by Annie Bryant
“So Kazie and Kara-Lee can hang out together.” Avery couldn’t believe that Katani had no idea that hanging out with Kazie wouldn’t make her happy.
Is Avery telling me who I can and can’t hang out with? Katani was getting annoyed. “I’m just being friendly,” she retorted.
“Well, there are a million other people you could be friendly with!” Avery griped. A little part of her wondered, Why am I acting like this? I must just need some food really badly….
Katani stared at Avery in disbelief. “I don’t get it, Ave. You and Kazie should obv be BFFs! She’s totally into the same things you’re into. I wouldn’t mind having Kazie for a sister.”
Avery’s mouth dropped open. Who said anything about sisters? “Well, congratulations!” she yelled. “You can have her!” And with that, she stormed off down the hall.
Katani turned to Maeve, stunned. “What was that all about?”
“She just doesn’t like Kazie.” Maeve had known that Avery was upset, but she hadn’t realized how upset. “We better go find her, though. We’re not supposed to go off alone!”
“Right,” Katani agreed, but when they found Avery, she wouldn’t even look at Katani.
“The dining room is just through that door, there,” Katani told Maeve. “So…whenever Avery calms down, come find me at Mr. Madden and Andie’s table, ’kay?”
Maeve could smell the aroma of fresh waffles and bacon. It smelled so good! “Okay…but if you see that boy with the cute smile, find out his name for me?” Maeve put an arm around Avery’s shoulders as Katani disappeared into the dining room.
Discovered!
Charlotte and Isabel stood frozen outside of Marisol’s stateroom. They were both sure they heard a voice ask for help, and then…a crackle! But what to do now?
“Do you think we should go get someone?” Isabel asked. She looked around nervously, but the hallway was empty.
“Hang on. Let me see if I can hear anything.” Charlotte pressed her ear against the door. “Nope, nothing.”
Isabel bit her lip. “I’m going to knock one more time. If we don’t hear anything, we go for help.”
“Okay.” Charlotte moved aside.
“Here goes nothing.” Isabel knocked three times quickly on the door.
“Come in!” said a high-pitched voice.
Charlotte and Isabel looked at each other.
“What now?” whispered Charlotte.
“We go in!” replied Isabel, but she didn’t look entirely convinced. The voice wasn’t bright and cheery like Marisol’s, but crackly, like someone with a cold. Was Marisol sick now too? She took a deep breath and turned the door handle. The lock turned with a click.
“Here goes nothing,” Isabel whispered. She pushed at the door, which swung open with a creak, to reveal…
Nobody.
“The ship must be haunted…,” Isabel moaned. Just then, she heard a scratching sound and grabbed Charlotte’s arm to bolt down the hall!
But Charlotte peered around the door, too curious to run away. “Izzy, look!” The excitement in her voice calmed her spooked friend.
The girls stepped into Marisol’s room and Isabel followed Charlotte’s pointing finger to a corner near a small closet.
“A parrot!” Isabel cried. Her eyes lit up with relief and delight. She loved birds, she drew birds, but she had never been this close to a parrot before! “It’s an African Grey!”
“How do you know that, Izzy?” Charlotte asked.
“’Cause I draw bird pictures and that’s what he looks like!” Isabel replied.
The gray bird’s white face was flecked with small amounts of red, and he bobbed his head up and down excitedly as he stared at the girls from his perch on top of a folded-up ironing board.
“It looks like he’s dancing!” Isabel bobbed her head back and giggled.
“Help me! Help me!” the parrot squawked.
Charlotte tiptoed toward him. “Um…Polly want a cracker?”
The parrot tilted its head and looked at Charlotte, confused. She halfway expected him to say, “Is that the best you can come up with?”
“¡Hola!” squawked the bird.
“Oh, you speak Spanish, do you?” Isabel gently approached the perch, careful not to spook the bird. “¡Hola! Un papagayo bonito?” she asked in a soothing voice. The parrot started bobbing up and down again.
“Ooh, he likes that!” Charlotte whispered. “But where do you think Marisol is?” Isabel was too enraptured by the parrot to worry about their new chaperone.
