dad to pick them up.
But this time, something surprising happened. Mom wasn’t sad when Dad arrived.
“Harper, I am happy that you are happy having two homes,” said Mom.
BEEP! BEEP!
“Dad’s here!” cheered Harper, kissing Mom goodbye.
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(30-31)(Spread 13)
“Today we’re going to go strawberry picking! We will make two pies for your two homes,” Dad insisted.
While searching for the biggest strawberry, Harper found one shaped like a heart.
“Look!” shouted Harper.
POOF! Ray was suddenly red!
“Does this red, heart-shaped strawberry remind you of anything?” asked Ray.
“It reminds me of the love I have for Mom and Dad,” said Harper.
Ray flew high into the sky and a red ray appeared, reaching all the way from Mom’s house to Dad’s house.
(Page 32)
From that day on, Harper’s two homes were connected. The beautiful rainbow was always a reminder that their parents’ love never stopped, even when they were apart.
(Ill: The complete rainbow)
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