Darcy glances at Emma before he continues to read as though he were asking for permission. Emma nodded slightly and looked attentively at Darcy as he begins to read the chapter once again.
"Mom, do you think I'm fat?"
The room was still silent; Emma shivered feeling all the eyes in the room shift to her. Emma sat there silently her gaze on the book and nothing else hoping that they would get the message. Stewart sensing her discomfort squeezed her hand and put his arm around her shoulder.
"Stay strong, I know you can." He whispered as he laced his fingers into her hands. A ghost smile appeared on Emma's face and Emma turned to Darcy with a new burst of confidence.
"Are you going to read or not? You've left us all on a cliffhanger."
Darcy glared at Emma but the smile on his face proved that he wasn't mad at all. He cleared his throat and read the next line.
My mother sets her hairbrush down on the sink. "Emma Jane Hawthorne! Where on earth did you get that idea?"
Becca shifts uncomfortably in her seat.
"I think I have an idea," she mumbled looking at Emma. "I'm really sorry and I honestly don't think I can ever stop apologizing for what I have done to you. Knowing now what I know I just can't believe I have been so cruel with so little effort. Emma you are one of the most amazing people I've ever met and I just want you to know that I will never do something this again, I promise."
Emma gave Becca a reassuring smile.
"I know you wouldn't, you're one of my best friends."
Emma and Becca smiled at each other one last time before they turned their attention to Darcy who began to read once again.
Go over to Cassidy's. We're filming the Mother-Daughter Book Club tea party this afternoon,
Emma groaned slightly hoping it wasn't the same party she was thinking about.
And my mother insisted on fussing with my hair. Not that there's much a person can do with hair as curly as mine.
"I like your hair." Stewart whispered quietly, Emma blushed but the moment got cut short because apparently Stewart didn't whisper quietly enough.
"Awe isn't that adorable!" Darcy gushed. Emma began to glare daggers at him but didn't stop Darcy from humming the "Wedding March".
"Darcy! What are you, five?" Emma spat at him. No one in the room at that point could control their laughter, especially when Mrs. Chadwick almost chocked on a Bon-Bon.
"Nope but if you want to see me act five I will." Darcy retorted, trying to act as serious as Emma but failing. The room went quiet waiting to hear what Darcy was about to say.
Darcy cupped his hands around his mouth and stage-whispered "Cooties."
The room roared with laughter even Emma, who's still red from embarrassment. Eventually the room quieted down after Mrs. Chadwick reminded them that they were on a tight schedule and if they didn't stop the side bar conversations soon they wouldn't finish until after dinner.
Darcy finally stops laughing and puts on a serious face.
She pulls me close to her for a hug, leaning her chin on the top of my head and smiling at me in the mirror. "Don't you know I think you're perfect just the way you are?"
I give her a rueful smile. We're dressed in matching skirts and holiday sweaters—the producers decided to put a festive spin on the tea party—and I can already imagine what Becca Chadwick will have to say about this.
"I'm sorry about that but you have to admit those outfits weren't the best choice." Becca points out.
Emma chuckles and shrugs. "I know, I know but I was twelve, what did I know?"
Becca nods, holding back a clever comeback her mom would disapprove of; she'd probably tell Emma later.
I don't bring it up, though. Becca Chadwick is still a sore spot for my mother and me.
"I thought the grammar god Emma would know that the phrase should be 'My mother and I', I am ashamed." Jess said shaking her head in disgust.
Emma rolls her eyes; she couldn't wait till her chapter is over.
I know she meant well and everything, inviting the Chadwick's to join our book club, but it still hurts that she didn't discuss it with me first. Especially since she knows how mean Becca has been to me. How mean Becca still is to me.
Emma gives her mom a soft smile. "I'm glad you didn't consult me, if you had I would've shot down the idea right away. Then Becca wouldn't be here, as one of my best friends."
Mrs. Hawthorne nods, still feeling guilty about what happened especially since she is sort of reliving the moment. She looks at Emma and feels a sense of pride knowing she has raised such a forgiving young girl.
My mother hasn't answered my question. "I know you think I'm perfect, but you're my mother," I tell her. "It's your job to think I'm perfect."
"Your mom isn't the only one who thinks you're perfect." Stewart whispers nudging Emma's arm. Emma secretly hopes that Darcy hadn't heard that, she couldn't afford more embarrassment then she received earlier. Luckily Darcy either didn't hear this or chose to ignore because he just started to read again.
She laughs. "Oh, it is, is it? Well, please be informed that I am highly aware of the areas where you need improvement."
"Cough, cough MATH!" Jess coughed rather 'discretely'.
"I hate you all." Emma muttered but no one could hear her over the roar of laughter. Cassidy was laughing so hard she was snorting and surprisingly so did Becca.
"Enough, enough. The chapter barely started and you are already laughing too hard in my expense." Emma says.
The group nods and tries to compose themselves but fail miserably. It's a wonder how they ever got back to the conversation of the book in general, much less beginning to read it.
Kissing the top my head she adds in a more serious tone, "Come on now, honey, where did you get that ridiculous notion?"
Becca didn't say anything, she was told by her mother not to over apologize for everything but how could she not. She was the villain for probably every book in that series. She knew she was horrible and she wanted to make up for it but she knew that she could never fully make up for everything she has done. Becca sighs and looks back up at Darcy who is still reading the book.
I pull away. "I don't know." She waits, watching me in the mirror.
I sigh. "Well, for one thing, I was over at Jess's last month, right after school started, and I couldn't fit into any of her T-shirts. It was really embarrassing."
Jess shoots Emma a sympathetic glance; she wished Emma hadn't hid her feelings like that. She wished Emma wouldn't hide anything like that.
"For Pete's sake, Emma, Jess is just a wisp of a thing! You have a completely body type, honey."