“Izzy!” Isabel said, pointing to herself.
The parrot started to scoot sideways on his ironing board perch toward Isabel. She leaned down to inspect him more closely when he hopped on her shoulder!
“He likes you.” Charlotte smiled.
Isabel blushed. “I guess I’ve always been studying birds, just in case…”
“In case we happened to meet one on our cruise?” Charlotte grinned at the thought.
“Yeah, well, this wasn’t exactly what I imagined,” Isabel giggled.
“Franco hungry!” the parrot squawked. “Franco bonito!”
“Aha, your name is Franco!” Isabel exclaimed. “Franco, nice to meet you!”
Suddenly, the bathroom door burst open and Marisol hurried out, carrying a bag of birdseed and wagging a finger at the parrot. “Franco, qué pasa…”
She dropped the birdseed on the floor and her face went white when she saw Charlotte and Isabel!
“¡Oye!” Marisol exclaimed, putting her head in her hands. “Lo siento…I mean, I am so sorry! I didn’t think you’d be up yet, ay, qué tonto…what am I going to do?”
“It’s okay,” Isabel soothed her. “You’re not foolish! We just wanted to visit Charlotte’s dad, and got lost…and Franco told us to come in,” Isabel explained. “We’re so glad we found you!”
Marisol’s eyes darted from the girls to the parrot and back to the girls.
Franco made a clucking sound and rammed his head against Isabel’s ear. “Franco love Izzy!” the parrot exclaimed.
CHAPTER
6
Kgirl Reunion
Katani entered the dining room alone, taking in the feast of sights and sounds. A huge buffet was set up in the middle of the room, piled high with exotic tropical fruits, as well as traditional eggs and bacon and even a waffle bar. She searched the room for a familiar face.
“Kgirlllll!” a voice shouted over the crowd.
Katani turned and saw Kazie weaving through the crowd, her blond pigtails thwacking unsuspecting passersby.
“I saved you a seat!” she exclaimed, grabbing Katani by the hand.
Kazie had a knack for snaking through the mob of hungry people. She brought Katani back to her table, where Mr. Madden, Andie, and Kara-Lee were finishing up breakfast.
“The Kgirls are back and ready to blast off!” Kazie announced.
“Kazie, why don’t you let Katani hit the buffet first,” Andie suggested.
Mr. Madden laughed. “You’ll learn pretty quick that Kazie’s like an instant pick-me-up.”
Mr. Madden was right, Katani thought. She was sad that Avery couldn’t see that. All she needs is some time, Katani thought. Meanwhile, she was going to enjoy her new friends.
“Where are the other girls, and Marisol?” Andie inquired, looking around.
“They’ll be here soon,” Katani replied, explaining Charlotte and Isabel’s note.
Kara-Lee smiled. “Before they arrive, I could go for seconds on breakfast. Shall we?” The Kgirls hooked arms and stormed the buffet.
Family Matters
Maeve and Avery walked together all the way from the dining room up to the top deck without really thinking about where they were going. While Avery brooded, Maeve chattered about all the movies she’d seen recently, and how much fun it was to learn the hula. She even shared her theory that her dance partner could be secretly related to Fred Astaire. Maeve figured her bubbly happiness about the cruise had to was
h over onto her friend eventually. At least it might take her mind off things.
But when they found themselves at the pool—with its three waterslides, a swim-up juice bar, and a view overlooking the ocean—Avery simply sat down in a lounge chair and sighed. Maeve realized her nonstop-cheerful technique was failing miserably.
“Are you okay?” Maeve asked.
Avery shrugged. I have no idea if I’m okay! Right now, looking out at the ocean, everything felt pretty okay, and she knew Katani was one of her best friends…so why had she blown up at her?
“I don’t know,” Avery finally replied. “I’m hungry, but I don’t even want to eat.”
Wow! Avery, who had boundless amounts of energy, never felt like not eating! Something was definitely wrong. Maeve knew she had to make her friend laugh, pronto. The pool was empty except for a tired-looking lifeguard and one older couple in bathing caps. Most of the passengers must have gone to the dining room for breakfast.
“I know what will make you feel better!” Maeve smiled.
