by Annie Bryant
“I may have been sick and feverish for the last few days.” Mr. Ramsey crossed his arms. “But I’m sure I’d remember you bringing a parrot.”
“She found him on the deck.” Avery improvised as Maeve nodded along. “He was, uh, injured.”
Captain Bob inspected Franco, who was thankfully being quiet. They didn’t need to get in more trouble than they already were! “Hmmm. He looks fine to me.”
“That’s because Izzy’s taking totally good care of him,” Kazie added.
Avery snuck a look at Kazie. She’s covering for us?
“It was the darndest thing!” Kara-Lee jumped in. “We were all on the deck, just enjoying a bit of sunshine when this poor, dear…”
“Franco,” Isabel supplied, filling in the blank.
“Franco,” said Kara-Lee, flashing her most brilliant smile, “just up and crashed right into the deck!”
Katani nodded. “We didn’t want to bother you, Mr. Ramsey, since you were in the infirmary.”
Mr. Ramsey looked skeptical. “So you just decided to keep—”
“Franco,” Charlotte finished. She hated lying to her father, but she couldn’t imagine letting Marisol down. Not after how patient she’d been with them for the past few days, making sure they got to all their activities on time and had everything they needed. Besides, Marisol wasn’t hiding Franco for herself, she’d made a promise to her aunt Consuela, and Charlotte and her friends were going to help Marisol keep it! “We just didn’t—”
“You really didn’t think, Charlotte,” Mr. Ramsey admonished gently.
Isabel couldn’t let Charlotte take the blame. “Mr. Ramsey, please don’t be angry at Charlotte. It’s my fault.”
Maeve watched the whole scene unfold. For once, she could have done without the drama. After all, it was just a parrot. Nobody was hurt or anything. “Mr. Ramsey, that’s not true. It’s my fault. If you’re going to punish Charlotte and Isabel, you need to punish me, too.”
Katani raised her hand. “Me too.”
Avery nodded. “And me.”
Kazie threw her arm around Kara-Lee. “And we were totally in on it from the beginning.”
Captain Bob had a funny look on his face. Instead of talking to the girls, he looked right at Franco. “You crashed on the deck, did you?”
“Franco sorry!” he squawked.
“You know you’re not native to Hawaii, hmm? So…did you fly here all the way from Africa, or stop by some friendly pet shop on the way?”
The girls gulped and looked at each other. Obviously, the captain had seen through their story.
“Africa!” Franco flapped up and over to the captain’s shoulder. “Captain Smelly!” Avery tried her hardest to hold in a laugh, but it came out her nose in a snort. The captain gave the bird on his shoulder a stern pirate look.
Mr. Ramsey sighed. “The bird says he flew here from Africa. Maybe I should go back to bed for another few days—” A knock at the door interrupted his thought.
“Girls, it’s Marisol!”
“Kiss kiss Marisol!” Franco cried out.
Captain Bob walked over to the door with the parrot on his shoulder. He looked so much like a pirate with Franco there that Isabel had to wonder, Will he make Marisol walk the plank? The girls watched nervously as Captain Bob opened the door to the cabin.
“I’d say Franco’s doing A-okay,” Captain Bob said in his most un-pirate-like voice. “As for you, I wouldn’t mind an explanation.”
Marisol’s smile fell from her face as she realized her boss was standing in front of her—with Franco on his shoulder! Her lip began to tremble. “I can explain.”
Captain Bob stood aside so she could come in the room, and shut the door behind her as she sunk down onto the hard wooden chair at the desk, right across from the sofa where Mr. Ramsey sat. The girls huddled around their bunks, none of them sitting down. Charlotte held Isabel’s hand.
Marisol told everyone the story about how she had dropped out of school to take care of her aunt. “Franco was everything to Consuela,” Marisol explained, fighting back tears. “I promised I’d find him a home, and I tried. I just needed one more day.”
“One more day?” Captain Bob asked.
“I—we were going to bring him to the Maui Animal Rescue and Sanctuary,” Marisol explained. “They’re expecting him. I know it’s wrong, but I couldn’t afford to send him any other way, and I thought, well, I just wanted him to be safe and happy.”
