Friends till the End (7 page)

“I do not,” Madison said. “Mom, you’re being goofy.”

“Seriously, Maddie, you’re smart about these things. That’s one of the things I love most about you. You trust your instincts.”

“I do?” Madison said incredulously. “Since when?”

“Oh, honey bear,” Mom went on, “you’ve grown so much this year. Seventh grade has been a real turning point for you. I can see it.”

“It has?” Madison asked.

Mom nodded. “It has.” Then she took a long pause. “So, what should I do?”

“Mom, I don’t know—”

“Oh, Maddie,” Mom sighed. “I know I should be gunning for the big job…and I love the work so much. But I so love being able to travel. If I took the executive role, I’d be in an office more—not traveling around the world. And even though I’d go on shorter trips, I’d probably be away from home a lot more often.”

“Away
more?
Wait. You never said that part to me before,” Madison said. “You told me the opposite would be true…”

“I didn’t want you to get all worked up about it, since I didn’t know all the details yet. But today I found out that I’d have to fly to Washington at least once a month—and overseas at least once a month—and—”

“That
would stink,” Madison said.

Mom nodded and ran her fingertips over Madison’s cheek. “Any time I’m away from you stinks.”

“Okay, then I know exactly what you should do,” Madison said.

“Yes?” Mom said, smiling.

“You should take the trip to Japan and stay at Budge,” Madison said simply. “Because you want to travel—and because I don’t want you to be away from me and Phin any more than you already are. There. I said it.”

“Then that’s what I’ll do,” Mom said decisively.

“Just like that?” Madison asked.

“Just like that. And you know,” Mom said, “if I do take the Japan project, I’ll need someone to come on my first scouting trip with me.”

Madison’s eyes grew wide. “You will?”

“You know who I want to fly with me?”

“Me?”
Madison asked.

Mom nodded. “Who else?”

“When?”

“This summer.”

“Really?”

“Truly.”

“For how long?”

“I don’t know. Maybe three weeks.”

“Three weeks? Halfway across the world?” Madison squealed. She instantly thought about Madhur’s trip to Pakistan and Lindsay’s trip to England. After feeling so sorry for herself, Madison was now being asked to go on a trip, too? This was a dream.

“I have to tell Aimee!” Madison cried. “I have to tell everyone.”

“Well, remember, I haven’t accepted yet…and it’s not a sure thing
yet,”
Mom said, “but go ahead, call Aimee…or e-mail her…or whatever it is you’re doing these days. She’s like a member of our family anyway.”

“Thanks, Mom,” Madison said as she collected her orange bag and raced out of the kitchen. Forget the phone or laptop. Telling Aimee about this required some serious face time. Madison decided she would run down the street to the Gillespie house. She and Aimee could sit on the roof just outside Aimee’s bedroom, as they usually did in the summers and on sleepover nights.

Madison grabbed Phin’s leash and hooked it to his collar. Then she headed for the porch and for Aimee’s house.

This was way too good to be believed.

And way too good
not
to be shared.

M
ADISON LAY IN BED
, staring at the shiny alarm clock on her night table. Phin had knocked the digital clock radio off the table the week before and it didn’t work anymore, so she was making do with a metal windup alarm clock in the shape of a pink pig. Rather than awakening Madison with bells or chimes, this clock oinked.

Phin hated it. As soon as it went off, he dashed madly under the bed.

“You can come out now,” Madison whispered to Phin as she leaned over the side of the mattress. “It’s just Piggy. No biggie.”

Phin poked his snout out from under the bedspread and sniffed the rug cautiously.

It wasn’t Madison’s usual get-up-and-go time. She’d set the pig for an hour earlier than usual. With so much to do, Madison figured she would waste less time sleeping and get more done by getting up earlier. Plus, she was supposed to meet Aimee and Fiona to walk to school together.

Getting up early was no hardship. Madison had been having trouble sleeping these last few weeks. Mom had said it was probably just the end-of-school jitters.

“When you have a ton on your mind,” Mom had said, “it’s hard to stay still, especially under the covers.”

