by Laura Dower
In other school news, some kid set off the school alarm this morning and Principal Bernard had a MAJOR fit. Asst. Principal Goode was running around the halls looking for the guilty party. I think it’s some ninth grader. Well, that’s the theory in school anyhow. There are always a lotta rumors about this stuff. It hasn’t been boring around here even though I MISS YOU GUYS!
I hope you are all feeling better. I wish I could be in bed watching TV all day. BTW: Egg told me that he’s getting homework for Aim & Maddie. He said he can drop it on your porch in the mailbox or somewhere. And I guess Chet is obviously getting yours, F. If you need ANYTHING please just E me. I know you already picked each other to do that web project but I was hoping I could join with you three. Would that be okay? 2 is company, 3 is a crowd, but 4 is AMAZING! I made that up. LOL.
I will send another update VVS (like same time tomorrow). If you need any special info, just lemme know.
BYE-BYE!
Lindsay
Madison’s mind (and heart) raced. Hart had blown Ivy off? That was news. Thrilling, exciting, amazing, WOW news.
But Madison didn’t know if she should feel glad—or sad. After all, Hart might have blown Ivy off because he liked someone else…. But what if it weren’t Madison? What if it were Carmen or some other cute girl in their class? There was no way to know for sure.
Madison placed her laptop on the bed for a moment so she could get up and get a tissue. The box beside her bed was empty.
Prrrrrffffffffff! Prrrrrffffffffff!
Madison blew her nose hard and walked over to the window.
The house next door stared back at her, empty. There was no boy outside walking his dog. Madison wondered if maybe he went to school somewhere other than Far Hills. Maybe he was older? Maybe he was visiting from out of town?
She needed to find out who he was.
Prrrrrffffffffff! She blew her nose again.
“Maddie?” Gramma Helen’s voice cut through Madison’s thoughts.
She whirled around to face her grandmother.
“Not so hard!” Gramma warned. “You’ll blow a blood vessel in your eyes if you blow that hard, not to mention your nose.”
“Sorry,” Madison replied sheepishly, wiping her face. She coughed for effect, which made her cough for real.
“Listen to that!” Gramma said. “I just came up to see how you were feeling and to find out what you wanted for dinner.”
“Dinner?” Madison answered. “Gramma, it’s only lunchtime.”
Madison noticed that Gramma was wearing orange rubber gloves that stretched up to her elbows. She smelled vaguely of bleach.
“I’m trying to get things in order around here,” she said.
Madison could almost see Mom rolling her eyes as Gramma rewashed everything Mom had spent hours scrubbing that very morning.
“Gramma,” Madison said. “What are you cleaning for? Why don’t we just play cards or something? Why don’t you just chill out?”
“No time for chilling out. There are things to be done,” Gramma said.
“What things?” Madison asked.
“Your mother needs my help,” Gramma replied.
Madison nodded.
“Besides, don’t you want me to make you some chicken soup?” Gramma asked. “And clean up the house so we can have some fresh air around here? This place is a little stuffy, don’t you think?”
Madison nodded again. “What kind of chicken soup?” she asked, trying to change the subject.
“Chicken and lemon and orzo,” Gramma said as she shooed Madison back into bed. “Now, you stay bundled up, and I’ll be back in a jiffy.”
Madison smiled. “Okay,” she said simply. There was nothing else she could say.
Luckily, Gramma had not noticed the laptop at the side of the bed. Madison’s flatfoot platypus screen saver wasn’t blinking very brightly in the dark room. Madison lifted it back onto the bed. She had a little while to stay online before Gramma returned with the soup.
Another e-mail was waiting.
From: Bigwheels
To: MadFinn
Subject: For You!!!
Date: Wed 24 Sept 10:46 AM
I found the coolest website with free cards u can download and they play music and have buttons you can push to hear funny sounds it is sooooo cool. So I am sending one to you. It’s attached to this e-mail.
Yours till the nose blows,
Vicki aka Bigwheels
The greeting card was animated. Bigwheels had two cats of her own, so she sometimes sent cards and notes with cat’s-paw borders. This card had two kittens playing with a ball of multicolored string that spelled out the words “Get Well, Girl!” As the string unraveled, the card made a meowing sound.
Madison hit REPLY.
From: MadFinn
To: Bigwheels
Subject: Re: For You!!!
Date: Wed 24 Sept 12:51 PM
Ur amazing! THANKS SOOOOOO MUCH. I love it when u send me cards and poems like that :>)
I am still feeling ickier than icky but now my Gramma is here so I feel a little better. Mom has to go away for business for two nights and that stinks because I like having Mom around when I’m sick, don’t you? But Gramma will fill in for her and I can deal.
BTW you asked about Hart & he’s the same. I haven’t seen that cute guy again next door but I am looking out for him too. I had this dream last night that he was spying on me and wanted to meet me. I wonder if we ever will meet? I wonder if I will ever even know his REAL name?
Write back or else! I am semi-bored already and I’ve only been home sick for two and a half days.
Yours till the cough drops,
Maddie
Chapter 5
The four friends chatted for almost half an hour about the project.
