Just Visiting (12 page)

Madison was horrified. At one point, she tried to catch his eye, to give him a smile so he wouldn’t be embarrassed by the attention, but Mark didn’t flinch.

Thankfully, Gramma didn’t bring up any of
Madison’s
childhood traumas in the middle of their conversations. Instead she actually tried to change the subject, getting Mabel to talk about bridge, painting, and other activities coming up at the Winnetka Village Senior Center.

Before they knew it, Gramma Helen was serving coffee and cookies. The evening was winding down—and Madison had survived.

Or at least she thought so.

On her way out the door, Mabel suddenly said in a very loud voice, “So, what are you two doing tomorrow?”

Madison’s eyes opened wide. “Tomorrow?” she asked.

“For the Fourth of July!” Mabel said, grinning. “There’s a lot going on in town.”

“Nothing,” Mark said quickly. “Except going to the fireworks with you, Grams.”

“That’s all?” Mabel said.

“I think you two should go to the fireworks together,” Gramma Helen interrupted. “It’s so much more fun for the younger crowd. Mabel and I will just be boring companions. Don’t you think, Mabel?” She elbowed her friend.

“You’re not boring,” Madison said, giving her gramma a look.

“Ooooh no! I agree with Helen,” Mabel said. “We’re a pair of old fogies.”

“You’re not fogies,” Mark chimed in.

“Now, I said I agree with Helen, and that’s all there is to it!” Mabel said assertively. “This is an event for the kids, not for us old folks. And you two are the ones who have to go together. It will be
fun.”

Madison looked at Mark.

Mark looked at Madison.

Mabel grabbed her purse. “Well, I think this decision is made. You two are going, and that’s that. No argument, right? Right!”

“Grams …” Mark started to say, but he cut himself off, scratching his head. “Whatever.”

Madison could feel her whole body get clammy, like all her nerves were operating at full tilt. “Okay.” She sighed.

Gramma Helen sensed her discomfort.

“How about we
all
go together,” Gramma Helen suggested. “And then you two kids can go off to the barbecue by yourselves. How does that sound?”

Madison looked at Mark.

Mark looked at Madison.

And
that
was that.

T
HE SUN ROSE HOT
and glaring on the morning of the Fourth of July. The air was stickier than sticky, too, and Madison had less than no idea what to wear. She tried on every pair of shorts and pants she’d packed, testing out color combinations and matching clothes with her different sandals. When she finally decided on the right outfit, she sat down at her laptop and headed straight for TweenBlurt.com.

There was e-mail waiting from Bigwheels—just as Madison had hoped there would be.

From: Bigwheels


To: MadFinn


Subject: Re: I am in LIKE


Date: Thur 3 July 8:18 PM


That guy sounds nice and you DEFINITELY have to send me a picture. But what happened to Hart from home? Do you still like him, too? You are lucky—it sounds like the best summer vacation ever!


Yesterday we drove over the Golden Gate Bridge and all this fog rolled in while we were there. It was cool. My little sister got sick, though, so Mom and Dad are thinking of heading home early. That stinks, but this is a long trip and everyone in the camper is totally grouchy.


How is your grandmother? Did you end up bringing the dog w/you? Has Phin ever been on a plane?


The survey you sent to me is attached. Send me one back ASAP! HAPPY JULY 4 TO YOU!


Yours till the bubble gums,


Bigwheels





Madison quickly opened the document with the survey questions. It wasn’t a big deal; she was just curious.

WHAT R U LIKE?


Name                 Victoria


Nickname             Vicki


Screen name          Bigwheels


Home                 Washington State


Favorite color       Blue


Favorite ice cream   Lemon sherbet


Hobbies              Computers, reading


Lucky number         8


Pets                 Nope


Brothers and sisters 1 sister + 1 brother


Favorite subject     English


I want to travel to… Visit Madison!


Best friend          My keypal Madison!