Madison jumped out of the bed and walked slowly over to the large, gilded mirror that hung over a dresser. It was an antique, handed down from Gramma Helen’s sister Lou. Madison had never known Lou—short for Louisa—although she’d heard stories over the years. Like many pieces and parts of her own family history, the stories came together over time, like pieces of a puzzle. Sometimes Madison had to fish for the details of her ancestry: who resembled whom, where people grew up and traveled, and so much more.

Distressed to see a giant pimple on her face, reflected in the mirror, Madison made a beeline for the hall bathroom. Phin didn’t follow; Madison figured he’d fallen back asleep again. Mom was asleep, too. Madison heard her snoring from out in the hall.

With a quick washing of her face, the use of a cotton ball soaked in toner, and a smear of beige cover-up called Zit-B-Gone, the unwelcome blemish was rendered invisible. Madison pulled her hair into a braid and fixed the edges with bobby pins. Then, she slipped into a T-shirt and faded blue chinos and added a woven belt and sneakers. The T had a silk screen of a cartoon pony on the front, and the words
I’m Just Horsing Around.
It was like one of Dad’s dorky jokes, but Madison loved the purple color of the fabric, and the words were half faded and practically unreadable anyway, so she wore it.

Back in her room, in front of the gilt-edged mirror, Madison searched inside her jewelry box for the right pair of earrings to go with her outfit. She located a pair of dangly gold hoops and tried them on. But they were too long. Then she put on a pair of silver-studded flowers, but they pinched her ears. Finally, Madison settled on a simple pair of purple-beaded drop earrings to match her shirt. She posed in the mirror with the earrings, readjusting her bobby pins.

Higher up on the mirror were some odds and ends that had been taped there hastily over the past weeks and months: a postcard from Dad’s and Stephanie’s honeymoon, Mom’s photo from the newspaper, a dried flower from Dad, a picture of Phin, and a photo strip of Madison and Hart that they’d taken at the Far Hills Shoppes in one of those photo booths. Madison and Hart made different funny faces in each picture: pucker-ups, frowns, grins, and toothy smiles. In one of the pictures (Madison’s personal favorite), Hart had his head turned to the side so it almost looked as if he were about to kiss her on the cheek.

Madison sprayed on some Flora, a fragrant floral body spray given to her by her stepmother. Stephanie was always indulging Madison with body creams, sprays, shampoos, candles, and things she said would help Madison to feel pretty and girlie. Mom didn’t mind, as long as Madison didn’t wear makeup or anything too sophisticated.

“For goodness’ sakes, Maddie, you’re only twelve!” was Mom’s constant refrain. Madison wondered what would happen now that seventh grade was ending and thirteen was just around the corner. Would Mom’s rules change just like everything else was changing?

Fully dressed, the rest of the house still asleep, Madison crept down to the kitchen with her laptop. She could make a bowl of cereal and check e-mail at the same time.

With her bowl of Corn Chex and berries, Madison sat at the table and powered up the computer. She was glad to have a wireless router. Her e-mailbox instantly came into view.

FROM          SUBJECT


BoopDeeDoop   Prom-O-Rama Sale


JeffFinn      Dinner!


First$$Mutual Get Life Insurance NOW


AmericanDEX   Free Trial Offer


Dantheman     clinic SOS


Bigwheels     BTW


889MovieLynx  screeningtimes


WillPOWR      Remember me?


Madison couldn’t believe how jammed the mailbox had gotten since only the day before. She scanned for familiar names first. Dad had sent an e-mail confirming dinner with Stephanie for that Wednesday. Dan had sent more news about the changes at the Far Hills clinic. Even Bigwheels had dropped her a short note.

From: Bigwheels


To: MadFinn


Subject: BTW


Date: Mon 12 Jun 11:19 PM


Ok so I know how late it is and my parents would bean me if they knew I was up typing (WEIN?) But I wanted to write and check in again about that whole Ivy enemy fight ur having. I thought of something else u could do. U should send her an anonymous note or something that says u know she’s cheating. That way she’ll get really paranoid. Is that 2 much like something she’d do? LMKWYT.


Yours, till the family feuds (or friend feuds, I guess),
Vicki aka Bigwheels


p.s.: Almost 4got: we’re getting a PONY!! ! My dad and mom decided it would be good therapy for all of us to ride on the wkends. I’ll tell u more l8r. I have 2 think of a good name for her—b/c it’s a girl pony. I know ur probably thinking we already have 2 many pets but who cares? LOL


Bye!