Lindsay and Fiona would collect information on magic and optical illusions. It was a broad subject, so they were trying to figure out how to narrow it down. Lindsay suggested they call the page Playing Tricks on Your Eyes so it could include sleight-of-hand tricks as well as plain old optical illusions.
Aimee would collect images. She would ask her dad (who owned the Cyber Café in downtown Far Hills) to help out. Mr. Gillespie knew what art the girls could use with and without permission. Some pictures couldn’t be downloaded because they belonged to other people or organizations. Madison didn’t really understand copyrights, but she knew she and her friends would have to be careful with whatever they posted on the web.
As the computer pro of the foursome, Madison was in charge of pulling everything together and formatting the page. As much as she had wanted the challenge, it seemed like an overly daunting task, especially when Madison could barely think straight. Where would she begin? Where did anyone begin?
After signing out of the chat room, Madison opened a new file.
Well Begun
Gramma Helen once showed me this little card in her purse that said, “Well begun is half done.” Some classical philosopher named Horace said that. It’s a good thing that things in my life have been well begun. I think. Unfortunately,
most of these are a long way from being half done—or even started, for that matter.
1. I need to do all this reading for English class. I have only been out of school for two and a half days and I’m already chapters behind in The Outsiders. And oh yeah, don’t forget math, science, and Spanish class homework. HELP!
2. I’ve been picked by my BFFs as the one to put together our optical illusions webpage. They’re doing a lot of the work, but somehow it feels like I’m the one sure to be left holding the bag.
Or holding the mouse, I guess. I’m a little scared that I can’t do it.
3. Gramma has all these unrealistic rules about what sick people (like me) can and cannot do. Rule #1: No leaving the house with a bad cough. (Um … that means I’ll be housebound for weeks!!!) Rule #2: In bed for at least a day after a fever breaks. Rule #3: No wet heads after a shower. And on and on. Of course THIS is not the way I wanted to spend our visit. I don’t want more rules!
Rude Awakening: Face the facts: how can anything be WELL begun when I feel soooo SICK?
Madison was about to hit SAVE when she heard footsteps. Her fingers froze on the keyboard.
“Maddie, dear?”
Gramma!
Madison hit a few keys to escape her file. But the laptop was working slowly today. And she didn’t have time to move it off the bed before Gramma came striding in.
“What’s that you’re doing?” Gramma asked. Her eyes scrunched together as she stared down at the laptop.
Madison felt warm all over—and it didn’t have anything to do with her bronchitis or fever. It was a reaction to Gramma’s steely look.
“I … um … well … I was just …”
“Tsk, tsk. Maddie!” Gramma clucked. “You are supposed to be having a nice rest, not playing games.”
“It’s not … I mean … I can’t …” Madison stammered.
“There’s a boy downstairs to see you.”
“A boy?” Madison’s face lit up. “To see me?”
“He said his name is Egg,” Gramma said. “What kind of a name is that?”
“It’s my friend Walter, Gramma,” Madison said, her face drooping. She had no idea why Egg would have been dropping by.
“Did I meet this boy the last time I visited? Why are boys calling on you when you’re sick in bed?” Gramma asked.
Then it dawned on Madison. Egg was coming over with homework.
Madison got out of bed and slid on her monkey slippers. She didn’t want Gramma to give her a hard time about having bare feet. She pulled a sweatshirt on over the T-shirt and sweatpants she’d been lounging around in.
“Where are you going?” Gramma asked.
“Downstairs to see Egg,” Madison replied.
“Like that? But you’re sick.”
“Gramma, it’s only Egg,” Madison said, covering her mouth as she coughed between words. “I won’t talk for more than five minutes, I swear.”
Gramma threw up her hands. “Okay,” she said with a smile. “And then you can take your nap. Right?”
“Right.”
Madison smiled back and quickly sped downstairs to see her friend.
“Keep back,” was the first thing Egg said when Madison came to the door.
“Thanks a lot,” Madison said.
“Hey, I don’t want your slimy germs,” Egg added. “Here are your homework assignments. I was going to leave ’em on the porch, but then your Gramma opened the door when she saw me out here and …”
“You’re such a good friend….” Madison said sarcastically.
“Fiona was right.” Egg said. “She said you were the sickest out of the three of you. And you look pretty sick. But then again, you always look sick. Ha!”
“You really know how to cheer me up, don’t you?” Madison said.
Egg snickered. “I’m just kidding. Lighten up.”
Madison leaned against the doorframe and crossed her arms. The air outside was warm. She inhaled deeply.
“Okay. I have to go,” Egg said, taking a step backward.
Madison reached out as if she were going to grab him and give his arm a twist, but something caught her eye. She stopped.
The boy next door was there on the sidewalk. He was raking leaves.
Madison ducked back into her doorway. Egg looked over at the boy.
“What’s wrong with you?” he asked. “Who’s that?”
“Some guy,” Madison said. “I don’t know.”
“Wait,” Egg said. “I do. He goes to Far Hills Junior High. I’ve seen him around the halls. His name is Joe or John or something. He plays hockey, I think. Drew knows him a little.”