I know she was trying to be encouraging, but somehow this doesn't make me feel any better. "I wish I was a wisp of a thing," I mutter.
The room is silent once again. This time though it's not because of awkwardness, well not mostly because of awkwardness. It was because they were so engrossed in the story. Mrs. Hawthorne notices this and gives a small nod of approval to herself.
My mother picks up the hairbrush and pulls it through my curls again. "Emma, this world is a bit like a garden," she says. "Each flower is unique, just like each person is unique. There are daisies, and lilacs, and roses, and peonies—all sort of lovely flowers. Now, wouldn't it be silly for a tulip to mope around wishing it were an iris?"
"I guess it would depend on how fat the tulip was." She pokes me with the hairbrush.
"Be serious. You get my point, right?"
I lift a shoulder.
"You're beautiful, Emma, and so are Jess, and Megan, and Cassidy! You need to try and appreciate your own uniqueness, instead of worrying so much about comparing to others."
That would be a lot easier if my own uniqueness wasn't quite so round, I think, eyeing myself in the mirror. But I keep this thought to myself.
My mother is quiet for a moment, then asks, "So, is there any other reason you're bringing this up now?"
"Oh, you know," I tell her. "People say stuff."
"What people?"
"Kids at school."
"What kids?"
I fidget with the cuff of my sweater. "Becca Chadwick," I admit reluctantly.
Crap, Becca thinks. She really had hoped not to be mentioned in this chapter but she knew that was too good to be true.
My mother sets the hairbrush down again and sighs. "I might have known."
"I still can't believe that you guys invited Becca and Mrs. Chadwick to join our book club!"
"Sweetheart, we've been over this before," my mother replies. "It seemed like the right thing to do at the time. And besides, being around the four of you girls can only be good for Becca. You'll help set an example for her."
"But I don't want to set an example!" I protest. "Especially not at book club!"
Our mother-daughter book club is special. It's one of the few places where I can be myself, and not worry that anybody's going to tease me about writing poetry or about the way I look or make fun of my clothes, which sometimes are hand-me-downs. Now that Becca's there, everything's changed.
Mrs. Hawthorne had winced at this; she hadn't realized how much resentment her daughter held for her at the time, especially since Emma had been put to herself about stuff like this.
"It's like I can't get away from her," I moan. "She's in half of my classes, plus now we're working on the school newspaper together. I can't go anywhere or do anything without having stupid Becca Chadwick in my face."
And on my case as well. Like on Thursday, after school, when we had our first meeting for the newspaper. Becca's older brother Stewart is a volunteer editor. He's a freshman in high school, like my brother Darcy but he gets some sort of community service credit for helping us out.
The regular editor is an eighth grader named Katie Malone, and there are two other reporters besides me, plus Zach, who is covering sports, and Becca. Becca's been going around telling everyone she's a 'columnist,' but really she'll just be writing up the social calendar. She's supposed to report on what's happening around school, what team schedules are and when the clubs meet and when the band concerts and dances and plays will be and stuff like that.
Becca spent most of the meeting sucking up to Katie. Her voice got all high and chirpy and she kept saying things like, "Oh your hair cut is soooo cute, Katie!" and "That nail polish is soooo pretty Katie!" and "Where did you get those adorable shoes, Katie?" I was about ready to throw up, listening to her.
"I can only imagine Emma, I can only imagine." Tristan says shaking his head at past Becca. Current Becca is wincing at the way she acted back when she was younger and very arrogant.
I could tell that her brother was annoyed too; even Ms. Nielson looked like she wanted to tell her to be quiet. Finally Zach and the other reporters left to go home. Ms. Nielson went to the office for a minute to check with the principal about something, and the minute she left she left the classroom, Becca turned to me and said, right in front of Katie and Stewart who I hardly know at all, "Emma, I just thought of the perfect byline for you: Porky the Poet!"
"That's horrible," Darcy says. "Why did you keep most of this to yourself Emma?"
She shrugs. "I told some people like Megan, Cassidy, and Jess but I honestly never really wanted to bother people with my problems. Everyone else has issues, why add more?"
"We are here to listen Emma, don't forget that."
Emma gives Darcy a small smile and he continues to read.
I could feel my face flame. Katie looked shocked for about half a second, but when Becca started to laugh she joined in.
"Sheesh, Becca!" Stewart looked embarrassed and disgusted and kind of angry. He's a dork and a Chadwick to boot, but still, it made me feel a teeny bit better that somebody stuck up for me even if it was only Stewart.
"Wow thanks Emma; it's nice to know I meant so much to you." Stewart said jokingly.
"If you hate that wait to you hear what I call you in the future." Emma laughed.
"What did you call me?"
"I've called you 'Stewart the Dork', and at one point I called you, well we all did, 'Stewrat'. Need I continue?"
Stewart just sits there while the rest of the group laughs, hard.
Cassidy would've laughed and dished it right back, calling Becca "Metalmouth" or something but I'm not Cassidy, plus Becca caught me off guard so I just sat there like a lump not knowing what to say. Becca likes to needle me about my weight and my poetry.
Last year, she stole my journal and read this poem I wrote about Zach out loud right in front of him and his friends. I thought I was going to die of embarrassment.
What's worse is that now she knows I want to be a writer. I don't like her knowing that about me. It makes me feel like I'm in Monument Square in my underpants.
"That would have been quite a predicament wouldn't it?" Mr. Hawthorne said chuckling. The group politely laughed along but they honestly just wanted to see what happened next.
Ms. Nielson came back before Becca could say anything else, thank goodness. When she caught sight of Becca and Katie snickering, Stewart glowering, and me with my face the color of a stop sign, she must have known instantly that something was going on because she asked, "Is everything okay?"
Katie wiped the smile off her face and started shuffling papers. "Yes Ms. Nielson."
