Out of Bounds (7 page)

“Okay,” Charlotte said. “Okay, okay, okay. Are we all in?”

“I'm in, but this trick is kind of creepy. I don't know if anyone's gonna let us do it,” Isabel said doubtfully.

T
ROUBLE WITH
M
OVIES

The girls worked until almost dinnertime. By the time they were finished, they had five tricks lined up, including one with the guinea pigs, newly renamed Siegfried and Roy. Avery was delighted. Katani decided she wanted to make an endless scarf that Isabel could pull all the way across the stage. Everyone liked the idea. “I'm not sure yet what material to make it out of,” she said.

“Something diaphanous,” Maeve suggested.

“What does that mean?” Isabel asked.

“You know, sheer, transparent…something that seems to glow with its own light,” Maeve said dreamily, getting carried away with a vision of herself dancing across the stage.

“Good word,” Isabel said. “You must read a lot of books.”

“Everyzing I know I've learned from ze movies,” she said in her best French accent. “Particularly the old ones,” Maeve added in her own voice. “My dad and I love to watch them together. Especially old Katharine Hepburn films.”

Dramatically putting her hand to her forehead, she launched into her best Katharine Hepburn imitation: “The calla lilies are in bloom again…”

Katani smiled.

Isabel looked at her blankly.

“Please don't tell me you haven't seen any Katharine Hepburn movies,” Maeve said.

“I saw
My Fair Lady
,” Isabel said hopefully.

“That's Audrey Hepburn, not Katharine,” Maeve said.

“Sorry,” Isabel said.

“Wasn't she in
Chicago
?” Avery asked. She hadn't seen the movie, but she'd heard the name.

“That's Catherine Zeta-Jones,” Katani said.

“That's it. Avery…Isabel…your movie education is in serious jeopardy. I cannot work under these conditions! We have to have a screening right now,” Maeve said, marching off the stage.

“Where are you going?” Isabel asked.

“To talk to my father,” Maeve said, and walked out of the theater.

Maeve saw the light on in the office and barged right in. “Dad, Dad, can we screen a Katharine Hepburn film? Can you believe Isabel and Avery don't even know who she is?”

Maeve's father looked up from his desk with an expression on his face that immediately silenced Maeve. Mr. Taylor was not alone. There was someone in the office with him.

“Maeve, I'd like you to meet Mr. Callahan from Citibank of Boston. Mr. Callahan, this is my daughter, Maeve.”

Maeve extended her hand with the most movie charm she could muster. With just a hint of a southern accent, she held out her hand and said, “It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Callahan.”

But something was up, and Maeve knew it. Although Mr. Callahan was clearly amused by the greeting, her dad didn't smile. She must have looked alarmed, because her father explained right away. “Mr. Callahan is here because I have applied for a second mortgage on the theater.”

Maeve had no idea what a second mortgage was. She wasn't even all that sure what a first mortgage was.

“Could we talk about Katharine Hepburn later? Mr. Callahan and I have some things to discuss.” Maeve's father walked her to the door.

“But Dad,” Maeve said. “The BSG just wanted…”

“We'll talk over dinner,” he said, cutting her off. Then, trying to recover, he smiled. “This is my night to make dinner with you and your brother, isn't it?”

Maeve just nodded. Things must be really bad if he had forgotten about tonight. For a week, they had had plans to make their own pizza tonight. They were all looking forward to it. At least Maeve and Sam were.

When she got back to her friends, Maeve's whole demeanor had changed.

“Maeve, are you okay?” Isabel asked.

“Does anybody know what a second mortgage is?” Maeve looked as confused as she felt.

“Sure,” said Isabel. Her parents were both accountants. She was familiar with the lingo.

“My dad's trying to get a second mortgage on the theater. Why would he do that?” Maeve asked Isabel.

“My dad says people sometimes get a second mortgage when they want to make improvements on a property, and need to borrow some money to do that,” Isabel said. “Or because interest rates are low and their monthly payments would be less.” Everyone stared at her. “I know,” she laughed. “I sound like an accountant. But my parents think it's important to know this stuff.”

“I totally agree,” said Katani. “Girls totally need to learn about money.” Money and how to manage it was Katani's new passion. Most girls her age were thinking about school, sports, and boys. Not Katani. She thought about business and money and how she could use it to help people.

“Maybe your father wants to do the place over,” Charlotte suggested, thinking of what a beautiful theater it would be after some restoration work.

“Or sometimes people do it when they need money to pay bills,” Isabel said.

“Oh God, do you think he needs money? I mean, with the two apartments and all, and my mother's only been able
to work part time.” Maeve was beginning to sound tearful.

“Don't worry,” Katani said. “I'm sure it's something positive.” Katani knew something about mortgages, too. She wasn't at all sure it was something positive, but she wasn't going to tell Maeve anything that would make her worry. Maeve had enough to worry about lately.

“So I shouldn't worry?” Maeve asked.

“Of course not,” Charlotte said.

“No way,” said Avery.