Charlotte knew exactly how Marisol felt. She had gone through the same thing when she had lied to her father and hidden Marty in the Tower. The look of disappointment on her father’s face when he found out was almost too much to bear. Thankfully, Miss Pierce, their landlord, had let them keep Marty. She worried that Marisol wouldn’t be so lucky!
“But it’s not Marisol’s fault Franco’s here!” Isabel cried out suddenly. “It was my idea. I love birds, and I just wanted to keep him company…”
Mr. Ramsey turned to the captain. “Captain Bob, I would like to apologize on behalf of the girls. I don’t know what kind of restitution—”
Captain Bob waved him off. “Sometimes out at sea, a big wave comes at you that you weren’t expecting. Do you get angry and try to stop it with your bare hands? No. Do you freeze in fear and let it crash into your ship? No. You just have to stay calm to deal with things. Franco’s here, so we’d better deal with it. He’s made it thus far, so I don’t see the harm in having him one more day.”
“¿Verdad? Really?” asked Marisol.
“Really,” replied Captain Bob.
The girls cheered and Franco flapped his wings from his perch on Captain Bob’s shoulder.
“You’ll get to keep your promise!” Charlotte exclaimed, rushing over to Marisol to give her a hug.
Marisol blinked back tears. “I couldn’t have done it without you. Without all of you!” As she stood up from her chair at the desk, a stack of papers fluttered to the ground.
“What’s this?” Mr. Ramsey asked, picking up one after another. “Tuesday morning, 8:05 a.m., five fruit smoothies. Tuesday evening, eight fruit smoothies, Wednesday another five smoothies…how many room service bills are there?!”
“The pineapple garnish,” Charlotte explained through clenched teeth.
“Franco—” Avery started.
“Love pineapple! Ha-ha-ha!” the bird finished.
“What he said.” Avery thrust her thumb at the bird.
Captain Bob grabbed one of the fallen papers. “So that’s what you hooligans were up to that night on the deck…collecting pineapple! You know, I can tell the difference between a bird and a ventriloquist.” He winked meaningfully.
“You knew the whole time?” Isabel wondered out loud.
“And you didn’t say anything?” Kazie challenged. She may not have known about Franco until ten minutes ago, but both Kazie and Kara-Lee were just as invested in his fate now as any of the girls.
The captain shrugged. “I knew the bird would come out of the bag sooner or later.”
Mr. Ramsey was still shuffling through receipts, his eyes wide. “Ten to twelve smoothies a day? Do you girls realize how expensive that is? You’re trying to send me back to the infirmary, aren’t you?” He collapsed on the couch.
Captain Bob placed a hand on Mr. Ramsey’s shoulder. “I’d say there were extenuating circumstances. I’ll see what I can do.”
Mr. Ramsey breathed a sigh of relief. “I don’t think the magazine would be pleased at all.”
“We’re so, so, sorry, Captain Bob!” Maeve held her hands to her chest in her most serious apology stance.
“And thank you for being so understanding,” Isabel added.
Captain Bob waved them off. “You girls are pretty resourceful,” he commented, “and those are the sorts of sailors you want on a ship.”
“Captain?” Franco asked, rubbing the top of his head into the captain’s bristly beard.
“Yes, Franco?” he responded.
“Captain Smel
ly!”
The girls collapsed in a fit of giggles. Even Captain Bob shook with laughter. He placed Franco back on top of the TV and wagged his finger at him. “Remember yer a guest of this Captain!” Captain Bob had returned to his pirate persona. “Speakin’ o’ which, I got to be gettin’ back to sailin’ this ship. Marisol and I will see you all for the trip ter the animal sanctuary on the morrow.”
“I’ll just get my things out of Mr. Ramsey’s room.” Marisol grabbed her two small suitcases, then turned to the girls. “You helped me fulfill my aunt’s last wish, and I will never forget that.” She hugged Isabel and Charlotte and followed Captain Bob out the cabin door.
