“But the only one who’s seen me is Raveneece.”
Aunt Doris tugged lightly on one of my curls. “She might have told the others about this hair of yours,” she said, letting it boing back.
I thought for a moment. “Do you really think any of them will come to the fair?”
She puckered her lips—it was the same serious expression my mom sometimes had. “Raveneece may be gone, but I doubt the Sinister Sisters will ever give up on getting a wishing cake. They’re wary of our power, but they might try to hide themselves in a crowd of fairgoers.”
I looked into the mirror on the wall across from the bed and screwed up my face.
Aunt Doris laughed. “You’ve still got to be careful, kiddo,” she warned. “They might send out some snoops. Garrie told me about three cake-crazy girls who’ve become regulars at her store. She said they were named for gems, but she couldn’t remember which ones.”
Gems made me remember Mother Goose’s warning.
“Diamond, emerald, ruby, beware
Of the sparkly sisters you’ll meet at the fair.”
I tried never to think about the terrible moment when I’d shattered Raveneece to pieces. But now I couldn’t keep the dark memory away. “I probably shouldn’t go to the fair,” I said.
Aunt Doris patted my shoulder. “I’ve given this a lot of thought. I don’t want you to spend your life being afraid of the Sinister Sisters. Besides, after what happened to Raveneece, they’re probably plenty scared of you. As long as we take precautions, you’ll be fine.”
I really, really wanted to go. But there was something else. “What about Aunt Esperanza? She’s not going. You’re the one who told me she shouldn’t be alone.” I repeated the lines she’d once recited to me:
“It takes two strands to make a knot
And two brave hearts to foil a plot
Both Grand and Grandie, arm in arm
Will keep the Greedy from our farm
For if the bond between them breaks
There’ll be no more of wishing cakes.”
Aunt Doris smiled. “I’ll stay with her. I’ve already been to plenty of fairs.”
My heart began to beat a little faster. I wasn’t sure I wanted to go to the fair without Aunt Doris. But I also knew she was right; I didn’t want to keep being afraid.
“Why can’t one of the other aunts or apprentices stay with Aunt Esperanza?” I asked.
“Espy is the oldest, but the other aunts aren’t that far behind her, kiddo,” Aunt Doris explained. “Their minds are sharp, but their powers may be rusty. Once Aunt Fancy could lasso a person faster than a cowboy at a rodeo.”
I laughed as I pictured it. “Really?”
“Yep. And Aunt Bernie could make people sweat just by staring at them. But they haven’t done those things in a while. As the youngest Aunt, it’s my responsibility to protect Espy.”
“We could both stay here with her,” I offered.
“No. You should go, kiddo. If it were necessary, you’d be able to protect yourself and the other apprentices. You could stop things.”
“Aunt Esperanza told me she can do that, too—freeze things, I mean.”
“Espy hasn’t done it for a long time. She’s out of practice. We don’t know whether she can freeze a flea or a person anymore.”
“She doesn’t want to do it,” I murmured. “And neither do I.”
Aunt Doris nodded. “Good. It’s right that those who have the greatest power should be the most reluctant to use it. Now let’s find a disguise for you. Sit down.” She pointed to her bed.
Aunt Doris turned and faced the door of her big cupboard. After a moment she began to chant:
“Hair that’s curly, hair that’s shiny,
Silky-smooth or tangled
Red, black, brown, blond, silver gray,
Old-fashioned or newfangled
Knotty, frizzy, messy, clean
Long hair, short, or in between
Hair you haven’t grown yourself
Will now come floating off the shelf!”
Slowly the cupboard doors began to open and a bevy of wigs came flying out like a flock of colorful, hairy birds.
“Look in the mirror!” Aunt Doris exclaimed.
The wigs were slowly circling above my head.
“Straight blond first,” Aunt Doris ordered.
In the mirror I saw a wig that was like Perrin’s hair descend onto my head. It felt like a bird getting comfy as it settled itself. I reached up and stroked the pale golden curtain that framed my face. Unfortunately, I didn’t look like Perrin. I looked like a broom with eyes, a nose, and a mouth. I frowned.