"Absolutely, Ms. Nielson." Becca chimed in, the picture off innocence.
Ms. Nielson looked over at me but I didn't say a word. I just sat there feeling foolish. And porky.
"Emma I'm really sorry for making you feel that way, I was foolish and I shouldn't have done it." Becca said, her eyes facing the ground.
"It's fine, it was a long time ago, and it doesn't matter." She reassured her.
"Emma," my mother says, interrupting my remorseful daydream, "unfortunately you're going to find as you go through life that you will occasionally run into people like Becca. There have always been the Becca Chadwicks of the world, and I suppose there always will be. Last year when we read little women, it was Jenny Snow, remember her? And now in Anne of Green Gablesit's Gertie and Josie Pye."
She's right, of course. My mother usually is, she's a librarian.
"Just because I'm a librarian doesn't make me right about everything." Mrs. Hawthorne pointed out.
"Whatever you say mother, you're always right." Darcy said sarcastically rolling his eyes.
"Oh shut up and stay under the sea." Mrs. Hawthorne shot back causing the whole room to applaud, even Darcy, at her clever remark.
"You win this round mom but it's not over yet."
Mrs. Hawthorne just nods and gestures Darcy to continue to read again.
"You can't listen to the Pyes of the world," she tells me.
We're both quiet for a moment, contemplating the Pyes of the world
"Stinkerbelle." Cassidy murmurs under her breath.
"Cassidy Anne! I thought you were over this." Mrs. Sloane-Kinkaid scolded.
"She's not wrong," Megan pointed out. "I mean come on Emma wrote a book about it and plus you guys know her, you can't tell me that not even the tiniest part of your heart thinks she's a Pye."
No one argued with Megan because quite frankly, she was right. Darcy, after a moment of contemplation began reading once again.
"Maybe I could talk to Becca's mother at the tea party this afternoon." my mother says finally.
I spin around, "No!" I beg her horrified. "Please don't! Promise me you won't!"
She holds up her hand in mock surrender. "Okay! Okay! I promise! But only if you promise you'll try not to let her bug you."
Anything is better than my mom making a scene with Mrs. Chadwick. Becca would never let me hear the end of that. "I'll try," I mutter.
"Good" says my mother "Now let's get a move on here and finish up." She leans closer to the mirror and starts putting on her mascara. My mother doesn't wear much makeup. Just lipstick usually and maybe a little blush. Eye makeup is to big deal and takes too much time, she says.
"But doesn't it make you feel great after you put it on?" Mrs. Sloane-Kinkaid said.
Mrs. Hawthorne just shrugged and montioned for Darcy to continue.
But she's making an exception for the TV taping today. She says she wants to do Mrs. Sloane proud. She fixed her hair different too. It's loose instead of in its usual ponytail, and she fluffed up her bangs a little bit. I like it.
"Cassidy says I just need to get more exercise," I tell her. My mother's mascara wand in mid-air "Excuse me?"
"What we were talking about earlier. You know, the weight thing. Cassidy says more exercise would help."
My mother frowns "Oh she does, does she?" "She says I spend too much time sitting around reading." "Well from what Clementine tell me about Cassidy's grades, it sounds as if she could do a little more sitting around reading."
"How bad were they?" Tristan asked curiously.
"Trust me, you don't wanna know." Cassidy said bluntly.
She slants me a glance. "So what do you think about her advice?" I shrug. "Do you want to take up a sport? You love to swim. You could join the swim team, maybe, or play water polo."?
I make a face. I never really liked team sports.
"Well maybe you could ride your bike a little more often. Heaven knows we need a little more exercise, myself included."
She pats her tummy. My mom's not as slender Mrs. Delaney and Mrs. Sloane, and defiantly not as thin as Mrs. Wong, who my dad says practically disappears when she turns sideways, but she's still in pretty good shape.
"You flatter me." Mrs. Hawthorne chuckled.
Mr. Hawthorne didn't find it so funny as he protectively took her hand as though it were a reminder that she was perfect to him. At that very instant Mrs. Hawthorne blushed.
My mom and dad like to go for long walks. They call it "clearing the cobwebs". Sometimes they'll loop over the Old North Bridge, and around back through town, and other times, they'll go farther away, like to the trails around Walden Pond and through Estabrook Woods.
"Could we get a dog?" I ask instantly feeling disloyal, I reach down and pat Melville, our cat, who's wandered in to join us and is twining himself around my ankles.
"I doubt I could sell your father on that idea," my mother replies, dabbing on her lipstick. "He says two children and one cat are plenty."
"Cassidy says I should try skating."
"Hockey? Really?" my mother's brow furrows.
"Not hockey—Figure skating. Cassidy think I'd really like it. She says it's kind of like swimming."
"Hmmmm." says my mother.
"Well, not exactly like swimming." I reply, trying to explain. "Just the same feeling. She says it's sort of like flying, too."
My mother laughs. "Flying and swimming. I see. Sounds pretty good." she puts her makeup away and turns around. "I can certainly give Eva Bergson a call and check into figure skating lessons if you want me to, Emma."
Eva Bergson is about eighty. She was an Olympic skater ages ago, and now she runs a skating school in Concord.
"But I thought skating lessons were expensive." I say. My family is on kind of a tight budget. My dad works at home. He's a freelance writer and what my mother calls "an aspiring novelist", and he doesn't make a whole lot of money.
"Well, I get a small consulting fee from Clementine's show"—Mrs. Sloane hired my mom as a research assistant—"and it's looking like the tax levy will pass too. If it does, there's a raise budgeted for yours truly at the library, and I can think of nothing I'd rather spend it on than my darling daughter." My mother plants a kiss on top of my head and I smile up to her.
The door bell rings.
"That's probably Shannon and Jess," says my mother. The four of us are going to drive over to the Sloanes' together.