Everything Bigwheels sent was stuff Madison already knew, except for the “I want to travel to” and “best friend” parts. They were a huge surprise.

Madison clicked REPLY and sent her own survey back along with a note.

From: MadFinn


To: Bigwheels


Subject: Thanks a bunch


Date: Fri 4 July 10:30 AM


Happy Independence Day 2 U! Thanks for the survey. I got it and here’s mine—I cut & pasted it below. I hope you get 2 see a parade or something tonite.


Yours till the fire crackers,


MadFinn


WHAT R U LIKE?


Name                 Madison


Nickname             Maddie


Screen name          MadFinn


Home                 Far Hills, New York


Favorite color       NEON ORANGE!!!


Favorite ice cream   Cherry Garcia


Hobbies              Animals, computers, writing in my files


Lucky number         11


Pets                 Phinnie, my pug


Brothers and sisters None


Favorite subject     Science and computer


I want to travel to… The moon LOL


Best friend          Aimee, Fiona, and my keypal Bigwheels


After hitting SEND, Madison glanced up at the digital clock. It said 10:47.

No more e-mails and notes to Bigwheels!

No more changing outfits!

The morning was slowly vanishing, and the moment of truth had come. She needed to get ready for her Fourth of July date—for real.

Even Phin barked his approval when Madison got dressed in the lacy blue shirt she had borrowed from Fiona. It fit perfectly, and she wore it with faded jeans instead of shorts, just in case the bugs started biting while they were sitting on the lawn at night. To top everything off, Madison put on the moonstone earrings that Dad had given her for good luck. She was sure she needed luck to get through the evening with Mark.

Gramma was in the kitchen, putting together a basket of food and other goodies for the afternoon and evening. They’d agreed to meet up on the main lawn near Tower Head Beach Park. Mabel and Gramma Helen would sit around chatting and playing cards into the evening, while Madison and Mark went over to the carnival and rode rides.

Around four-thirty, the doorbell to Gramma’s house rang.

Mark was standing outside, holding a blanket.

“You guys ready to go?” he asked Madison through the screen door.

“Yeah, we are,” Madison said, fidgeting.

She wanted to say more. She needed to tell Mark that she was sorry for what had happened the day before, but she held it inside. She hoped they would have a chance to talk more once they got to the celebration.

“Let me get Gramma,” was all Madison said. “Wait here.”

Downtown Winnetka Village was decorated to the hilt with streamers and balloons and bright bunches of flowers. A brass quartet had set itself up in the band shell. Men and women were arranging chairs into straight rows all the way back as far as the eye could see. Volunteers dressed up as Uncle Sam handed out miniature flags to everyone who passed by.

Madison, Mark, Gramma, Mabel, and Phinnie walked slowly along the edge of the sidewalk, careful not to bump into any of the spectators who were lining the street. Since the morning parade, the people had stayed three deep up and down the park. This event was the most popular event in town all year, Mabel said. People arrived from surrounding counties and from Chicago to see the bands, the costumes, and, of course, the fireworks.

Phin was overwhelmed by the spectacle. He dragged his little pug body along, shaking a little because the crowd made him nervous. But the sounds and smells had his nose sniffing the air like mad.

Music played from speakers set up near city hall.

Cotton candy, barbecue, and fried dough vendors shouted for customers.

Other dogs (besides Phin) scooted in and out of the crowd, dragging their owners behind them.

The sensory overload left Madison a little overwhelmed, too. She hardly had any time at all to talk with Mark or even Gramma Helen. She spent more time checking to see that no one was stepping on her pug.

“Look over there!” Gramma Helen said, pointing to a painted sign that read
CARNIVAL TICKETS HERE
.

Before anyone could say another word, Mark was weaving his way over toward the sign. The rest of the group followed.

The carnival wasn’t as big as the one in Far Hills, but it still had all the best rides. There were teacups for younger kids, a Ferris wheel, and a whirly ride that looked too scary and rickety to attempt. Both grandmothers voiced their concerns about the ride safety, of course.