Aunt Doris cracked her gum as though she agreed with me. “Brown bob next,” she called.
In the mirror I saw the blond wig lift off and return to orbit. Then, plop! The shiny brown bob landed heavily on my head. I kind of looked like Darth Vader’s kid sister.
Aunt Doris and I locked eyes in the mirror and we both shook our heads no.
“Um, I’d like to try on that long black-haired one,” I said, thinking of Sage Green, the most popular girl in my fifth grade class. I’d always envied her hair.
Aunt Doris nodded. The helmet hair buzzed off and the black wig fluttered gracefully down.
I turned my head back and forth, making it swing across my shoulders. I ran my hand through the long strands and let them trickle through my fingers. I tucked it behind an ear. I didn’t look like a broom or Darth Vader, but I didn’t look like Sage, either.
“These freckles ruin everything!” I grumbled, putting my hands to my cheeks.
“Oh, kiddo!” exclaimed Aunt Doris. “What would a Dalmatian be without its spots? Or a fawn, or a ladybug without theirs? Your freckles are part of your charm! However, they are very distinctive. We’ll have to cover them with makeup, just in case.”
I walked toward the mirror, twirling a strand of black hair. I couldn’t help grinning at myself.
Aunt Doris was watching me. “Are you sure you don’t want to try on the silver wig or the blue one?” she asked.
“No thanks, this one is good,” I replied.
She snapped her fingers and the rest of the circling wigs flew back into the cupboard.
“No cinnamon mop, no freckles, no worries,” I told myself.
Yeah, right.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Ye Olde Precautions
We baked everyday cakes right up until the last day before the fair. There were thirty-six in all, but Aunt Fancy still didn’t think we’d have enough. The Goose Ladies’ cakes were always super popular and they always ran out.
At dinner Gray and I listened to the others discuss the things they most wanted to do at the fair. Winnie, Nell, and Perrin liked to buy earrings and bracelets at the craft booths. Pip wanted to eat a double ice cream sundae. Wyatt was thinking of entering the horseshoe toss or the chess competition. The Aunts chatted about seeing old friends.
After we’d cleaned up, Aunt Doris announced, “Early bedtime tonight! We’ll have to leave before dawn to set up our booth and tables.”
I dawdled in the kitchen, scrubbing the sink until everyone else had left. Then I carried the stepstool to the cupboard where the old yellow sugar bowl was stored. I hadn’t checked it in a while and I was afraid someone might have found it.
But it was still there. I glanced quickly over my shoulder before lifting the lid and scraping the crusty sugar with a finger. When I touched the shard that had been Raveneece’s eye, I shuddered. But I made myself dig it out and shove it into the pocket of my jeans.
“Pixie, I thought you were already upstairs,” said Aunt Esperanza, surprising me. “What are you doing with that sugar bowl?”
“I saw an ant in the cupboard when I put the berry bowl away this morning,” I said, backing down the stool. “I thought I should empty this old sugar out.”
She eyed me as if she knew I was up to something. But she only said, “I’d forgotten all about that old crock. Clean it out and
we can give it away.”
“Okay. I’m too excited about the fair to go to sleep now, anyway.”
“Actually, I’d like to talk to you about that.”
Carefully I set the sugar bowl on the counter. I wondered if she’d changed her mind and whether I would care.
“I know what it’s like to be young and want to have fun,” she said.
Really? I wondered. She didn’t seem to have much fun these days. “My mom believes everyone should have fun every day no matter how old they are,” I said, carefully.
She pulled out a stool and sighed as she sat. “You mustn’t let having fun get in the way of being careful tomorrow. Because—”
“I won’t!” I interrupted. “Aunt Doris is fixing me up so no one will recognize me. But I promise I’ll be really careful anyway.”
“Good. I just don’t want anything to happen to my . . . to my great-great-great-granddaughter.”
For once I was speechless. I knew, of course, but I never thought I’d hear her say it.
“Well? Don’t you have any questions?” she asked.
I swallowed. “Why didn’t you tell me before? And . . . and why didn’t you want me to come here?”