"Look what Shannon brought us!" crows my dad as my mother and I come downstairs to the front hall. He waves an apple pie under our noses. "She says the Macouns are finally ripe."
"Which reminds me that Macouns are finally in season so you what that means-" Mrs Delaney said though she didn't exactly have to finish because everyone began to shout.
"APPLE PIE!"
Mrs Delaney just shook her hand and laughed.
"I guess I know what to bring next meeting." She said with a smile on her face.
Cassidy nodded eagerly as Darcy began to read the story.
Jess's mother thinks Macouns are the perfect kind of apple for making pies. She would know- she makes tons of them for their farm stand. Jess and I help her bake sometimes. We gather eggs and pick fruit too- whatever's in season- and vegetables from the garden and herbs from the green house. Plus, I learned how to milk a goat last year when Jess got Sundance, and Mr. Delaney says we're such a help to him that he's going to make us official apprentice cheese makers next summer.
"Wow! Shannon thank you!" says my mother. "What a treat! Heaven knows baking is not my strong suit."
The group had a good laugh about this one. That was a complete understatement of Phoebes cooking, she was (and still is) a disaster when it comes to cooking.
Jess looks at me and smiles. She's sampled plenty of my mom's fiascoes. In our house, my dad does all the cooking.
The front door swings open and Darcy bursts in, all sweaty from football practice. Like Cassidy, my brother is a jock. "Hi guys!"
Jess smiles shyly at him. She kind of has a crush on my brother.
"Oh really now?" Darcy smirks while wiggling his eyebrows while Jess, who is now glaring, has a light blush tinting her cheeks.
"Oh shut up!" Jess exclaimed as Darcy continued to waggle his eyebrows just in spite of her.
Not that I would have told Darcy about it. I would never betray my best friend's secret.
"Boy am I grateful for that." Jess murmurs to herself.
"Phew, Darcy, go get in the shower!" says my mother, waving her hand in front of her nose. "And leave those grubby cleats outside, would you?"
Darcy dutifully unties his shoes and tosses them out back onto the front steps. "Yum," he says spotting the pie. "Can I have a piece?"
"After you odor free." my dad tells him, and Darcy peels off his dirty socks and waves them around his head.
Jess and I shriek, and my dad grabs an umbrella from the coat stand and raises it in front of him like a fencing sword.
"Be off, you scurvy dog!" he cries, advancing across the front hall. Darcy grins and thunders upstairs whistling.
"You Americans are weird." Tristan says bluntly which causes everyone to either laugh or just shake their heads.
"Boy are so gross!" I say in disgust.
"Well aren't you the bearer of compliments." Simon says sarcastically.
"I choose to take that as a compliment." Emma replies before she sucks out her tongue.
"You won't think that way forever." says my mother lightly.
She whisks the pie away from my father and heads for the kitchen. We follow her.
"I'll leave this here for Darcy," she tells my dad, cutting a piece of pie and putting it on a plate. "But I think you'd better hide the rest of it in your office, where it'll be safe from marauding football players. Otherwise none of us will ever get a bite."
Mrs. Delaney Smiles ruefully. "I can only imagine what our food bill will be like when the twins get to be teenagers."
"No kidding!" says my father. "I keep telling Phoebe we're going to have to take out a second mortgage just to feed Darcy."
Jess's mother grows really quiet. My father gets a funny look on his face, and he and my mother exchange a worried glance.
"Well, I, uh, guess, I'll head back to work here," my dad says. "I, uh, have a review to finish up before quitting time. Thanks again for the pie Shannon.'
"Smooth Dad," Darcy chuckles. "Real smooth."
"Not one of my finer moments." Mr. Hawthorne says trying to avoid more conversation on this at all costs by telling Darcy to continue.
He disappears down the hall with it, and my mother turns to Mrs. Delaney.
"So any more word, on um, things?" she asks.
Mrs. Delaney shakes her head. My mother takes the kettle from the stove and starts to fill it with water. "We don't have to be over to Clementine's for half an hour," she says. "Why don't you sit down and I'll make us a nice cup of tea." she turns to Jess and me. "You girls go on up to Emma's room now and play until I call you."
"Mom!" I protest, exasperated. "We're in seventh grade! We don't 'play' anymore!"
"Then go hang out, or whatever it is you call it."
I can tell she's trying to get rid of us. I can also tell something's up with the Delaney's. I want to stay and listen and find out what it is, but my mother makes shooing motions at us. Reluctantly, Jess and I trudge out of the kitchen. Melville is right behind us.
"What's going on?" I ask Jess a minute later, closing the bedroom door.
She shrugs. "I'm not sure. My parents have been whispering a lot lately."
"Your mother's not going to leave again, is she?"
A panicked look appears on Jess's face and I instantly regret my words. "I don't know," she says unhappily. "I hope not."
"I'm sure that's not it." I tell her, wishing I felt more certain. It wouldn't make sense, though- her mom's been really happy since she came home from New York. At least up until recently.
"Thankfully everything worked out thanks to you girls." Mr. Delaney says flashing a grateful smile at them. They smile in return.
About twenty minutes later my mom calls us back downstairs again and the four of us pile into our car for the short ride drive to Cassidy's. The Sloanes' house is bustling with activity. Mr. Goldberg, the producer, is there, along with a couple of cameramen and crew. Everybody's shouting directions and rushing back and forth, trying not to trip over the cables that snake through the hallway and the downstairs rooms.
Mrs. Sloane appears, looking frazzled but gorgeous.
"Nice outfits," she says to my mother an me, casting an eye over our matching skirts and sweaters. "Very pretty."
Her compliment makes me feel a teeny bit better. Even if Becca thinks I look stupid—which I have absolutely no doubt she will—what does her opinion matter compare to former supermodel Clementine's?