K
atani had promised Kelley that they would play checkers tonight. But after one game, Katani called it quits. She was worried about Maeve, and she wanted to figure out a way to help her. Maeve was having a really tough time lately, and Katani didn't want her to have anything more to worry about.

“You promised we'd play,” Kelley complained.

“We
did
play, Kelley,” Katani replied.

“Only one game,” Kelley said.

Katani felt bad about it. She actually liked playing checkers with her sister.

Even though she was autistic, Kelley was pretty good at the game, and every time she jumped a line of checkers, she howled with laughter. Katani used to let Kelley win, but her sister was really improving, especially lately. She had a way of seeing potential moves on the checker board before Katani saw them, and she was winning more and more games every time they played. Katani had stopped letting her win a long time ago.

“I have some research to do, and you should probably go to bed,” Katani said.

“It's not my bedtime yet, Miss Bossy!” Kelley said, looking at the clock.

“Then go downstairs or something,” Katani suggested.

“I don't have to go downstairs. This is my room too, you know.”

Katani knew that only too well. Aside from being a fashion designer, her other big dream was to have a room of her own. Still, she didn't want to hurt Kelley's feelings. “I'm sorry. I just meant I have to do something, so you should do something else now, okay? So I can concentrate.”

“Okay, Miss Bossy.” Kelley said. She liked this title for Katani, especially since she could tell that Katani didn't.

Katani searched the Web for movie theaters. What had other old theaters done when they saw their profits dying? One theater she found had become a revival house. It showed nothing but old movies. A theater on the Massachusetts North Shore now hosted a children's show. And still another gave away prizes every night. Isn't that what Maeve had said? That the old theaters used to give away prizes?

They were all things that could help the theater long term, but Mr. Taylor needed help with the taxes right now. And as Katani surfed the Web, she was starting to get an idea that might work right now. It was based on something Maeve had said earlier when she was doing her Katharine Hepburn imitation. What was it Maeve had said? Oh yeah.
Everything I know, I've learned from the movies
. Even if that was stretching it, Katani could make a case for it, and she might be able to help the Movie House.

“Hey Kelley,” Katani said, feeling bad about how she had treated her before. “I need your help.”

Kelley was sitting on her bed, sulking. But she wasn't really mad. Her mood improved instantly at the thought of doing anything with Katani. “Okay,” Kelley said, trying not to sound too eager.

“Tell me one thing that you have learned from going to the movies,” Katani said.

“Like what?”

“I don't know. Anything at all. Something that you didn't know before, but that you know now.”

Kelley thought about it for a long time before she answered the question. “I learned not to put my feet on the chairs in front of me.”

Katani laughed.

“That's not funny,” Kelley said, offended. “I also learned not to put popcorn on people's heads.” Kelley thought about it for a minute. “That last one might be a little funny.”

Katani was trying to hide her smile. “Etiquette,” Katani said, suddenly excited. “You learned etiquette.”

“Well, I don't know about that!” Kelley said. She wasn't sure what the word meant, but it sounded like an insult.

“Etiquette means manners. You learned good manners from going to the movies!”

Kelley looked proud. “Of course I did. I'm not stupid, you know.”

“Yes. And you helped me with my paper.”

Kelley was delighted with herself. The hall phone rang. Kelley ran to get it. A minute later she brought the phone back to Katani. “It's my new best friend Charlotte,” Kelley said. “She wants to talk to you.”

“Tell her I can't talk right now,” Katani said.

“Is that good manners?” Kelley asked.

“If you say it in a nice way, it is,” Katani said.

“Katani said she doesn't want to talk to you right now,” Kelley said in the sweetest voice she could muster.

Now it was Katani who was irritated. That was the thing about Kelley, she always told the truth.

“Tell Charlotte I'm working on a report, and that I'll call her when I'm done.”

Kelley got back on the phone, but Charlotte had already heard. “Charlotte says the book report isn't due until next week. She says she needs to talk to you about Maeve's problem.” Kelley's face scrunched up with concern. “What's the matter with my friend Maeve?” Maeve was another one of Kelley's favorite people, and Kelley looked really worried.

“Nothing, Kelley, Maeve is fine.” Now Katani was getting upset. She had to finish her proposal by tomorrow, or any hopes of helping Maeve would be gone.

“Just tell her I'll call her back, okay?”

Katani's voice sounded annoyed. “Okay,” Kelley said. “Charlotte, Katani doesn't want to talk to you right now because I just beat her at checkers and she's really mad. Why don't you come over and play checkers with me?…”

C
harlotte sat up late in the Tower waiting and waiting, but Katani never called her back. She hoped Katani wasn't mad about something, because Katani always called people back right away. Katani loved to talk on the phone. She said it was easier than talking to people in person, where you got distracted by what they were wearing or what they looked like. You could just concentrate on what your friends were saying, which in the end was the important thing. “The extra bonus,” Katani said, “is that you can be in your sweats with funky-looking hair and no one can see you.”

But, Charlotte was frustrated. She had something really important to talk to Katani about. She had been thinking all day that the BSG had to do something to help with the Movie House. After all, they took an oath to be loyal to their friends forever. And of all the Beacon Street Girls, Katani was the one with the best business sense. If they were going to come up with a way to help the theater stay open, Katani was going to have to get involved.