In addition to rides, there was the Fourth of July Fun House, the Spooky Mansion, and the Red-White-and-Blue Maze, which people wandered through to get to the flag at the center. Madison was excited to try the last one.

“We’ll find a nice shady spot under some trees,” Gramma said, smiling. “Phinnie will be happier there. And you two kids can find us in time for supper and the fireworks. Okay?”

Madison pointed to a giant elm tree across the park. It wasn’t so crowded over there. Mabel approved.

“Now, don’t get into any trouble,” Mabel said, getting the last word. “We’ll be right there if you need us.”

Mark just smiled and shuffled forward in the ticket line.

Madison handed off Phin’s leash to Gramma Helen and said her good-byes to both of them.

A few moments later, Madison and Mark were at the front of the line, still not talking. But Mark finally broke the silence.

“You don’t have to stay around here,” Mark said. “If you want to be with your grandmother.”

Madison shook her head. “Well, no, I don’t. But I want to.”

“Huh?” Mark asked. He was next in line for the ticket counter.

“I want to be here. I—I mean, if you’re okay with that,” Madison said, stammering just like he’d been doing the day before.

“Well, I’m okay,” Mark said.

“TICKETS, PLEASE! NEXT!” the silver-haired man behind the counter yelled out.

Mark and Madison scrambled up to the window and got tickets for everything except the whirly ride. Mark wanted to try it, but Madison convinced him not to do it.

“Then where do we go first?” Mark asked.

Madison felt shy all of a sudden, as if she had had the wind knocked out of her. “I don’t know…” she said.

“Do you want to try that maze?” he asked. “It seems cool.”

“Okay, that sounds good,” Madison said, not really making a decision.

“Fine, let’s go,” Mark said. He ran ahead. They would have to wait in another line there.

“I can’t believe how crowded it is,” Madison said once she caught up to him.

“Yeah, it’s like this every year,” Mark explained. “Usually I just go around on all the rides by myself. I plow through the people. It’s easy when you’re alone.”

“Oh,” Madison said, wondering if he liked it better alone than with her.

Mark could read her mind. He shook his head. “No, I didn’t mean it like that. What I meant was—”

“Mark, I’m really sorry about the other day,” Madison blurted.

“Huh?” he said.

“I’m sorry that I acted so weird. I just didn’t know what to say. I get like that sometimes.”

“That’s cool,” Mark replied. “I mean, you’re not totally weird.”

Madison laughed. “Not
totally
?”

“Well, you’re not as weird as my grams, right?” Mark joked. “I think you’re really nice.”

Madison’s chest expanded with the compliment. She got her wind back.

“You’re nice, too,” she said sweetly.

All at once, Mark started to jump around like he was excited or nervous or both. He switched subjects instantly.

“Race you through the maze!” Mark said, pulling out the wad of tickets from his pocket.

Madison threw her hands into the air. “Sure,” she said. “Whoever gets there first…”

But before she could finish her thought, the race was on. Once they stepped inside the entry gate, Mark zoomed around a corner to get to the middle of the maze. Madison took another route, bumping into other kids and parents along the way. Although the sun was in her eyes, she managed to find the middle first. There was a giant flagpole there. She leaned up against it.

Mark straggled in a few moments later, grinning. He knew he’d been beat.

“Around that first turn … man …” he said, breathless. “I kept running into dead ends!”

“Where do you want to go next?” Madison asked.

“Let’s ride the Ferris wheel,” he suggested.

Once again, they were really talking—back to being summer vacation friends.

After the Ferris wheel (which got a little stuck while they were rocking in the seat at the top of the wheel), a spin around the teacups (which made Madison dizzier than dizzy), and a walk through the Fun House (which Mark rated “lamest” on a scale of “lame to lamest”), they made their way back through the crowds toward the old elm tree.