"I'm sorry about that, honestly your outfit wasn't that bad." Becca said but as Emma began to laugh she grew a rueful smile on her face.
"Yeah they weren't that bad," Emma mimics. "They were awful." She finished bursting into laughter along with Becca.
"Cassidy's in her room with Megan," Mrs. Sloane tells us. "Why don't you girls go on up and wait there, while I finish getting everything ready on the set. Phoebe, Shannon, come with me. I'm going to put you to work icing the cupcakes with Lily. The Chadwicks should be here any time and then we'll be good to go."
As our mothers disappear down the hall toward the kitchen, Jess and I head upstairs. I peek into the dining room as we go past. There are spotlights facing the table, which is set for our tea party. The windows are draped with panels of gold and silver fabric, and there are gold and silver candle sticks everywhere. It look like a palace, We're not supposed to be having a Christmas party exactly,-Mrs. Sloane and the producers wanted it to be a bit more general than that, something viewers could picture doing for thanksgiving, or Christmas or New years or even Hanukkah.
It's a bit weird though since it's not even Halloween yet. Cassidy says the filming schedule takes some getting used to. She's never sure from week to week what time of year it will be inside her house.
"And I don't think I ever will be," Cassidy begins. "But I wouldn't change it for the world."
Clementine smiles. "Good because next week is Easter."
"I wouldn't expect anything less." Cassidy responds breaking into a smile as big as her mothers.
"Hi, guys!" I say flinging myself onto Cassidy's bed and startling Murphy, the Sloanes' dog, who was sound asleep on the pillow. He gives me a reproachful glance.
"Sorry, pal." I scratch him behind his ears, and, somewhat mollified, he rolls over on his back so I can scratch his tummy too.
Cassidy's older sister pokes her head through the door. "Mom says I'm supposed to inspect you all." She looks over at us and spots Cassidy's high tops. "Come on Cassidy! What's the matter with you? Take those sneakers off and put on your nice like mom asked. You don't want to embarrass her. And could you maybe brush your hair?"
"You never changed." Jess muses while everyone else just laughs. Cassidy rolls her eyes.
Muttering to herself, Cassidy unlaces her sneakers. Courtney turns to Megan and Jess and me. "You three look great," she says. "Fun sweater, Emma the color looks perfect on you."
I'm beginning to suspect that my mother called the Sloanes ahead of time and asked them to work on boosting my confidence. But Courtney sounds completely sincere. I wish I had an older sister. I love Darcy and everything; he's great most of the time, as far as big brothers go, but compliments aren't his strong point.
"I can so give compliments!" Darcy interrupts.
"Oh really?" Emma questions. "Do it but here are the rules, it can't to be to A) Jess B) Any of the parents/grownups in this room and C) To make it interesting whomever you compliment has to compliment you in return."
"Ok fine!" Darcy says as he begins to glance around the room.
"You should make him compliment one of the guys." Cassidy says ruefully as Darcy glares at her.
"All in favor say I." Emma declares.
"I." The room choruses back.
"I hate you." Is all Darcy says as his eyes land on Tristan.
"Um I like your blue spandex jumpsuit, I don't care what Fashonista Jane thinks I like the fact that it was shiny."
Tristan glared as Darcy, and everyone else, bursted out laughing.
"Okay my turn," Tristan began. "I like your Little Mermaid pajamas, they make a wonderful fashion statement."
"Well played." Darcy replied forcing back laughter.
"I try." Tristan responds with a light smile on his face.
"Thanks Courtney you look nice too." I tell her. Courtney always looks pretty.
"Aw thanks Emma." Courtney says smiling.
"No problem." Emma replies.
She's a little photocopy of Mrs. Sloane. She's not dressed up today, because she's not part of our book club, so she's just wearing jeans and a turquoise hoodie. Somehow she still manages to look grown up and sophisticated, though, and she makes me feel about ten years old in my red sweater with the little snowmen on it.
"How's Lois Lane?" Cassidy asks after Courtney heads back downstairs. I make a face "Not so great." I explain what happened at the newspaper meeting after school on Thursday.
"Man." Cassidy says when I'm done. "The queen be sure has her stinger out for you."
"You can't let her get to you Emma." adds Jess.
Megan doesn't say anything. She's sitting on the other side of Murphy and seems very interested in the bedspread. Her dark, shoulder length hair has swung forward, obscuring her face.
"Becca tried that 'Goat Girl' stuff on me the first day of school and I let her have it," Jess continues. "I called her 'cretinous troglodyte' right in front of Zach Norton. That shut her up fast."
"A what-inous troglo-who?|" sputters Cassidy.
Jess grins. "Cretinous troglodyte. I've been saving it up all summer. My dad helped me pick out as ammunition, just in case. It means stupid cave dweller, but it sounds much worse doesn't it?"
"So that's what it meant? I was too lazy to look it up, or even bother knowing what language it was but now I'm glad I know," Becca begins. "So I can use it on the Pye's of the world."
We all laugh and Cassidy gets Jess to write the insult down for her so she can memorize it. "This'll come in handy at the rink," she tells us, sticking the note in her desk drawer. "Some of those hockey players can be real trash talkers."
"You know Emma," Megan says softly. "Becca doesn't really mean it. She only says those things because she knows they bug you. It's just a bad habit."
We all stare at her. Since when did Megan start sticking up for Becca Chadwick again?
"That's easy for you to say." I tell her indignantly. "You've never been Becca's punching bag the way I have."
Becca winces instantly feels guilty and looks at Emma who just shakes her head and gives Becca a small smile. Becca gives her one in return still feeling incredibly guilty.
Jess quickly changes the subject. But I can't stop thinking about Megan and Becca. Katie Malone's not the only one Becca's been sucking up to lately. Now that she's in our book club, and now that she knows Megan's fashion designs are going to be featured in Flashlite magazine, Becca's been acting really friendly again towards Megan. And Megan hasn't exactly been fending her off.
