Sewing in Circles (6 page)

“What?” Zoey asked.

“We got the invitation to Aunt Lulu's baby shower. And it's addressed to you, me, Dad, and ‘guest.' ”

“Wow—so . . . do you think the Mystery Lady is going to come?” Zoey asked. “Will we finally get to meet her?”

“That's what I plan to ask Dad tonight,” Marcus said.

When they posed the baby shower question to their father over dinner, he looked distinctly uncomfortable.

“Look, kids, I talked to her about meeting you, and she's
just not ready,” Dad said. “So she's not coming to the baby shower.”

Marcus looked mutinous. “I just don't get it, Dad. What does she have against us?”

“I promise you, she has nothing against you,” Dad said. “You'll understand when you meet her, I promise.”

But Zoey and Marcus weren't so easily convinced. After dinner, Marcus joined Zoey in her room to complain about the situation.

“I'm starting to think there's something weird about this lady,” he said. “Why else would she be so afraid of meeting us?”

“I know! We're not
that
scary,” Zoey said. “Well, maybe you are, but
I'm
not!”

“I'm not sure I want things to work out between them anymore,” Marcus said. “I'm worried that she's strange or cold or something.”

“Me too,” Zoey said. “Except . . . Dad still seems really happy every time he gets back from a date with her. So . . . there's that.”

Marcus sighed. “Yeah, there's that. And it's a pretty big that.”

“I guess we have to be patient, like Dad says,” Zoey said.

“True,” Marcus agreed. “But that doesn't mean we have to like it!”

Later that evening, Aunt Lulu called to speak to Zoey.

“Did you get the invitation to the baby shower?” her aunt asked.

“Yes,” Zoey said. “It's really cute.”

“Zo, I need your help. I've been looking for a simple, but cute, outfit to wear for the shower, but everything I've seen and tried on so far just makes me look big and dowdy,” Aunt Lulu complained. “Can you rescue me from mom-to-be madness and design me something stylish?”

“I guess . . . ,” Zoey said. “I mean, I'll try. It's just . . . I have no idea how to make maternity clothes. I'm not sure how much room I'm supposed to leave for the bump.”

“I don't want you to stress about it,” Aunt Lulu said. “I'll buy another dress as backup, just in case. But I love your designs, and I trust you to create
something that won't make me feel frumpy.”

“I can't imagine you ever looking frumpy!” Zoey told her aunt. “You always look fashionable to me.”

Aunt Lulu laughed.

“Just another reason why I love you, Zo,” she said. “I guess I just feel frumpy because I'm not used to having a bump!”

“Don't worry, Aunt Lulu,” Zoey said. “I'll make you something that you will feel good wearing . . . or at least I'll try.”

“I know,” Aunt Lulu said. “I'm sure I'll love whatever you make.”

Saturday dawned crisp and cool, with a sunny blue sky—perfect weather for a visit to the state fair on a date. Zoey put on her overalls-minidress and gingham shirt and a pair of comfortable sneakers, because Ezra warned her there would be a
lot
of walking!

“Are you looking forward to your rustic adventure?” Dad asked. “You look prepared . . . and lovely.”

“I think so,” Zoey said, smiling at her dad's compliment.

“Make sure you have some fried Oreos,” Marcus said. “They're awesome.”

“
Everything
tastes good fried,” Dad said. “The problem is it's not healthy!”

“
Everything?
” Zoey asked. “Even . . . broccoli rabe? It's so bitter!”

“I bet if I put on a thick coating of breading and deep fried some broccoli rabe, even Zoey would eat them,” Dad said.

Marcus laughed. “Now,
that
I'd like to see!”

“Blegh,” Zoey said, sticking out her tongue. “No, thanks.”

Just then the doorbell rang.

“Sounds like your date is here,” Dad said.

“Be normal. Don't be embarrassing,” Zoey said.

“
Embarrassing?
Who, us?” Marcus joked.

Zoey glared at him as she went to open the door for Ezra.

“Hi, Zoey!” he said, looking really cute in a gingham shirt, and jeans. Then he noticed her outfit and grinned. “Great taste in shirts!”

Zoey laughed. “Yeah, we kind of look like the Farm Twins, don't we?”

“I like your outfit,” Ezra said. “So, are you ready to rock the fair?”

“Definitely,” Zoey said. She turned and saw Dad and Marcus standing in the kitchen doorway, waiting for their introductions.

“Ezra, meet my dad and Marcus,” she blurted out quickly. “Okay, time to go!”

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Webber,” Ezra said. “And Marcus.”