“Because if something happens to you, everyone at Chuckling Goose will be weepy and useless. It will interfere with our mission.” She pushed her stool away from the counter and stood. “And because I don’t want to lose the best helper I’ve ever had. Now, go to bed.”
“Yes, Grandmother,” I whispered.
“Don’t call me that!”
“Why?” I couldn’t help it—tears stung my eyes.
“Because,” she continued more quietly, “it’s too dangerous if the word gets out that you’re mine. I don’t want to lose you, Pixie.”
“Okay,” I whispered. “Good night.”
“Good night.” With her leathery old lips, she kissed me on the forehead.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Ye Olde Fair Day
Before sunrise we huddled together in the back of Aunt Doris’s truck—Perrin, Nell, Winnie, Pip, and me, Trixie, which was what I’d asked everyone to call me. We were surrounded by stacks and stacks of cake boxes. Although Aunt Doris was driving more slowly than I could walk, it seemed liked magic that they didn’t topple over. I tried not to think about Grandie, which was my new secret name for my great-great-great-grandmother. She’d left a hearty breakfast on the table, but hadn’t come to the dining room to say good-bye to us.
In her trusty old car, Aunt Bernie drove Aunt Fancy, Wyatt, and Gray—and more cakes. She honked as she passed us and we all laughed.
My Goose Girl cousins had made a fuss over how glamorous I looked in my wig and makeup. But I didn’t like the sensation of the wind whipping the long, fake hair across my face or the way my makeup-smeared cheeks felt stiff as a statue’s. Maybe I was just feeling nervous.
The town of Buttercrunch was only a short distance from Chuckling Goose. It wasn’t very big. Pip pointed out Garrie’s Grocery, which was smaller than I’d imagined. We also passed Pip’s school, a shoe shop, a hardware supply place, and a bookstore. I didn’t get to see much more before Aunt Doris drove onto the fair’s parking field and helped us unload the cakes. “I’m going back to Chuckling Goose now,” she said. “Be good, be careful, and have fun!”
Lots of people were already heading down the street to the village green. A banner hung across the entrance announcing, “Buttercrunch Town Fair Today!” I spotted Gray and Wyatt finishing our booth—a three-sided shed made of two-by-fours, with a canvas canopy for a roof.
“Hey!” I said, setting my boxes on the long wooden table that served as a counter.
Gray looked right at me, then looked away, confused.
“Heh, heh, heh! I am Treeexie! It’s nice to meeet you,” I said in my best vampire voice.
His eyes bugged out. “Pix? You, er, kinda look like a vampire . . . pale, pasty skin, black hair—all you need are fangs!”
“Ha! I can’t believe you didn’t recognize me,” I exclaimed. “It’s great!”
“Uh, yeah, I guess,” said Gray. “Just don’t bite anyone.”
We high-fived each other and went off to our assigned jobs, Gray helping Wyatt put up tables where customers could sit and eat and me slicing cakes with the other apprentices.
Perrin had just finished writing the names of all our offerings on the menu board when the fair opened officially. It was only 9:00 a.m., but the line at our booth grew fast.
“I wait all year for this day,” said a man with an impressive belly. “I’ll take a piece of each.”
“What’s snickerpoodle cake?” a kid wearing very dirty eyeglasses asked, reading the menu. He looked a little disappointed when Perrin told him it was snickerdoodle, not poodle.
The next customer in line was a girl who poked her head across the counter to gape at me. “Pixie?”
“NO, I’m Trixie,” I said quickly. Then I blinked. “Rain! I can’t believe you’re here!”
We both squealed. I ran around the counter and hugged her. Then I pulled her behind the booth. “How’d you recognize me?”
“You forgot to cover up the freckles on your arms and your knees.” She stared as if she still couldn’t believe her eyes. “Why do you look like that?”
“The Aunts are afraid I’ll be recognized by the Sinister Sisters.”
Rain’s mouth dropped open. “Are they coming here?”
“You know how cautious the Aunts are.” I shrugged. “Come on and say hi.”
When the rest of the apprentices saw Rain, they crowded around her.
