Martha Whitmore Hickman

Robert's parents are divorced. His father hardly ever comes to see him. His mother is addicted to drugs and she has to go to a drug rehab hospital. Robert's grandparents invite him to come and live with them--they love him. They will take care of him.

So Robert and his kitty move in with his grandparents. He likes being in their house--he even has the room his mother had when she was growing up. Even more he likes their being home when they say they will. Though he misses his mother and father, he is happy with his grandparents.

But when the teacher announces Parents Day is coming, and gives each of the children an invitation to take home to their parents, Robert stiffens in his chair, and feels all tight inside. He doesn't want his classmates to know he lives with his grandparents, not with his mother and father. He stuffs the invitation to Parents Day into his pocket and when he gets home he doesn't tell anybody about it.

But when his grandmother starts to do the wash she finds the invitation in the pocket of Robert's jeans. She tells Robert how pleased she will be to come. His grandfather will still be at work but she'll certainly be there. Robert doesn't want to hurt her feelings, even though he's worried about what his classmates will think.

Then Parents Day comes. When his grandmother comes to school in the afternoon, Robert has some pleasant surprises--including finding out he's not the only one.