“And you, too, Ezra, however briefly,” Zoey's dad replied, grinning as Zoey hurried out the door.

“I apologize in advance for anything embarrassing that my parents or siblings do today,” Ezra said as they walked to his car. “I begged them to be on their best behavior, but there are no guarantees.”

Zoey laughed.

“I told my dad and brother to ‘be normal' when you rang the doorbell,” she said.

“Well, they did a good job,” Ezra said, smiling. “I hope my family does as well!”

Ezra's younger brother, Robbie, and sister, Amelia, were cute and very talkative. Ezra and Zoey kept them busy playing I Spy and word games,
which made the ride to the state fair pass quickly. Ezra's parents were nice, too—he'd obviously told them about Zoey's and her blog, and they asked her questions about her designs.

“Ezra said you're going to have a booth at the Mapleton Gift Fair this year,” Mrs. Marks said. “That's a great event. I go every year.”

“Oh . . . ,” Zoey said. “Well . . . actually . . . I didn't get selected. They're cutting back on clothing vendors this year.”

“That's too bad,” Mrs. Marks said.

“Better luck next year,” Ezra said.

“I hope so.” Zoey sighed.

When they arrived at the fair, Mr. and Mrs. Marks checked that Zoey and Ezra had their cell phones and arranged a meeting time and place for later. Then they took the younger kids off to see the sights and left Zoey and Ezra to their own devices.

“What do you want to do first?” Ezra asked. “That sign says we can milk cows. Wanna try?”

“Sure!” Zoey said. “I've only ever got milk from a carton!”

They watched a video on how to milk a cow,
and then they got to try on a real-live cow.

It turned out milking a cow was harder than it looked.

“I never realized that milk is warm when it comes out,” Ezra said, sitting on the milking stool, his face against the cow's side. “Although if you think about it, it makes sense!”

“We're used to drinking milk cold out of the fridge,” Zoey said, struggling to eke a dribble of milk from the cow's udder into the bucket below. “This looked a lot easier in the video!”

After realizing they weren't going to make it as milkmaids, they moved on to try to guess the weight of the enormous butter sculpture of a cow, a butter churn, and a round of cheese.

The prize was a year's supply of . . . butter!

“Do they just give you the sculpture as the prize?” Zoey asked as she filled in her blank entry.

“I hope not!” Ezra said. “It must get pretty dirty after everyone looking at it and sneezing and everything!”

“True,” Zoey said. “Yuck! If I win, I definitely want fresh, clean, unsneezed-on butter!”

After visiting the sheep and the goats, Zoey and Ezra decided it was time to go on some rides. They hit the flying swings, the tilt-a-whirl, and finally the giant Ferris wheel. When their car reached the top of the wheel, they took in the view, and Ezra reached for Zoey's hand.

Zoey wondered if he was going to kiss her. She half wanted him to and was half nervous about it. But he didn't. They just sat and looked out over the fair.

“You don't realize how big this place is until you see it from up here,” Ezra said.

“I know!” Zoey agreed. “There's a huge farm machinery section we haven't even visited.”

“You don't have a room for a tractor in your garage,” Ezra said.

“True,” Zoey said. “But I think I'm making room for some fried Oreos in my stomach. Marcus said they were amazing.”

“As soon as we get back on the ground, we'll investigate the fried everything aisle!” Ezra promised.

And they did. Zoey tried fried zucchini, fried
okra, fried macaroni-and-cheese balls, fried dough, a variety of fried desserts, and finally fried Oreos, which were just as amazing as her brother had promised.

“I'm so full, I don't think I can walk,” Zoey groaned after licking the last of the Oreos from her fingers.

“I know how you feel,” Ezra said. “Good thing it's time to go meet my parents!”

“Can you believe they have fried cotton candy?” Zoey said.

“If you can eat it, we will fry it! I think that's the official motto of every state fair.” Ezra laughed.

“And if it's not, it should be,” Zoey agreed. She smiled at Ezra. “Thanks for a really fun day.”

Room to Grow

How fast do babies grow? I hope I've left enough room for my new cousin in the dress I've designed for Aunt Lulu to wear at the baby shower. I'm not exactly an expert in the maternity field. The only experience I've had with growing things is with plants, and I don't think they're
quite the same as human babies when it comes to growth rates!

I had a great time at the state fair. Fried Oreos are delicious. So are fried macaroni-and-cheese balls, fried Twinkies, fried Snickers bars, fried cotton candy, and even fried okra! If all vegetables were fried, maybe I'd even eat the ones I don't like.