"How are your designs coming?" Cassidy asks.
Megan flops backwards onto the bed heaving a dramatic sigh. "Don't ask."
"Anything we can do to help?" asks Jess.
Megan shakes her head. "The launch issue is scheduled for next summer. It seems like a long ways off, but they said they'd need my designs by the middle of March. I'm already getting nervous about it. Plus, everything I've drawn so far just looks stupid."
"Let's take a look," says Cassidy, rooting around in Megan's shoulder bag for her ever present sketchbook.
Megan sits up and lets out a screech of protest. "No!" she cries grabbing it away from her.
Cassidy snatches it back laughing, "C'mon Megs, we're your friends." she flips it open. We crowd around to inspect the pages. The outfits look fine to me, but when I look more closely at the models I realize they're all Becca.
"Girls! The Chadwicks are here! We're ready to get started!" Mrs. Sloane calls up the stairs.
None of us say a word as Megan stuffs the sketchbook back in her bag. We file downstairs to the dining room in silence ad wait outside the door while Mr. Goldberg, who is overseeing the crew, makes sure the candles are lit and the camera's are in position.
Becca and her mother are waiting outside the door too.
"Nice snowmen, Emma," whispers Becca, quietly enough that nobody else can hear. "I had a sweater like that once, too—back in preschool."
Despite the promise I made to my mother earlier, and all the nice things Mrs. Sloane and Courtney said, I feel my eyes fill up with tears of rage and humiliation. How can Megan possibly like someone as mean as Becca?
"Becca I know you want to apologize but you don't have to, I have already forgiven you like five years ago." Emma says.
"I know but I can't apologize enough for making your life a living hell," Becca pauses. "Pardon my french but anyway the point is though you have already forgiven me, I haven't forgiven myself. I feel awful."
Emma just gives Becca another smile and says. "That's sweet Becca but please just try to."
Becca nods and Darcy then waits a moment before reading on.
"You're awfully quiet," Mrs. Wong says to us as we take our seats around the table.
I don't answer. I'm afraid if I say anything the tear might spill over.
"We're just excited, that's all," Jess tells her.
Willing the tears away, I concentrate on how beautiful everything looks instead. There are gold and silver ribbons twined around the chandelier, and the candles in the candle sticks all down the center of the table, their reflections shining in the centerpiece - a big glass bowl filled with gold and silver ornaments. I don't remember seeing these plates and tea cups before- they're gold rimmed and very fancy-and I wonder if they belong to Cassidy's mom or if they're just part of the stage set.
Two crew members come in carrying three-tiered trays laden with fancy finger food—tiny sandwich and mini cupcakes and things like that. They set them on a table, alongside a silver teapot. Cassidy reaches out for a truffle and her mother swats her hand away.
"We're going to film the tea party first, and then later we'll all go into the kitchen and do some baking for what will eventually be the first part of the episode," Mrs. Sloane explains. "And we'll take the decorations down, and put them up again as well."
Filming a T.V show is complicated, I decide. But Mrs. Sloane's cheeks are pink and her eyes are sparkling, and it's obvious she's really enjoying herself. I muster a smile and decide I'm going to try and enjoy myself too. Like my mother, I was to do Cassidy's mom proud.
I glance over at Becca. She's smiling too. Not at me though. She's smiling straight at the camera. With her lips together, of course.
"It's not on yet." says Cassidy in a stage whisper.
Jess snickers; Becca blushes; and Mrs. Sloane shoots Cassidy a warning glance.
"What I thought we'd do for the first segment is combine the tea party with our usual book club meeting," she says. "That way, we can help give other book clubs ideas for fun things they can do too."
"Quiet on the set," says Mr. Goldberg as Mrs. Sloane takes her seat. My mother, who is sitting next to me, squeezes my hand. I take a deep breath. I'm not really nervous, just a little jittery.
Cassidy told us there's nothing to be scared of since it's not like live T.V. They'll tape a whole bunch, she says, and then afterward the editors will look everything over, and keep the good stuff and toss the rest.
Maybe they'll toss Becca, I think, and my smile broadens at this prospect. I can feel myself relax a little.
"Action!" calls Mr. Goldberg.
"Welcome to today's episode of Cooking with Clementine," says Mrs. Sloane flashing the smile that made her famous. "We have a special treat for all of you today, a festive mother daughter book club holiday tea party!"
She goes around introducing each of us, and then starts pouring tea as our meeting gets underway. Mrs. Delaney, who is sitting on the other side of me, passes one of the towers of treats, and I take a cucumber sandwich, a chicken salad sandwich, a truffle and three mini cupcakes. Then I glance over at Becca and remember her "Porky the Poet" comment and I put one of the cupcakes back, hoping they don't catch this on film.
While everyone else in engrossed in the story Becca just sighs to herself, wanting to slap her past self for being so awful to Emma.
"Here's your first official handout of the year girls." says my mother cheerfully, passing out sheets of paper. "L.M. Montgomery—Lucy Maud, or just Maud to her friends—was a fascinating woman. I think you're getting to enjoy to know her just as much as much as you got to know Louisa May Alcott last year when we read Little Women."
"Hey!" says Cassidy, "They had the same first two initials."
"Well, what do you know about that," my mother replies. "I hadn't noticed. A good omen for a smooth transaction, I'd say."
We all laugh politely and sip our tea and nibble at our food. Across the table, Chomping on an egg salad sandwich, and I remind myself to chew with my mouth closed as I see her mother elbow her discreetly.
"Let me explain a little about how are cook club works," says Mrs. Sloane brightly, launching into a conversation with the camera. While she's describing our reading schedule and how we try and earn a little about the author at each of our meeting and sometimes bake or do crafts from the book, I scan my handout.