“What?” Avery asked.
Maeve took off her cover-up, revealing a matching magenta and white swimsuit. “Look out beloooow!” She took a flying leap into the pool and did an impressive cannonball, spraying water everywhere.
Avery burst out laughing. “Sweet!”
Maeve resurfaced, her red curls flattened to her head. “Told you I’d make you laugh!”
The older couple must have decided they had other places to be—away from giant splashes—and gave the girls a little wave as they toweled off.
“Watch this!” Avery announced. She took a running jump at the pool, clothes and all! “CANNONBALL!”
Avery hit the water with a tremendous splash. She swam to the surface, and the girls paddled over to the edge, looking out over the side of the top deck onto the ocean. The sun had risen but was still low in the sky, its rays twinkling off the tips of the waves.
“I can’t believe you got your hair wet,” Avery said. “What if that cute boy shows up?”
“Then he’ll see that I’m having fun with one of my best friends,” Maeve replied.
Avery smiled. The one thing about Maeve was that even if she was boy crazy, her heart was always in the right place.
“Actually, Ave,” Maeve continued, “you should think about that yourself.”
“Think about what?” Avery asked, confused. “I hope you’re not talking about boys—” That’s the last thing I’d need right now, on top of everything else!
Maeve cut her off. “I mean that you shouldn’t let other people get in the way of having fun. It’s not your style, anyway. Weren’t you the one who added amendment number four to the Tower rules: “We should have as much fun as we can’?”
“Oh,” she replied, realizing Maeve was right.
“You’re on a tropical fantasy vacation with your best friends. Think about how fabulous that is!”
“Yeah, it is totally coolio,” Avery admitted.
“This is too beautiful a place to let anyone ruin it for you,” Maeve continued. “My mom sometimes says, ‘The only person who can ruin a beautiful day for you is yourself.’”
Avery stared out over the water. It was a perfect day: blue skies, shining sun, gulls crying and dipping in and out of the waves looking for food. So what if Kazie’s the most annoying person on the planet and won’t leave me and my friends alone? I’m still with my best friends…for a whole entire week…on an amazing cruise…in Hawaii!
“It’ll be okay,” Maeve reassured her.
Avery nodded, and then looked back out at the waves. She saw something leaping out over the white-crested caps, making tiny little arcs, over and over again.
“Maeve, look! Dolphins!” Avery pointed at a family of dolphins frolicking in the surf alongside the ship. They were having so much fun! And I’m going to have fun too, Avery promised herself. At least, I’ll try!
Maybe Maeve was right. Maybe it would be okay after all.
Friends of a Feather
Isabel scratched Franco’s neck. “Marisol, is he yours?”
Marisol hadn’t said much since she’d discovered the girls with the parrot. Charlotte wondered where he came from, and especially how he wound up in Marisol’s room.
Finally, Marisol opened up. “Sí, Franco is mine. Well, sort of…excuse me.” Marisol strode over and held out her finger. Franco hopped off Izzy’s shoulder with an apologetic look.
“Pineapple!” He squawked.
“Not now, escapista!” Marisol muttered, opening the closet and shooing Franco into a birdcage hidden behind a rack of clean Aloha cruise uniforms. She left the closet door open and sat down on the bed with her head in her hands, sniffling quietly. “Girls, you won’t tell anyone, will you? I’m so, so sorry I wasn’t there this morning. Why did I think I could pull this off? I mean, trying to hide Franco on this ship! When they assigned me to stay with you…I thought if I got up early enough I could still take care of him…but what if he escapes again when I’m not here? I’ll lose my job! But I had to take him with me. I did…” Her voice trailed off.
She raised her head, and Isabel saw tears running down her cheeks.
“You can trust us,” Isabel said. “We promise not to tell! But why are you hiding him?”
“Is there some way we can help?” Charlotte asked.
Marisol shook her head slowly. “No, no…this is not your problem, girls. It is mine. And I know it seems loco, crazy, but I can explain—”
“Pineapple!” the parrot interrupted.
Marisol sighed and wiped her eyes before picking up the bag of birdseed she’d dropped and filling a bowl inside the cage. “Want pineapple!” Franco complained, but devoured the food, anyway.