“Captain Bob told me about your karaoke victory!” Mr. Ramsey smiled at the girls, and Charlotte knew everything was forgiven. “I wish I could have been there.”
“Miss Grace said she would make a CD for you.” Charlotte hugged her dad. “You look pretty wiped.”
“I am. If you need me, I’ll be in my stateroom. Finally!”
“You girls were amazing,” Kara-Lee marveled once Charlotte’s dad closed the door. “The way you covered for Marisol!”
Kazie high-fived Isabel. “You totally threw yourself on the grenade. That was gnarly.”
“That’s what friends do.” Avery shrugged.
“Then I’m glad all y’all are my friends!” Kara-Lee put one arm around Avery and another around Katani.
“Totally,” agreed Kazie, “but we gotta motor. Can I pet the bird first?”
Avery retrieved Franco from his perch. “Just let him get used to you for a second,” she suggested.
Kazie leaned down and smiled. “Who’s a pretty bird? Hi there! I’m Kazie.”
“Bonita!” Franco squawked, letting her scratch his neck feathers.
“We should go,” Kara-Lee apologized. “My momma never got to see me after our karaoke victory!”
“, coming!” Kazie gave Franco the surfer salute, and he lifted one foot in response, cocking his head to the side quizzically.
“Gnarly, dude!” Kazie exclaimed as she backed out the door.
Mom Knows Best
The moonlight poured in through the porthole, casting long shadows across the cabin walls. Everyone was fast asleep in their beds.
Everyone except Avery.
She still hadn’t talked to her mom or Scott, and now it had to be too late at night.
Avery never had problems sleeping. The second her head hit the pillow, she was off to dreamland. She thought it was because she was always out running around, playing soccer or basketball, or just being active. But when Charlotte turned off the lights, Avery knew she was going to spend a long night staring at the ceiling above her bunk. Dad’s getting married in two days. Two days! No matter how many times she pushed the thought away or covered it up, it kept bobbing back up to the top. Like a beach ball in the ocean.
Just last week she had been looking forward to a Hawaiian cruise with her friends and now she was here in her bunk, wondering what it was going to be like having a stepmother and a stepsister.
Avery listened to the waves lapping against the side of the ship and realized that her mom wouldn’t care what time it was. She climbed down from her top bunk, careful not to wake Maeve, who was sleeping below her.
The floor creaked as Avery crept over to the desk to grab her cell phone out of her backpack. She brought it into the small cabin bathroom and shut the door. Sitting cross-legged on the cold tile floor, she dialed the familiar number.
Her mom answered sleepily on the third ring. “Hello?”
“Mom, it’s Avery.”
Avery’s mom bolted awake. “Are you okay?”
“Yes. I mean, no. I don’t know.” Avery blinked back tears. Now that she was talking to her, Avery couldn’t figure out what to say.
“Avery, honey, I’m here,” her mom soothed. “Just talk to me.”
Her voice sounded so far away through the receiver. “It’s just—it’s Dad.” Suddenly Avery found her voice, and everything she had been holding back for days came pouring out. “I mean, first he just shows up to surprise me. But showing up with Kazie? And Andie? That’s not exactly a great surprise, y’know?”
“I know, Ave,” her mom said. “Your dad can be a little clueless sometimes…but he didn’t mean to be insensitive.”
“He thinks Kazie and I are going to be all BFFs, and he spends all of his time with Andie when he said he’d go surfing with me. That’s what we do together! And then—” Avery’s voice trailed off.
“And then what?” her mom asked after a few moments.
“And then—” Fat teardrops began to slide down her cheeks. Avery took a deep breath. “And then…he’s getting married, Mom.”
There was silence on the other side of the line.
“I know, Ave.”
Avery was shocked. “You do?”
Her mom began to laugh. What is so funny?
“I do, Ave. At least, I knew he was thinking about it. ”
“Well, he’s gone from thinking to doing because he asked her right on the beach. Without saying anything to me first!” Avery wiped her wet cheek with her shirtsleeve.
“Ave, I promise you that your dad didn’t do this to make you feel bad.”