I glance down at my teacup and wonder if I'll ever be lucky enough to taste that sweet bubble of success. I haven't had the courage to try and publish any of my poems or stories yet. They're too private. Especially the poems. Well, accept for the one about Zach Norton that Becca read aloud to everybody last year that is, I think bitterly. That one certainly isn't private anymore.
"So," says my mother briskly, as Mrs. Sloane winds up her explanations and gives her a nod. "Let's get this discussion started. You've all read up through chapter fifteen, right? Are you enjoying the book so far?"
Everyone raises there hand expect Becca.
"Rebecca Louise," barks Mrs. Chadwick.
Becca halfheartedly raises her hand.
"Cut!" says Mr. Goldberg. He sighs. "It's Mrs. Chadwick, isn't it?"
She fixes him with a cold stare. "That's right young man."
Mr. Goldberg looks a little flustered at this. He's got grayish hair and is at least as old as Mrs. Chadwick. "Uh, you do recall that you're on camera here, don't you? You might want to watch your tone of voice."
"Don't tell me how to raise my children, and I want tell you how to film a T.V show." snaps Mrs. Chadwick.
Mr. Goldberg shoots Cassidy's mother a look.
"What Fred, means Calliope," Mrs. Sloane says smoothly, "Is that we wouldn't want to give viewers the wrong impression. You're such a devoted mother to Becca, and that's what we want to convey here on film."
Mrs. Chadwick preens at this. "Well," she says, a tad less waspishly, "I'll try and keep that in mind. But watch your manners, Becca."
For a moment I almost feel sorry for Becca. It's can't be easy having a snapping turtle like Mrs. Chadwick for your mother. But then I remember "Porky the Poet" and I don't feel sorry for her anymore.
"I wouldn't blame you." Becca mutters.
"Roll 'em!" says Mr. Goldberg.
"Let's talk about the characters," my mother suggests, and we go around the table telling who our favorite and least favorite characters are.
Almost all of us like Anne Shirley best, except my mother who is particularly fond of Marilla.
"She's so steely and stern on the outside, but she's really a cream puff underneath," she says, plucking a tiny cream puff from the top tier of the nearest tea tray and holding it up for emphasis.
The other mother all laugh. Becca looks over at me shaking her head in pity. I stretch out my leg under the table, wondering if it's long enough to give her a good swift kick. It's not, unfortunately.
When it's my turn, I look Becca right in the eye. I don't care if the cameras are rolling or not. "My least favorite character is Josie Pye," I say.
Becca doesn't even blink. I'll bet she hasn't even read the book.
"Mine is Mrs. Rachel Lynde," says Mrs. Wong. "At least in the beginning. She turns out okay in the end. But what a busybody! I can't imagine anybody in real life being that nosy and outspoken, can you?"
There's an awkward pause. Actually that description fits someone in this room to a T.
I try not to look at Mrs. Chadwick, who's furtively removing the last two truffles from the tea tray and isn't paying the least bit of attention.
"Yeah I wasn't the most welcoming person now was I?" Mrs. Chadwick smiling, though it came off a little forced.
"But you have proven yourself to be quite an awesome person." Mrs. Delaney points out, everyone nods. This makes Mrs. Chadwick smile.
"How about you Shannon?" my mother says hastily to Mrs. Delaney. "Do you have a favorite or least favorite?"
"You know, this may sound odd, but my favorite character is Green Gables itself," Jess's mother replies. "Lucy Maud Montgomery describes that old farmhouse so vividly it almost seems alive."
"I know what you mean." agrees Mrs. Wong. Mrs. Chadwick gives an ungracious snort. I hope the film editor will be able to cut it out or erase something, because like Mrs. Wong, I know exactly what Mrs. Delaney means.
"When I first read this book as a girl, I desperately wanted to move to Green Gables," Jess's mother continues. "It seemed so beautiful to me! Like Heaven on earth!"
"And then you grew up and married dad and moved to Half Moon Farm instead." says Jess happily. "Which is even more beautiful than Green Gables."
Her mother puts her arm around her shoulders and draws her close. "That's right honey." There's a hint of sadness in her voice, and I see my mother and Mrs. Sloane exchange a glance across the table. I sure wish I knew what was going on with the Delaney's. I just hope it isn't anything bad. Last year was really hard on Jess.
"How about you Becca, do you have a favorite character?" my mother coaxes.
Becca gives me a sly glance. "Gilbert Blythe."
I turn bright red. I know as well as she does that she not talking about Gilbert Blythe. She's talking about Zach Norton. The girls at Walden Middle School are just as crazy about Zach as the girls in Avonlea were about Gilbert Blythe. Becca knows I have a crush on Zach because of the poem I wrote last year. She has a crush on him too, just like Josie Pye did on Gilbert.
She must have read the book after all.
"I don't get what the big deal between Gilbert and Anne was in that last chapter we read," says Cassidy. "All he did was call her 'Carrots' and she turned around and whapped him over the head with her slate."
"She was sensitive about her red hair," I explain, spearing another glance at Becca. "It's like somebody teasing you about the one thing you don't want to me teased about."
Becca mouths the word Porky silently at me. Then she says aloud, "Maybe we should start calling you Carrots, Cassidy."
"Maybe you should think twice before you do, Metalmouth," Cassidy shoots back.
"Cassidy Ann!" says her mother, shocked.
"Cut!" shouts Mr. Goldberg. "Ladies, please! This is supposed to be a friendly tea party!"
"Becca started it," says Cassidy.
"Nonsense!" barks Mrs. Chadwick.
"I'll handle this, Calliope," Mrs. Sloane tells her stiffly.
My mother holds up her hand. "How about we all just take a deep breath and forge ahead here? I'm sure Mr. Goldberg and the crew wants to wrap things up this afternoon as speedily as possible."
