On the Back Burner

by Diane Muldrow

  This was not how Amanda had wanted things to go. In her mind, she thought Shawn would receive her e-mail and suddenly realize how terribly she’d been treating her other friends.

  “I can’t believe she’s not speaking to me,” Amanda said sadly on Tuesday afternoon as Molly checked their e-mail.

  “Well, she’s speaking now,” Molly said. “Writing, anyway.”

  She hurried to the chair and wriggled in beside her sister. “What does she say?”

  “Read it yourself,” Molly replied.

  To: mooretimes2

  From: qtpie490

  Re: your last message

  Amanda,

  You say Angie is insulting but she has NEVER sent me an e-mail like that! Saying those terrible things about me is not something a “real” friend would do. If I have to choose one friend over another, I would pick the one who doesn’t call me nasty names. I never knew you could be so mean, but I’m glad I do now.

  Shawn

  Amanda was stunned. She could feel her heart thumping in her chest, and a flush crept over her face. She was surprised when she realized what she was feeling-shame. That’s crazy, she thought. Why should I feel ashamed? Everything I wrote to Shawn was true. I can’t believe she is trying to twist this around and make me the bad guy! Amanda tried to take a deep breath, but it caught in her throat. Molly sighed.

  Mrs. Moore walked up behind them. “You two look pretty unhappy,” she noticed. “Bad news on the Internet?”

  “Kind of, yeah,” Amanda replied slowly. She explained to Mom what had been happening with Shawn. Mom will know how to fix this, she thought with some relief. “Here’s the message I sent her,” she said, clicking on Old Mail and bringing up the message.

  Mom read it. At first, she said nothing. “That’s some message,” she finally said. “I guess you were pretty mad.”

  “Mad is not the word,” Molly said. “Furious is more like it.”

  “There’s a rule about writing angry letters,” Mom said gently. “Wait three days before mailing them. You can write it and let off steam. But reread it again in three days to make sure you really want to send it, because once it’s gone, you can’t get it back.”

  Amanda exhaled sharply. “You know, she says I said terrible things about her, but I didn’t. I said terrible things about Angie, which are all true!” she cried.

  “You implied that she was just the same as Angie,” Mom pointed out.

  “What am I supposed to do?” Amanda asked. “I can’t just stand around and not say how I feel! It really hurts my feelings that Shawn doesn’t stop Angie from being so mean to me.”

  “There are constructive ways to express how you feel,” Mrs. Moore said, “and there are ways that are destructive. But if you stick to expressing only how you feel, it’s easier to make your point without making things worse.”

  Molly put her arm around Amanda to comfort her. She wanted to say something helpful, but she couldn’t think of anything. Ever since middle school began, she also felt terrible about what was happening with Shawn. For some reason, though, Amanda seemed even more upset by it.

  “I know you don’t want to hear this, Amanda.” Mom continued, “but I’m going to say it anyway. Sometimes people grow apart. This doesn’t just happen with kids, it happens to adults, too. It might be time to start pursuing other friendships.”

  Molly and Amanda looked at each other with surprised expressions. The idea seemed so extreme. Replace Shawn with other friends? Could Mom be serious?

  Amanda sighed deeply. “I hate this,” she said. “But I guess whatever is going to happen will happen. There’s no sense fighting it.”

  “You sound like Sonia,” Molly said, smiling.

  “Sonia was the one who said I’d feel like I was losing my best friend,” Amanda reminded her. “Boy, was she right.” Amanda looked to Mom. “Would you help me write a better message to Shawn?” she requested. “If this friendship is going to end, I don’t want to be the one who ended it.”

  “Sure,” Mom agreed. “I’ll help you do it right now.”

  Amanda thought a moment about what Mom had said about forming new friendships. “After we’re done with the letter, I’m going to call Tessa, that girl I met when I was in the play last fall. Maybe we can go to a movie next weekend or something.”

  After about thirty minutes, Mom and Amanda had an e-mail ready to send to Shawn.