“But it does,” Avery whispered into the phone.
“I know, honey. It’s a lot to get used to. But he loves you. And your brothers.”
“It just feels like I’m being replaced,” Avery confessed.
“I understand. But just because he’s marrying someone else doesn’t mean that there’s not room for you. The great thing about love is that there’s plenty for everybody. You don’t run out.”
“I guess,” Avery managed to say.
“When I had your brothers, I kept thinking I couldn’t possibly love anyone more. And then when I found out that we were finally going to adopt a perfect baby girl, well, Avery, my heart just grew.”
“But he hasn’t had any time for me this whole week!” Avery sniffed. Her tears were slowing, but the lump in her throat wouldn’t go away.
“He’s just…wrapped up in the moment, honey. You know how you get all worked up before a soccer game?”
“In the zone. Yeah.”
“Well, he’s in the zone on this one. I promise you that he doesn’t realize how upset you are. If he did, you’d be talking to him right now.”
“I guess.” Avery sighed.
“No guessing, it’s true, Ave. And tomorrow, you’ve got to talk to him about this. It’s okay that you’re hurting, and it’s okay that you’re upset with him. But it’s not okay if you don’t tell him and give him a chance to explain his side of things.”
“I hate when you’re right.”
“That’s what moms are for. I’ll always be there for you, even at five a.m.”
Avery giggled, loopy with tears and tiredness. “It’s five a.m.?”
“Well, not for you. There’s a five-hour time difference between Hawaii and Boston! But don’t worry about it. The important thing is; you’re okay?”
Avery thought a moment. “I’m not okay. But I’m better.” She then realized she had only been thinking about herself. “Mom, what about you?”
“What about me?” her mom asked, confused.
“Are you…” Avery searched for the words. “Are you sad that dad’s getting remarried?”
Avery’s mom was silent for a second, then said, “Oh, honey, I’m not sad exactly. I’m happy for your dad.”
“Really?”
“Really. Your dad and I, well, we just didn’t work together. We loved each other, but that was a long time ago. We found out that we wanted different things. But I have great affection for your dad and consider him one of my dearest friends, and I’m glad that he’s got another chance for happiness. Friends want that for each other.”
“I guess that makes sense,” Avery admitted.
“Besides,” her mom continued, “your father gave me the very best gift that anyone could give me.”
/> “What’s that?” she asked.
“You. And your brothers.” She paused while Avery took this all in. “I love you, Ave. And so does your dad. So talk to him tomorrow. Promise?”
“I promise,” said Avery. They said their good-byes and she hung up the phone, smiling to herself in the dark bathroom, remembering the BSG’s seventh amendment to the Tower rules.
When in doubt, phone home!
CHAPTER
19
Questions Without Answers
When Avery woke up, the sun was just peeking out over the horizon. After trying for nearly an hour to go back to sleep, she took the phone into the bathroom again and tried to call Scott. No answer. She left a rambling message, then stared at the phone for a full ten minutes before finally calling her dad.
“Can we take a walk before everyone gets up?” she asked.
“Sure thing, Aloha Jedi,” her dad said, and five minutes later he was at their cabin door. Avery left a note for Mr. Ramsey and walked with her dad up to the top deck of the ship.
They strolled together beside the railing, watching the seagulls dive as the cruise ship maneuvered into Kahului Bay on the north shore of Maui.
“Killer idea, Ave!” her dad exclaimed. “Check out the early morning surfers!” He pointed toward the waves crashing on a distant beach, where surfers littered the landscape about twenty yards out. “Bet you wish you could be out there!”
Avery shielded her eyes against the sun and stared out over the ocean. It was another perfect day. The waves crashed against the white beach while the sunlight streaked through the palm trees, casting frond-shaped shadows on the far away sand.
“Actually, Dad, for the first time since this cruise started, I think I’d rather be right here where I am.”
“Really? What’s up?” her dad asked, confused.
Avery took a deep breath. “Ever since you surprised me that first day, with Andie and Kazie, I feel like…I don’t know, things just haven’t been like they used to. It’s kinda weird.”