Authors: Laura Dower
“I’m sorry. But we’ll make other arrangements…” Mom’s voice drifted off.
“What
kind
of arrangements?” Madison asked.
Mom put her hand on Madison’s back. “I think you should go to Gramma Helen’s for the Fourth of July. And she loves the idea. We can fly out to Chicago together, and then I’ll go on to my business trip…”
Madison stood up and threw her arms into the air. “Are you kidding, Mom? Leave my friends to go hang with Gramma Helen? No way.”
Mom nodded. “I know it doesn’t sound perfect, but it will be just for a week or so. Gramma keeps saying how much she misses you, and how she wants to see you.”
“A WEEK?” Madison said. She leaned back in the swing seat and sighed a deep, sad sigh.
No Far Hills carnival? No parade? She’d miss the fireworks?
She’d miss her friends.
Mom and Madison sat there, not speaking for a moment or two. There was total silence except for the sound of Phin’s panting.
“Maddie,” Mom finally said. “This doesn’t have to be a tragedy.”
“Easy for you to say.” Madison groaned. She felt like crying and screaming at the same time. The Fourth of July was her big chance to hang out with Hart Jones. Now those hopes were dashed.
Phinnie started to howl a little, as if he knew something was wrong. He sniffed at Madison’s sneakers.
“Rowrrooooooo!”
“I really am sorry, Maddie,” Mom said again. She rubbed the top of Madison’s back the way she always did when Madison felt sad or sick.
“You just don’t understand, Mom. I can’t spend the Fourth of July with my grandmother! The only people around her are old. I’ll be so left out. And all my friends are here, not there. I don’t know anyone there.”
“That’s not true,” Mom said with a gentle smile.
“MOM! Can’t you just postpone your work for a change?” Madison said. She bit her lip.
“No, that is not an option,” Mom answered.
“You don’t get it!” Madison screamed. Her voice was getting louder and louder.
“Okay, enough yelling, young lady. I think you’re overreacting. Look, it’s only a short stay. There are fireworks and carnivals where Gramma lives, too. And you may not believe me, but summers at Gramma’s lake house can be pleasantly surprising,” Mom said. “I promise.”
Madison didn’t respond with more than a pout. Dad’s car was pulling into the driveway at that exact moment.
She skipped down the porch stairs without really saying a proper good-bye.
Phin howled after her, but Mom held on to his dog collar so he stayed on the porch.
“I love you, Maddie,” Mom called out.
“Yeah, I love you, too,” Madison replied softly. But she didn’t look back. She opened her dad’s car door and climbed inside.
Somehow Madison hoped that Dad would have a magical solution that could help her figure out the way to stay home, sweet home, for the Fourth of July.
It would take serious magic to save this summer.
“W
HAT’S NEW?” DAD ASKED
when Madison crawled into his car.
She wanted to blurt out everything she was thinking but was afraid it would all come rushing out like a big mess.
“Cat got your tongue?” Dad asked. “Or should I say,
dog
got your tongue?” He laughed at his own dumb joke.
But Madison still didn’t laugh or speak.
“How are you feeling, honey?” Dad asked.
“Mmmnh … fine,” Madison grunted back at Dad.
“Well,” Dad said, clearing his throat. “You don’t sound very fine.”
“Yeah,” Madison said. “Guess not.” She gazed out the passenger-side window. They drove past a few more houses before turning into the downtown area of Far Hills where the barbecue restaurant was.
“What is it, Maddie?” Dad asked, seriously now. He reached out for Madison’s knee. “You can tell me.”
Madison realized she couldn’t keep her feelings hidden all night, so she spoke up. Her voice quivering a little, she explained about the Fourth of July fiasco and the pending trip to Gramma Helen’s lake house. She hoped that Dad would just fix things—and be on Madison’s side.
Unfortunately, Dad wouldn’t. He just stared straight ahead, driving slowly toward their BBQ destination.
“Gee, now
I
don’t know what to say, Maddie,” he blurted after a brief pause. “Your mother … well, she works pretty hard. I know she isn’t ruining your Fourth of July on purpose. And I’d change my work schedule if I could … but I can’t, either. I don’t know what to tell you. …”
Madison crossed her arms and sighed.
What would Bigwheels do in a situation like this? Madison wished her keypal were there right now to help her through this muddle. Didn’t parents understand
anything
about the importance of a perfect summer vacation?
“I’m surprised you don’t think staying with Gramma Helen could be fun,” Dad continued. “She has that great house by Lake Michigan. Nice neighbors. Ducks. There’s a lot to do up there…”
“Ducks?” Madison shot him a look. “What am I supposed to do with ducks? Dad, out there is not as much fun as here with Aimee and Fiona.”
Dad wasn’t sure how to respond to
that.
“I know,” he said simply.
He silently pulled into the barbecue restaurant parking lot and parked the car. In front of them, Madison noticed a giant billboard.
“Just look at that,” she moaned to Dad as she read the sign aloud.
Far Hills Independence Day Extravaganza!
FREE rides! FREE raffles! FREE fun!
Downtown Center, July 4
12 PM to 10 PM
Games all day! Fireworks all night!
Her heart sank even lower than before.
“Now, sweetheart, don’t get upset. I’ll bet there’s an ‘extravaganza’ at Gramma Helen’s, too,” Dad said, trying to be reassuring. “I’ll bet they have rides and games all day there, too.”
“But who will I go on the rides with, Dad? Ride a roller coaster with Gramma Helen?” Madison asked. “I don’t think so.”
Dad shrugged. “Well, you can watch the fireworks from Gramma’s,” he said. “And I’ll bet Mom will let you bring Phinnie along for the trip. You and Phin can light sparklers together…”
Madison sighed. Bringing Phin would help the situation, but a pug was no replacement for a real BFF.