“There was pineapple, but you ate it all already,” Marisol scolded him before turning back to the girls.
“On my twenty-first birthday, I got an e-mail from my aunt Consuela’s neighbor who said my aunt was forgetting things, like to pay her bills or how to get to the grocery store…and there was no money to hire a caretaker. So I dropped out of school to care for my aunt.”
Isabel and Charlotte nodded but said nothing.
Franco finished up his plate of food and reached through the bars with one foot. Holding the cage with his beak, he was able to slide the lock out and squeeze through the door!
Looking extremely pleased with himself, Franco did a funny crabwalk across from the closet bar to the ironing board, then nudged Isabel’s elbow with his head. She made a fist with her hand and held it out, letting Franco hop back onto her arm. He crawled back up her shoulder.
“Franco, what am I going to do with you?” Marisol sighed.
“Tell us about your aunt,” Isabel prompted as she stroked Franco’s gray head.
“My aunt Consuela is—was—an actress,” Marisol continued. “As the former star of many telenovellas, she was very particular about who visited with her those last days. She didn’t want anyone to see her looking less than her movie star self.”
Marisol retrieved a framed picture from her bedside and handed it to Isabel. The black-and-white photograph showed a beautiful young woman, her head thrown back in laughter, holding up a young girl wearing a party dress. “That’s me with my aunt Consuela when I was a little girl.”
“She’s beautiful,” Charlotte murmured, looking over Izzy’s shoulder.
“Aunt Consuela died just a few weeks after I dropped out of school.” Marisol’s eyes filled with tears. “But not before she made me promise to find someone to take care of her beloved parrot, Franco.”
Franco heard his name and tilted his head to one side. “Kiss kiss Consuela!”
Isabel patted Franco’s head, consoling him. “I bet he misses her.”
Marisol smiled sadly. “He does miss her. I get along all right with him, but not always. Actually, Isabel, he doesn’t let just anyone hold him. You’re the first person he’s taken a liking to since my aunt died!”
“Love Izzy!” Franco crooned.
Isabel smiled to herself. While she loved birds, she hadn’t ever really had a chance to handle one in person. She was secretly delighted to know that she was a sort of “Bird Whisperer.”
“I didn’t think you were allowed to have pets on the ship,” Charlotte remarked cautiously. “Avery wanted to bring our dog, Marty, along, but my dad said that it was against the ship’s rules.”
“You’re right,” Marisol whispered apologetically. “I’ll lose my job if they find out Franco’s here. But I really had no choice! See, I needed money…you know. My parents and sister and two uncles all work for the cruise line. They got me this job, which is the best one I’ve ever had, and I love it…but with all the travel, I couldn’t leave Franco at home! And he bit every single person who tried to take care of him, so…”
“What’s going to happen to him now?” asked Isabel, concerned.
Marisol looked embarrassed. “Well, I tried to sell him—though Consuela would have been muy furioso—and then one woman who came to look at him told me about this famous bird sanctuary on Maui.”
“We’re going there, right?” Charlotte remembered Maui from their itinerary.
“Yes. Near the end of the cruise. My family thought I was crazy. They said I should just release Franco into the wild,” Marisol told them.
Isabel’s eyes went wide. “You can’t do that! He’s a pet, not a wild animal!”
Charlotte remembered their conversation at dinner from the night before. “My dad said parrots are an invasive species on Hawaii! One parrot flock got to be such a problem, the authorities wanted to kill them.”
Marisol looked horrified. “I didn’t know that!”
Charlotte nodded. “I need to research the story for my travel journal. It’s sad that some people just abandon their pets when they can’t take care of them. That’s how we found Marty,” Charlotte explained. “He was a stray and had been eating garbage.”
“I could never abandon Franco,” Marisol cried. “But that’s what my family thinks I did…” she lowered her voice to a whisper. “No one knows he’s on board but us.”
“And no one will,” Charlotte reassured her.
Suddenly, Isabel had an idea. “You should take him back to our room until Mr. Ramsey gets better! I know that Maeve, Avery, and Katani can keep a secret, and you won’t have to sneak back and forth anymore.”