  To: qtpie490

  From: mooretimes2

  Re: sorry

  Dear Shawn,

  First, I wanna tell you I’m sorry for sending you that e-mail when I was really, really mad. I didn’t want to hurt your feelings or anything. But I was so upset that I just wrote it really fast and didn’t think about making you upset. Obviously you got upset from my e-mail and I didn’t want that to happen. I don’t think you’re mean or nasty. You’re my best friend, Shawn.

  That’s why I get so upset about Angie. She is always saying really mean things to me—right in front of you. And it hurts my feelings that you don’t stick up for me or even tell her to stop. I feel like I’m losing you as my best friend, which makes me sad.

  Anyway, that’s how I feel. I never meant to hurt your feelings with that e-mail. I hope you forgive me.

  Your friend (I hope),

  Amanda

  “Should I wait three days before sending this?” Amanda asked. “I really don’t want to. I want to get things back on track with Shawn as soon as I can.”

  Mom smiled at her. “Go ahead and send it, honey. I think you did a good job.”

  “No, we did,” said Amanda. “Thanks, Mom.”

  On Saturday afternoon, Molly sat at the kitchen table and stared down at the menu they’d created for their big job for the Kramers. Everything about it was great. There was now only one problem—a really major problem. Where are we ever gonna get the money to pay for this? she wondered.

  Back when they’d first started Dish, Peichi’s mom had talked to them about investing their earnings into the business. That meant they should take some of the money they earned and buy the things they needed to run Dish instead of spending all the money on themselves. This had turned out to be a good idea and, for the most part, they’d calculated how much money they’d need pretty well. But now they had a bigger job than they’d ever had before, and there just wasn’t enough money in their treasury to pay for it.

  Mr. Moore came into the kitchen with Matthew. He opened the refrigerator and stared into it, running his fingers through his graying black hair. “You girls haven’t been cooking lately,” he noted. “I don’t see the usual selection of wonderful things to snack on in here.”

  “Yeah, no brownies, no chocolate chip cookies.” Matthew added. “What’s up with that?”

  “We’ll be real busy soon,” she told them. “Dad, could I talk to you about a little business loan?” She explained to him the situation with the Kramers. “I don’t think we should make everything ahead, she said. ”We don’t have enough room in the freezer to store it all. But we do want to make two meals ahead of time and freeze them. That way, as soon as we get the call that Mrs. Kramer’s sister has had the baby, we’ll only have three dinners to cook. We’ll be under a lot less pressure. And we can pay back the loan completely as soon as we deliver the food to the Kramers.”

  “I’m impressed, Molly,” her dad said. “You’re thinking like a real businesswoman.”

  “Thanks,” Molly said. “You know we paid Shawn’s Grandma Ruthie back the money she lent us for the refrigerator. We paid her right away out of the first money we made.”

  “You have good references and a solid business plan,” he commented. His blue eyes twinkled behind his glasses. “Throw in a free batch of brownies and you’ve got yourself a loan.”

  “Thanks, Dad! Oh, and could you drive me down to Choice Foods this afternoon?” He gave her a thumbs-up. Molly smiled at him. “One batch of deep-dish brownies coming up.

  She made Matthew and Dad the brownies they wanted. While they w
ere baking, she phoned Natasha. “I was thinking we should begin shopping for the Kramer job,” she explained when she got Natasha on the phone. “Do you want to go food shopping with me today? Dad will drive us to the supermarket.”

  “Is everyone going?” Natasha asked.

  “No, I don’t think Shawn and Amanda should be together right now. Amanda sent Shawn an e-mail apologizing for the first e-mail she wrote, but Shawn hasn’t responded and they’re still not talking. Amanda is over at Tessa’s, and if we invite Shawn and Amanda’s not doing the work, it will make Shawn even madder. And Peichi is still grounded, which leaves just you and me.”

  “Okay” Natasha agreed. “I’ll shop with you.”

  At Choice Foods, Mr. Moore helped by pushing the cart while Molly and Natasha ran around the large supermarket. Molly didn’t mind all the walking. It was all the thinking that started to tire her out. Comparing prices to get the best value, thinking about what they needed for each dish, reading labels, making sure to stay within their budget—it was a lot of work.