Madison’s stomach lurched. The boy next door went to her school? She had never seen him before.
“You know him?” Madison asked.
“Wait, it’s Josh, I think,” Egg said, thinking out loud. “Yeah, Josh. That’s his name! He’s in ninth grade.”
Madison grinned. “Ninth grade? Really?” she asked.
“Why don’t you just ask him yourself?” Egg said, gesturing toward Josh. “He’s your neighbor.”
Madison folded her arms in front of her and stepped to one side. She had to be one hundred percent sure Josh could not see her stained sweatpants and bird’s-nest hairdo.
“What … do you like this Josh guy?” Egg teased.
Madison could feel herself blush deeply. “Like him? No, of course not. I was just asking a question. That doesn’t mean anything,” Madison said.
“What about Hart?” Egg asked.
“Hart?” Madison said, almost losing her balance. “What are you talking about?”
“I thought you dug Hart,” Egg said.
“Who told you that?” Madison asked, knowing instantly that of course it had been Fiona, who confided everything in her “boyfriend,” Egg.
Egg rolled his eyes. “Come on, Maddie,” he said dramatically.
“What else do you know?” Madison asked.
“Everything,” Egg cracked.
Madison bristled. “Well … does Hart know?” she asked.
“Know what?”
“Egg! Does Hart know … that I like him?”
“I think so. But so what? He doesn’t care,” Egg said.
“He doesn’t care?” Madison asked. Even though a part of her was moving on to a new crush, her heart sank when she heard that.
“I don’t know what he thinks. We don’t really talk about it,” Egg said.
Madison tried to read Egg’s expression to see if he was making stuff up or not. She couldn’t tell.
“Maddie!” Gramma called out behind her. Madison jumped.
“I better get going,” Egg said, starting down the porch steps the moment Gramma appeared.
“Thanks a lot,” Madison said.
Egg waved quickly at Gramma and dashed off.
“You should be sleeping….” Gramma said, rubbing Madison’s shoulders.
Madison’s head bobbed. The shoulder rub felt good, especially because the bronchitis made her feel a little achy. “Okay, Gramma, I’ll go back to bed,” Madison said.
Instead of getting under the covers when she got upstairs, however, Madison opened the curtains at her window. She looked outside to see if Josh were still there raking.
He was.
The afternoon sunlight shone on Josh’s head as he moved around the yard. Now that she looked at him in the daylight, Madison saw that his hair was actually more brownish than red, but still, she liked the fact that his hair had orange highlights. Orange was her favorite color on the planet, after all.
“I wonder if he knows that I live next door?” Madison wondered aloud. She looked down at Phin. He was nuzzling her ankle. “Do you think a ninth grader would ever notice me, Phinnie? Do you think…?”
Blip-blip. Blip-blip.
Madison shot a look at her laptop. It was still on? She’d forgotten to turn it off when Egg arrived. Now it was beeping to tell Madison that she had an e-mail message.
Blip-blip. Blip-bli
p.
Madison sat on the edge of her bed. She hit a random key on the keyboard and the screen came into view. A small icon flashed in the corner of the screen: NEW MAIL.
Madison opened her e-mailbox and selected the new message. She smiled when she saw the screen name.
From: Bigwheels
To: MadFinn
Subject: Don’t Be Bored
Date: Wed 24 Sept 3:11 PM
How r u feeling?
I know what u mean about being bored when ur sick. There’s nothing worse. N e way, during a VERY boring American History class I made up a list of 10 things 2 keep u from losing ur mind when ur sick. Ready?
(Sorry if it’s dumb)
Madison giggled. She heard an imaginary drum-roll in her head.
Turn on the tube and zone.
Eat chocolate. Lots of it.
Make something with glitter.
Turn up the radio.
Laugh at ur Dad’s bad jokes.
Read a book about a faraway place.
Put on ur snuggly old sweat shirt.
Think about Hart. :>)
Think about that other cute guy. :>)
Send e-mail to ur keypal ASAP.
Bonus one for Maddie: HUG PHINNIE!!!!
Yours till the temperature drops,
Vicki aka Bigwheels
“Excuse me?”
Gramma stood at the bedroom door with her hands on her hips.
“Madison Finn,” Gramma shouted. “You said you were coming up here to take your nap! And now I find you on the computer again? Goodness!”
Madison swallowed hard. “Yes, Gramma,” she said. “I left it on … and … then I got this new e-mail and …”
“Show me how that thing works,” Gramma said.
Madison was stunned. That wasn’t the response she’d expected.
“Show you what?” Madison replied. “But, Gramma, you know how it works. It’s like your computer at home.”
“Oh, no,” Gramma insisted. “My computer is a dinosaur that sits on my desk. Yours looks way too fancy for me. It’s orange, for goodness’ sake! Can you send e-mails from that thing?”
“Sure,” Madison said. “That’s what I’ve been doing the last two days, while I’ve been sick. That’s why I wasn’t exactly sleeping when you thought I was. Sorry.”