Across the room, Mr. Goldberg nods vigorously. The camera starts rolling again, and my mother pull out her cheeriest Mrs. Hawthorne the librarian tone of voice. "Continuing our lively discussion here, let's turn to the concept of kindred spirits," she says. "I've always loved that concept, haven't you Lily?"
"Absolutely," Mrs. Wong replies. "It's the very best kind of friendship."
"I always wished I had a friend like Diana Barry when I was growing up," says Mrs. Delaney wistfully. "You girls are so lucky to have each other."
I look over at Becca Chadwick. She is so not a kindred spirit. Whatever the opposite of a kindred spirit is, that's Becca. She sees me watching her and crosses her eyes. My mother catches her doing it and frowns, shaking her head slightly.
Becca has the grace to look embarrassed. She shifts her gaze and takes a sip of tea.
"You know what I don't get?" says Cassidy. "The way Anne keeps naming things. "The White Way of Delight,' and the 'The Lake of Shining Waters.', and that dumb tree, the 'Snow Queen'. That is so lame! Who names a tree?"
I hide a smile behind my napkin, careful not look in Jess's direction. I wouldn't admit it on camera—and certainly not in front of Becca—but Jess and I have been naming things at Half Moon Farm. Anne of Green Gables inspired us.
The Delaney's duck pond is now officially "The Mirror of the sky," and the row of birches that line the driveway are "The Silent Guardians."
"Are you serious? No offense guys but thats a little lame." Cassidy blurts out.
"Cassidy Ann!" Mrs. Sloane-Kinkaid scolds.
Jess ignores Cassidy's mom and starts laughing.
"Maybe just a little bit." Jess admits.
"Actually," says my mother, flipping through her notebook, "I was reading a biography of Lucy Maud Montgomery in preparation for our meeting today, and it turns out that was something she used to do. Here it is—she said she used to name 'all the pretty nooks and crannies about the old farm.'"
"I still think it's dumb" Cassidy continues, popping an entire cucumber sandwich into her mouth. "And what's with that invisible friend of hers in the bookcase with the glass doors?"
"Don't talk with your mouth full," her mother whispers.
Across from me, I see Becca's cell phone peeking up from over the tabletop. She snaps a picture of Cassidy chewing. She sees me watching her and gives me a triumphant little smile. I look away.
"You mean Katie Maurice?" my mother says. "Well, in the story Anne was just lonely, that's all. But lots of children have imaginary friends. Maud Montgomery herself did. And so did Emma."
I gape at her horrified. I can't believe she just said that! And on camera too! I feel my face getting warm. I can only imagine the hay Becca Chadwick will make with this juicy little factoid. Not that she'll have to—the whole world will know about it once this show airs.
Unless the editor snips it out.
Mrs. Wong laughs, "Wasn't his name Waldo?"
She and my mother both start giggling.
"Remember that time we decided to take the kids over to Ipswich to Crane's Beach for the day?" my mother continues. "And we had to turn back because Emma forgot Waldo?"
Megan's lips are twitching now too. Cassidy is grinning at me and so are Mr. Goldberg and even the cameramen. Only Jess isn't smiling. She gives me a sympathetic look.
"I was five!" I protest.
But my mother is caught up in telling the story, and doesn't hear the panic in my voice. "Emma shrieked for ten minutes straight, until Nick finally relented and turned the car around."
It's stupid, I know, but I can still remember that horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach, and how relived I was one my dad brought me back Waldo. He was very real to me.
Becca looks over at me and smirks. I close my eyes. I am never going to live this down.
"I'm sorry Emma, I didn't realize that telling this story made you upset." Mrs. Hawthorne said.
"What is this Full House?" Emma starts in a Cassidy like manner. "Don't worry this happened years ago, it's all good."
Mrs. Hawthorne sighs in relief and smiles at Emma.
"I'm sure this is all very entertaining to those of you who were there, but I suggest that we confine our conversation to Anne of Green Gables." Mrs. Chadwick says sourly.
"Cut!" cries Mr. Goldberg. He looks weary. "On that note, I think we'll wrap things up here. We should have enough footage at this point for the tea party scene."
The rest of the afternoon passes quickly. Mrs. Sloane organizes us in the kitchen where they film us making tea treats and decorations. I stay as far away as possible from Becca, who is teamed up with Megan.
As I watch the two of them together, I begin to wonder if Megan is a kindred spirit after all. She's not exactly acting like one.
The phone rings just as we finish filming. Courtney answers it then passes the receiver to her mother.
"Uh-huh," says Mrs. Sloane. "Really? Wow! That would be great." she hangs up and looks over at us. "You'll never guess who that was."
"Waldo?" whispers Becca behind me.
Cassidy steps on her foot.
"Channel five heard about the mother daughter tea party episode, and they want to do a promotional spot about it on their morning show the day it runs," her mother tells us.
"You mean we're going to be on hello Boston!?" squeals Becca.
Mrs. Sloane nods, beaming.
I have the same horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach that I did when we drove of years ago without my imaginary friend Waldo.
Taping an Episode of cooking with Clementine is one thing. But live on T.V with Becca Chadwick?
It's going to be a disaster.
"That's all for this chapter," Darcy says as he closes the book. "I did take a little peek though, the next chapter is Jess's"
"Well I guess the Delaney's will be hosting next time." Mrs. Wong says.
As the hour winds down everyone says their goodbyes and heads off to there homes, unaware of what the next chapter will bring.
AUTHORS NOTE (yeah I know another one)
Sorry if this is formatted weird because my new computer doesn't have Word and the program I'm using is different from Word. I would normally explain my absence but I'm going to bore you with the details. It was school and band that kept me from uploading mostly but I take full responsibility for not making time for the story. I hope you guys are doing well and haven't forgotten about my story.
Your Friend,
~Rebel Belle