  “I’m exhausted,” she said as Mr. Moore paid for all the food

  “I have some bad news for you,” Mr. Moore said as the three of them walked out to the car with the food. “The work isn’t over yet. Now we have to load it into the trunk of the car, walk it up the stairs into the house, and then put it away.”

  Natasha and Molly groaned. They’d never before shopped for a food order this large. It took a little more than an hour before all the food was put away.

  “I am so tired,” Natasha said, throwing herself onto a kitchen chair. “Do you think it’s fair that we did all this work ourselves?”

  “It’s not fair at all, but I guess it’s my fault,” Molly replied. “We should have waited for the others to help us. I didn’t realize it would be so much work.”

  “I think we should force Shawn and Amanda to make up,” Natasha said.

  “You’re right,” Molly agreed. If they waited for Shawn and Amanda to make up on their own, it might never happen. She had an idea. “Feel like renting some movies tomorrow?” she asked Natasha.

  “Sure, as long as I can finish my homework first. You know how my parents are,” Natasha said.

  “I was thinking that an afternoon movie marathon would be a good way to get Shawn and Amanda back together,” Molly explained. “Movies are always fun, and nobody will have to talk to each other!”

  “It’s worth a try,” Natasha agreed. “Good idea!”

  The following day, Molly and Mrs. Moore rented three comedies at the video store and bought a bunch of fun snack foods—popcorn, candy, ice cream. The trip took them a little longer than they expected, though, and when they returned, Molly found Shawn and Amanda sitting quietly in the living room

  “Hello,” Shawn said to Molly. Just then, Natasha arrived. Thank goodness, Molly thought. I really hope this day goes okay.

  At first, things were pretty uncomfortable, but soon the four girls were drinking milkshakes and laughing at the movie.

  Molly pinched Natasha’s arm lightly. “This is going to work,” she whispered excitedly. Natasha nodded, her eyes bright.

  Molly settled in to enjoy the movie. Every once in a while she looked over at Shawn and Amanda. They weren’t talking to each other, but they were laughing hard. It was a good start. But as the afternoon passed, Molly found the movies less funny, though the other girls were still cracking up. Her face felt hot, but her hands were freezing. And her throat was getting sore, too. Molly took a sip of her milkshake to try to soothe her throat, but it didn’t help. She put the glass on the table and rested her head against the back of the couch. After the last movie ended, Shawn and Natasha got up to go home. Molly walked them to the door with Amanda, but as soon as they closed the door, Molly slumped against the wall, sighing heavily.

  “Molls, what’s the matter?” Amanda asked.

  Molly realized that her body felt incredibly heavy and that her head throbbed dully at her temples. “I think I’m sick,” she told Amanda.

  “Your face is red,” Amanda said, looking worried. She placed her hand on Molly’s forehead. “You’re hot, too. Mom!” she yelled. Mrs. Moore quickly appeared at the top of the stairs. She took one look at Molly and helped her up to bed.

  In the twins’ room Molly quickly changed into a nightshirt while Mom got the thermometer. Molly pulled back her covers and crawled right into bed. When Mom returned with the thermometer, everyone waited silently to see what Molly’s temperature was.

  “One-oh-two,” Mom said. “No wonder you’re feeling so lousy, Molly. Amanda, go get an extra blanket from the hall closet and a glass of water. I’m going to get some medicine.” After Molly gulped down the medicine, she fell right asleep.

  “She’s really sick, isn’t she?” Amanda asked Mom as they went downstairs.

  Mom nodded, looking very concerned. “Probably just the flu. It’s been going around. Fortunately, I can take tomorrow off to take care of her. There’s no way she’s going to school tomorrow.”

  After finishing her social studies homework, Amanda decided to go to bed early. She looked at Molly’s flushed face as her twin tossed fitfully in her bed. Ugh, thought Amanda. I sure hope I don’t get sick, too.

  Chapter 10

  Amanda went to school on M.onday morning, but Mom picked her up by lunchtime—she’d come down with the flu, too.