Clearly, Maeve needed their help. It wasn't fair that her family had to face a new crisis. But, Charlotte's dad always said that “life wasn't fair” and that if you wasted your time thinking about how things were unfair all time you'd be pretty miserable. And then you couldn't get anything done because you'd always be feeling bad because life was unfair. He had a point.

So, instead of worrying about Maeve and thinking about why Katani hadn't called her back, Charlotte decided to focus on the magic show. Saving the Movie House would have to wait until the BSG got together, she reasoned.

She pulled her notebook out of her backpack and began a list of things they'd need to do for the show.

Materials needed for magic show.

• 1. Mirrors for box
  
• 2. Fabric for costumes
  
• 3. Hat for Marty to jump out of. Check prop room at Movie House
  
• 4. Rope for rope trick
  
• 5. Fabric for endless scarf…think diaphanous
  
• 6. Magician's outfits and hats for Avery and me
  
• 7. Magician's wands
  
• 8. Lots of spangles and sparkles
  
• 9. Fog machine? (Maybe we could borrow one)
  
• 10. Something for guinea pig trick
  
• 11. Treats for Marty…make that lots of treats
  
• 12. Nail polish and makeup for guillotine trick
  Remember: borrow props and take donations. Need money. How??? Sell Chocolate Gag in the cafeteria? Need to have a fund-raising meeting.
  

 

Sitting at her desk the next morning, Charlotte was so engrossed in reviewing her list from the night before that she didn't see Katani standing over her.

“Yikes, you scared me. What are you doing here? Didn't you go to school with your grandmother?” asked Charlotte.

“I told her that we needed to do some work on the talent show. She said, ‘Fine, just don't be late for school.'

“I'm sorry I didn't call you back last night,” Katani continued. “I didn't finish my report until after eleven. I figured you'd understand.”

“Oh, I was a little worried. I thought you might be mad or something.”

“No, I was busy on my report.”

“The research report?” Charlotte asked worriedly. She didn't think their reports for Ms. R were due yet.

“No, this report.” Katani held out a paper. “Actually it's more like a proposal. I was going to ask you to proofread it.”

Charlotte took the paper and caught sight of the title:

The Movies: An Educational Experience

Why we need to save the Brookline Movie House

“What is this?” Charlotte asked.

“Just read it. I don't know if this will work or if people will think it's stupid. Just read it,” Katani said.

Katani stood over Charlotte, watching her as she read.

“You want to use the money from the talent show to save the movie theater?” Charlotte asked when she finished.

“To help them with the taxes at least. They need it now. I have some other ideas too,” Katani said.

“This is really brilliant, K. You're amazing. This must have taken so much work,” Charlotte said, truly impressed.

Katani actually blushed. She was embarrassed by Charlotte's praise, but she was also totally relieved that her friend liked the idea. “Do you think it will work?”

“I think it might. I mean, I'd vote for this in a minute,” said Charlotte.

“But do you think the Student Council will?” Katani looked doubtful.

“Why not? All the kids like to go to the cartoon fests and horror nights at the Movie House. Remember Frankenstein Fest last month? Everybody was there. Kids would really miss the old place if it were gone,” Charlotte said. “And Maeve and her parents would miss it most of all.”

“That's really why I did this. Maeve would be so sad if the theater went out of business. Plus, where would the BSG go to watch movies and eat free popcorn and candy?”

Charlotte looked up at her with mischief in her eyes. “We better get all the kids behind this proposal 'cause I am used to having my own private screening theater.”

“I have another question,” Katani said.

“What?”

“Do you think Maeve will mind? I mean, that everyone will know about the theater. Maybe she'll be embarrassed that it needs money?” Katani looked worried.

“I don't know,” said Charlotte. She hadn't thought about that possibility.

“I was thinking about it and wondering if I'd mind. I mean, if it were me,” Katani said.

“And would you?” Charlotte asked.

“I don't think so,” Katani said. “I mean, if the theater does end up closing, everyone's going to know it anyway, right?”

“Maybe we should ask her,” Charlotte suggested.

“I don't think so,” Katani said.

“Why not?”

“Because I don't want to get her hopes up. We have no idea whether the Student Council will pick this proposal.”

Maeve walked in with Avery.

“Hey you two, we were looking for you outside,” Avery said, jumping up and down and getting Marty all excited. This was a treat for him to see Avery in the middle of the week. The two of them were acting like goofballs within a couple of minutes.

“Too cold,” Katani said.

“How're you doing?” Charlotte asked Maeve.

Maeve forced a smile. “Okay.”

Maeve's one-word answer made Charlotte realize that Katani was right. Maeve had enough to deal with right now. “Guess what? My father has a tape of
The African Queen
. He also has
Little Women
,
On Golden Pond
, and
The Philadelphia Story
. And
Bringing up Baby
,” Charlotte said. “So we can watch Katharine Hepburn movies on Friday night in the Tower. It won't be the same as the big screen, but it'll still be fun.”

“Cool,” Maeve said, trying to sound enthusiastic.