by Suzy Kline
When we finally got back to the café car, Sidney blurted out, “This is the best party ever!”
“I wanted to keep marching,” ZuZu added.
Mary twirled around and giggled.
“How about some cake?” Mrs. Berg asked.
“Yes!” we all shouted.
While Papa passed out cupcakes with M&M’S on top to stand for Mary, Mrs. Berg came around with the drinks. “Milk or Island Punch?” Just about everyone chose the punch. When she came to Mary, she asked, “Would you like another cup too, honey?”
Mary looked up. She seemed more serious now, but she didn’t say anything. Suddenly, Harry called her name.
“Mare?” he said. He had just stepped out of the bathroom and was closing the sliding door to the business class car.
Mary got up and met him halfway down the aisle.
I couldn’t tell what they were saying, but it was a very short conversation.
When Mary returned to her seat, she stared at the red drink in her cup. Her mom had poured her another serving.
I was dying to ask Harry what they had talked about, but I kept my eyes on Mary instead.
Everyone else was admiring their cupcakes with the pink icing. Harry was already stuffing his face with one!
Mary motioned for her mom to come over. Mrs. Berg did. “Yes, dear?”
“I’ve . . . already . . . had a third cup, although most of it . . . splashed on my skirt,” Mary admitted. “So sorry, Mom.”
Mrs. Berg lowered her voice to a whisper. “I’m glad you told me the truth.”
“I rinsed out the punch stain right away with cold water just like you taught me,” Mary added.
Mrs. Berg smiled. “Good girl. I’m so relieved it wasn’t a bathroom accident.”
“I’m really sorry I didn’t tell you the truth right away, Mom. I was afraid you might hate me.”
“Oh, Mary! Nothing could change the way I feel about you. I will always love you. You can tell me anything.”
“I know that now,” she said. When Mary gave her mom a big hug, her mom hugged her back longer.
I turned and whispered in Harry’s ear. “What did you and Mary talk about that changed her mind?”
Harry shrugged. He had pink icing all over his hands. “I just told her what her mom told me when she came looking for her earlier.”
“What was that?”
“She said Mary was the love of her life.”
“What did Mary say?”
“She said, ‘Really?’ I was afraid Mary might get grumpy again since the parade was over, so I thought she needed to hear something nice.”
I handed Harry a napkin, then gave him two thumbs up. “Way to go!” I said. “You saved the party in more ways than one.”
When Harry smiled, his teeth were pink!
Eweyee! I thought.
Epilogue
We made it to University Park just in time to see the play on the outdoor stage. We had missed the concert, but that was okay. We all sat down on the large blanket and enjoyed The Music Man together. All of us got up and marched around the blanket when “Seventy-Six Trombones” was played!
After the musical, Papa bought everyone ice cream from the vendor at the park, and we opened presents on the green.
Dexter gave Mary a CD of Elvis’s biggest hits.
Song Lee gave her a necklace that she had strung herself with colorful buttons.
Ida gave her a diary with a key.
I gave her a big, heavy dictionary.
Sid gave her a small gold box of French chocolates. He said they were bonbons. (Sid is big on French things.)
ZuZu gave her a stuffed animal. It looked just like JouJou, his pet tortoiseshell guinea pig who visited our class last year.
Harry had made a homemade card with drawings of nine insects and bugs crawling around the words Happy Birthday. When Mary opened it up, she smiled, then read Harry’s words inside: Hope you enjoy the birthday treats I brought you.
“Well, thank you, Harry,” Mary said. “The ribbons were lots of fun for our parade, and my birthday hairdo! I liked the lollipops too. They were a hit with the passengers. And thanks for letting me wear these pants. They sure came in handy . . . for marching!”
She winked at Harry and me and her mom when she said that last part. It was our secret.
“I knew those snow pants could be useful,” Harry replied. “That’s why I don’t throw anything out! Not even this ice cream stick.” Then he dropped it into his bag and zipped it up.
“Eweyee!” Mary moaned. “You’re gross, Harry Spooger.”
And that is one thing Mary and I can agree on!
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