Madison chuckled. Bigwheels was getting another pet? That was really no big surprise. She could practically start her own animal clinic somewhere in Washington State.

After reading the familiar names, Madison moved through the remainder of the e-mails, hitting
DELETE
after each spam. She didn’t recognize any of these web addresses, like First$$Mutual or AmericanDEX. As for the ad from her favorite store, Boop Dee Doop, Madison didn’t feel like shopping just then. Before she could delete the last e-mail of the bunch, something made Madison stop. The e-mail had been written the night before, after midnight. Madison didn’t know the screen name, WillPOWR, but for some reason, she thought it might be from a real person, not a spammer.

She was right.

Madison scanned the e-mail for viruses. When the message was cleared, she clicked on the text.

From: WillPOWR


To: MadFinn


Subject: Remember me?


Date: Tues 13 Jun 12:32 AM


Hey how r u? Do u even remember me? I hope so. I met u @ Camp Sunshine we were on the Egrets 2gether. I live in NYC and said maybe we could stay in touch but then I 4got to write and I found this paper list w/yr name on it so I thought I would finally write & say hi. BTW I have this great pic that someone took of us and I have kept it all this time. Actually, it’s a picture w/u, me, & that girl Ann. Remember her? Did u keep in touch w/her? She & I kept in touch a little bit but I dunno. So if u get this and want 2 write back that would be kool. Do u ever go into NYC? Where do u live again? OK I better go, it’s late. Write back if you want.


Or not.


Will.


Madison felt her chest clench. Was this some kind of joke?

Will? From camp? From Florida?

The e-mail gave new meaning to the word “flabbergasted.” She reread it again and pictured Will’s shaggy blond hair. Cute. Right now he was an eighth grader preparing for his own MUD; and next year he would be a freshman, a ninth grader—one of the “big” kids. And he wanted to get back in touch? How could this not be a big, major, huge deal?

Madison hit
REPLY
right away. She started to type.

From: MadFinn


To: WillPOWR


Subject: Re: Remember me?


Date: Tues 13 Jun 7:19 AM


Thanks for writing. Wow, I was surprised. I didn’t think u would remember me, but then you wrote and I just felt so happy inside when I was reading yr


“Ack! That’s
terrible,”
Madison groaned to herself as she quickly punched
DELETE, DELETE, DELETE
. She had to make absolutely sure those words didn’t get sent to Will.

With another keystroke, Madison saved her reply to her “Drafts” folder. This was going to take some time. Madison would have to think extra-hard about how to respond without sounding like a dweeb.

The floor upstairs squeaked. Mom was up.

“Maddie?” Mom called out. “Are you awake?”

“Down here,” Madison replied from the kitchen.

Yawning, Mom came down the stairs and shuffled into the kitchen wearing her slippers and a terry-cloth robe. Her hair was curly and damp; she had just towel-dried it.

“You’re up so early today. And dressed! Trouble sleeping again, honey bear?” Mom said, yawning again.

Madison nodded and tried not to yawn herself. She pointed to Mom’s head. “I didn’t hear you take a shower,” Madison said.

“That’s because you’re too focused on that laptop,” Mom said with a sleepy wink. She walked over to the coffeemaker and started scooping some hazelnut roast into the gold filter.

“I got an e-mail,” Madison blurted out.

Mom chuckled. “Just one? That is news…”

“No,” Madison said. “I got one e-mail that was different.”

Mom got a worried look on her face.
“Bad
different?” she asked, moving toward Madison and the laptop. “Let me see.”

“No, no,” Madison said reassuringly. “Not bad. Not spam. Not dangerous.”

“Oh,” Mom said, taking a step back. “Then, how was it different?”

“It was from someone I haven’t seen in a while,” Madison said.

“Hmmm,” Mom was thinking hard now. “Was it Stephanie’s nephew in Texas? You said he was cute. Or maybe that boy from Chicago…You remember him, don’t you?”

“Mo-o-o-o-o-om,” Madison said, feeling her cheeks turn pink. Of course she remembered the boy from Chicago. Mark had given her her first kiss, on the Fourth of July at Gramma’s lake house. Thoughts of him and fireworks still made Madison grin.