“Excuse me! Who’s serving cake?” asked a woman with four little kids.
“We are,” said Aunt Bernie. She and Aunt Fancy hurried to help the customers.
“You girls can take a break before the real crowds start forming,” Aunt Fancy said, which was awfully nice, “as long as Rain saves some hugs for us.”
We went to sit under a butternut tree. Everyone wanted to know how Rain had gotten to the fair, what was happening with United Pets and People, and whether she was back to stay.
“The most amazing thing happened,” she said. “My parents, River, and I were cleaning up the property where United Pets and People used to be. An old rosebush that Mom loved was still alive and she asked us to dig it up, so we could replant it in our grandma’s yard.”
River appeared then with Gray and Wyatt. River let all of us hug him, although he looked as embarrassed as if he’d been caught kissing a pig.
“Sit down, guys!” shouted Pip. “We were about to hear ‘the most amazing thing.’”
Rain shot her twin a grin before she continued. “Both River and I were really upset about how messed up everything was after the fire. Not even the doghouse survived! We were so angry our shovels were practically flying. We hit rocks and dug those up. We found an old stump, some bones our dogs had buried, and more rocks. Then we reached the rosebush’s roots. They were so thick and tangled, we felt as if we were battling a nest of snakes. But we finally got that stubborn bush free, and guess what?”
“There was this wooden chest underneath it, about the size of a shoe box,” River burst out before anyone could guess. “It was filled with old moldy money!”
My heart started to thump.
“How much money?” asked Gray. “Enough to rebuild United Pets and People?” I think we were all wondering the same thing.
“One hundred and forty-three dollars,” River replied. “We tried to give it to Dad. Instead he told us to see if one of Mom’s patients, Ms. Finnegan, could use the money. She’d been out of work since she tripped over Inky, her cat, and broke her ankle. Inky’s paw was injured, too.”
One hundred and forty-three dollars? My wishing cake had been a flop!
“Ms. Finnegan wouldn’t take the box of money,” said Rain, “but she asked us if we could go to the pharmacy for her meds and the hardware store for light bulbs. She said the reason she’d tripped over Inky in the first place was beca
use the light in the kitchen was out. So first we went to the pharmacy. River paid with the old dollars, which I guess were pretty noticeable, because another customer asked where he’d gotten them.
“After we explained, the man said, ‘So you’re the kids from United Pets and People! I felt real bad when I heard about the fire at your place and I’d like to help you. I drive a power shovel and I’d be glad to come over and help your folks clear away the debris on your property. Give me the number where you’re staying, and I’ll call them when I get home.’”
Hmm. So maybe my wishing cake had helped a little, after all.
“Our next stop was Big Pet Supply,” River continued. “We wanted to get Inky a bed to rest in and a new toy mouse. While we were waiting on line for the cashier, the woman behind us asked why we were carrying our money in a box. Because it feels lucky, I answered. I told her the story of how we’d found it and how the customer in the pharmacy had offered to help us clear the land. And guess what? She was an architect! She said she’d be glad to help Mom and Dad create plans for a place as special as United P and P.”
Pip, Wyatt, Winnie, and Perrin whooped. Nell cried, of course.
“Please hold your applause till I’m done,” said River, laughing. “Then we stopped in the hardware store for light bulbs and met a builder.” He grinned at all of us. “I think you guys can guess what happened next.”
We could!
I’d never been happier to be a Goose Girl.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Ye Olde Fiendish Friends
After we’d worked a shift in the booth, Aunt Bernie allowed Rain, Pip, and I to walk around the fair. That’s when we found out Rain’s other big news. She and River were back for the rest of the summer!
“I want to celebrate by treating you guys to ice cream sundaes,” said Pip, pulling us toward a six-foot tall ice cream extravaganza made of papier-mâché that stood beside the Sundae Dreams stand. “Pixie, could I borrow some money?”
She wanted to treat us with my money? Hah! Then I remembered the jar she’d pressed into Rain’s hands. It had been full of bills and coins. I’d given Rain my money, too, but now I had birthday money from Mom.
Pixie Piper and the Matter of the Batter Page 12