  Peichi arrived at school on Monday excited to see her friends. All weekend she’d worked on her Chinese New Year film and she’d loved every second of it. “I might be a filmmaker when I’m older,” she told her parents. “I really like working with the camera.” During the past weekend, she’d walked around Chinatown with her parents and filmed the sayings people tacked to their doors and to the fronts of stores. All your hard work will soon pay off read one card that was tacked to the front door of an apartment building. Peichi filmed it, then turned the camera to face herself and spoke into it, saying: “I sure hope that one is true for me.”

  Since being grounded, Peichi had started to really like going to school every day. It was the only time she could be with all her friends. But on Tuesday, she couldn’t find anyone. That’s weird, she thought. Molly and Amanda are home sick, but where are Shawn and Natasha?

  By lunchtime, Peichi had figured out that Shawn and Natasha had stayed home from school. Uh-oh, thought Peichi. They must all have the flu! I bet the only reason I’m not sick is because I’ve been grounded and haven’t been hanging out with them. Peichi walked into the cafeteria all by herself. Even though she had lunch there every day, it suddenly felt overwhelming—large and bright and loud. Oh no, she thought suddenly. Who can I eat lunch with today? I’ll feel so lame if I have to eat all by myself!

  Without her friends there, the day seemed to drag on slowly. At lunch, she ended up sitting alone and studying for an English test she would take that afternoon. She’d reviewed her notes carefully the night before, but now she reread the poems and the notes she’d taken in class.

  Wednesday after school, Peichi walked to each of her friends’ houses to drop off their textbooks and make-up homework. She hoped that at least one of them would be feeling better and be able to talk with her for a few minutes, but they were all still sick in bed.

  By Thursday, Peichi missed her friends so much it felt like a physical ache in the middle of her stomach. For a while she wondered if she was getting sick, too. But she decided it was just loneliness. That’s it, she decided. The Chef Girls aren’t the only people I know in this school. She scanned the cafeteria, looking for a familiar face. She spotted Athena sitting with a group of seventh-graders and decided to go talk to her.

  “Hi, Peichi!” Athena said brightly. “What’s up?”

  “Not much,” Peichi said. “Hey is this seat taken?”

  “No, sit down!” Athena encouraged her. “Peichi, this is Julia, Emily, and Lauren. Everybody, this is Peichi. She’s making a really cool video about Chinese New Year.”

  “That’s awesome,” said Lau
ren. “My parents just got this amazing digital video camera, but they won’t even let me touch it, practically!”

  “Digital cameras are great,” Peichi agreed. This is going really well! she thought to herself. I can’t believe I ate lunch all by myself for two days when Athena and her friends were right here. It’s so cool to be eating with all these seventh-graders!

  Peichi’s good day got even better Mrs. Weyn returned her latest English test—this time, Peichi got an A, and Mrs. Weyn wrote on it, “Excellent!” After school, Peichi was in such a great mood that she skipped up the steps to her house. The phone was ringing off the hook, so she ran to get it. “Hello? Is this Peichi Cheng?” asked the woman on the other end.

  “Yes.”

  “Oh, wonderful. My name is Alice Kramer. Barbara Moore gave me your phone number. The thing is, there’s been a slight change of plans. My sister had her baby this morning, so I’ll need the food delivered on Saturday.”

  “I thought the baby was due at the end of February,” Peichi said, remembering that the big Kramer job wasn’t supposed to happen until after Chinese New Year.

  “That’s right, but obviously no one told the baby this! I’m flying out to see her tomorrow, which means I’ll need the meals delivered this Saturday by six.”

  “This Saturday?” Peichi squeaked.

  “Yes. My husband will pay for them when you get there. Thanks so much. Bye!” Mrs. Kramer clicked off without even waiting for Peichi’s good-bye.

  Peichi took a deep breath. This was terrible! How was she going to do this by herself? She was only one person—one grounded person!

  She quickly dialed the Moores’ number and Mrs. Moore picked up. “Hi Mrs. Moore, it’s Peichi. Can I talk to Amanda and Molly? It’s a Dish emergency.”

  “I’m sure they’d like to talk to you, Peichi, but they can’t talk. Really, they can’t—both of them have such sore throats that they’re completely hoarse! Can I give them a message?”