“Let’s go get some food, and we can talk more,” Dad said, gently grabbing Madison’s shoulder.
Madison squirmed.
How could anyone eat BBQ at a time like this?
But she went anyway.
Surprisingly, after a few spicy french fries (and a few more of Dad’s dumber-than-dumb jokes), Madison’s spirits lifted a little. And by the time he suggested they go for dessert at Freeze Palace, Madison was actually grinning from ear to ear. Ice cream was happy food, after all. A person couldn’t be sad and lick a waffle ice-cream cone at the same time. Madison couldn’t.
As usual, the line for Freeze Palace was out the door on a warm summer night, but Madison didn’t mind waiting. She’d only been standing there for a few moments when Aimee appeared with two of her brothers, Dean and Billy.
“Maddie!” Aimee squealed as soon as she saw her best friend. She greeted Madison’s dad, too. “Hey, Mr. Finn!”
Madison gave her BFF a big squeeze. “What are you doing here?”
“Pigging out!” Aimee said, laughing. She was always going on and off diets, but in the summer even ballerina Aimee couldn’t resist ice cream. And Freeze Palace made the best chocolate cow (aka superthick mocha milk shake) in town.
“Did you guys walk here all the way from your house?” Madison asked.
“Yes, and …” Aimee pulled Madison a little off to one side. “Do you know who I just saw on the way?”
Aimee broke into giggles.
“Who?” Madison asked, impatient. “Tell me. TELL ME!”
“Ben Buckley!” Aimee squealed. She covered up her mouth to pretend that no one could hear.
Madison smiled. “I thought you stopped crushing on him!” she said.
Aimee blushed. “Me, too. But then he stopped to say hello to me even though he was with his friends. That means something, right? My brothers even said he seemed extra nice, and they
never
say stuff like that.”
Boys liked Aimee and Aimee loved boys, especially brainiacs. Ben was the smartest kid in the seventh grade. Up until now, he hadn’t really shown an interest in her.
“So are you two going out this summer or something?” Madison teased.
“No way!” Aimee cut her off. “OH-EM-GEE! We just said hello, Maddie—it was really no biggie,” Aimee cried, blushing some more.
The ice-cream line started moving faster now.
Madison’s dad, who had been chatting with the Gillespie brothers, put his arm around Madison and moved them all forward a few paces.
“So what’s your family doing for Independence Day?” Dad asked Aimee.
Madison elbowed him. “Dad!” she said.
He realized immediately that he’d asked the wrong question.
Aimee replied instantly. “Oh-em-gee! My friend Sasha from dance camp is coming into town,” she explained, talking a mile a minute. “And you know she’s from Russia … well, she lives in New York … but oh, we’re so excited to hang out together and Maddie, I can’t wait for you guys to meet each other! We will have sooo much fun at the carnival and the fireworks and—”
“Aimee,” Madison interrupted. “I think I may be going away next week. Change of plans.”
“What?” Aimee asked. “You can’t go somewhere else!”
Madison sighed. “Yeah, it’s a bummer. I’m going to miss the Fourth of July parade and carnival.”
Aimee frowned. “I can’t believe it!” she cried. “That is totally unfair. Mr. Finn, why can’t she stay here?”
Dad made a helpless face as if he didn’t know how to answer anything that twelve-year-old girls asked him tonight.
By now the ice-cream line had moved inside the store, but Madison didn’t feel much like a frozen treat anymore. She just felt frozen.
“Hey, move it, weasel!” Aimee’s brother Dean said, gently shoving Madison up to the counter. He and Billy laughed. Aimee punched them both on behalf of her BFF.
Normally Madison would have laughed too, and shoved back. But tonight, she wanted to run away. Not even Aimee could make her feel better.
Dad got the message loud and clear.
He ordered two supersize chocolate cows—to go.
Later, after dropping off Madison at home, Dad stood on the porch talking to Mom for almost half an hour.
Wasn’t there a way to let Madison stay home for the Fourth of July?
Madison eavesdropped on them both through the living-room window, but she didn’t hear anything encouraging. Neither parent could afford to change his or her work plans. Everyone else in town was busy with their own houseguests.
So it was decided once and for all.
The Far Hills Fourth of July would have to do without Madison Francesca Finn and Phineas the dog. Phin could go to Gramma’s with Madison, which was some consolation. But the extravaganza part of everything was kaput.
Slurping on the last slurp of her chocolate cow, Madison poked her head out onto the porch to say good night to Mom and Dad. As she climbed the stairs up to her room, Phin followed, nuzzling her legs.
Madison went right over to her laptop. Was anyone on TweenBlurt.com? She’d told Aimee that she’d miss the Fourth of July, and now Madison had to tell the same icky news to Fiona. As she logged online, her buddy list popped up. Both friends were there, so Madison messaged them with the name of a private chat room. They had things to discuss.
“Meet me in BFFLAND and hurry,” Madison said, waiting impatiently for them to show up.
Fiona got there first.
Madison sighed. She could feel her BFFs slipping away—even if it was only for a week. Not only would she miss meeting Sasha, but now she’d miss Debbie, too.
Madison paused before sending her reply. She had almost forgotten about Lake Dora. A group of friends were meeting there for swimming the next day, Friday afternoon. Everyone who was anyone would be there—including Hart.
Madison grinned as she reread the chat lines. Hart would be there. She’d confirmed it. And Fiona was probably grinning, too, since it had been revealed that Walter “Egg” Diaz would also be there. Fiona had been crushing on Egg since she first met him.
Egg had been one of Madison’s best guy friends since they were little kids. It was hard to imagine him dating
anyone.