“Yes. I think so. Stomach doesn’t hurt, anyway.”
“Good. You should drink something. Which sounds better, water or tea?”
“Water, please.”
“You got it. I’ll be back. Then I need a nap. Been worried about you, so I haven’t been able to sleep. I’ll ask Alice to check in on you.”
“You don’t have to do that, Mum. I’ll be fine.”
She gave me a little smile. Boy, did she look tired. “Hopefully that’s true, but it will make me feel better to know she’s looking in on you.”
I thought about what Dad had said. Maybe when she popped in to make sure I didn’t need anything, I could ask her if we could talk. I could try and sound really pitiful, being sick and all, and maybe that would help it go well.
Or, I could pretend to be asleep and not talk to her at all. Decisions, decisions.
Turned out I didn’t need to decide what to do because my horrid sister didn’t check on me once, even though Mum had surely asked her to. For all Alice cared, I could have rolled over dead.
I was furious. Dad came home from work and asked if I wanted anything to eat. I told him maybe in another couple of hours I’d try some toast. Then he went back to the kitchen to make something for him and Alice.
While they ate supper together, I pulled the compact out from my mattress and took a picture of it to send to Ned. Because he needed a gift. And Alice didn’t deserve the money the compact might fetch. She could stay home and not go to university. It’d serve her right. And as for the cemetery, I decided there was no need. It was hard to imagine there was any magic strong enough to bring the two of us close together again.
So that was that. It was over.
Me: Do you think your mum would like this vintage compact?
Ned. Wow. Where’d you get that?
Me: Paris.
Ned: It looks expensive. Did you pinch it from someone?
Me: No. I’m just very good at bartering.
Ned: Doesn’t your dad want to sell it at the shop?
Me: I’m the one who found it. I figure I can do what I want with it. So if you think your mum would like it, you can have it.
Ned: Thanks, Phoebe! I think she’ll love it. So you’ll bring it to the party?
Me: Yes. See you then.
*
The next day, I put on my robe and ventured out of my room, because I was actually hungry. Dad had gone into work and Alice was still sleeping. Mum had the next few days off, and was about to mop the kitchen floor.
“Oh, Phoebe, you look much better. You’ve got some color in your cheeks again. You hungry?”
“Is Prince Harry completely adorable?” I replied as I sat at the table.
She laughed. “I’ll take that as a yes. Let’s start with some applesauce and see how that goes down. If all goes well, you can have some porridge if you’d like.”
While she got the bowl and spoon, I asked, “What time shall we leave for the party?”
She turned around. “Sweetheart, I’m afraid you’ll have to miss it. It’s too soon for you to get out and about.”
“But I feel so much better. Really and truly. I slept most of the day yesterday, and all night, too. As long as I keep eating, I’m sure I’ll be fine. Ned is counting on me to be there.”
She set the bowl of applesauce in front of me. “I’m sure he’ll be disappointed if you can’t make it, but we simply cannot jeopardize your health for a silly party.”
I could feel my cheeks getting warm. “It’s not a silly party! It’s going to be special, and we should all be there.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. I meant that it’s not something important, like school. I know you’ll be sad to miss it, but I think it’s for the best. We wouldn’t want you to do too much too soon and end up back in bed.”
I shoveled the applesauce into my mouth, all the while trying to figure out how to change her mind. There had to be a way. There just had to be.
After I ate both my applesauce and porridge, I went back to my room. The thermometer was still on my nightstand, so I took my temperature. After it beeped, I stuck my head out into the hallway and yelled, “Mum, my temperature is perfectly normal. Just thought you should know.”
“Happy to hear it!” she called back. “Now back to bed, and take it easy.”
But I didn’t want to take it easy. I wanted to shower and get rid of my greasy bed-head hair. Besides, if I looked a hundred percent normal, how could she refuse me when I asked her again later if she’d allow me to go to the party?
So I rounded up my clothes and went to the loo. But the door was locked. I stood and waited. A few minutes later, Alice appeared. I hadn’t seen her in more than twenty-four hours, something she was probably absolutely thrilled about.
“Feeling better, I hope?” she asked me.
“Like you care,” I muttered as I slipped past her.
“Wait,” she said, gently grabbing my wrist. I turned to face her. “Why do you say that? I really meant it. I do hope you’re feeling better. Being ill is the worst, especially while on school holiday.” I didn’t say anything. She slid her hand down and gave my hand a tiny squeeze before she let go. “I’m sorry about the way I’ve acted lately, Phoebe. I know I haven’t been myself. Paris was so wonderful, and I wish it could be that way always.”
“What do you mean?”
“You know, wandering around, eating good food, meeting interesting people—with no responsibility, really. I mean, yes, we were looking for antiques, sort of, but it wasn’t work. Not really.”
It was like she was opening a door for me. Not a bathroom door, but a door to a conversation. My sister was talking to me, finally, and I knew I needed to walk through and see where the doorway led us. It seemed like it should be easy, taking the first step. After all, I’d talked to lots of strangers this past week. But when it’s someone you love, it’s harder for some reason. Maybe because if they slam the door in your face, it will hurt. A lot.
I leaned up against the bathroom doorjamb and took a deep breath. “Alice, what’s going on? I mean, really going on? Aren’t you excited about university anymore?”
She sighed as she ran her fingers through her hair. Then she leaned in and whispered, “Dad keeps going on and on about the added expenses, and I can’t help but feel guilty. This week, it’s really started to sink in what it all means, and honestly? I’m scared to death.”
“But that’s rubbish. You’ve wanted to go to medical school for as long as I can remember.”
“I know! But what if I can’t do it? What if Mum and Dad spend their hard-earned money to get me there, and I fail?”
“You are not going to fail.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Actually, I do.”
“How? Can you magically see the future somehow?”
“Yes. I can. And what I see is the determined girl I’ve known my entire life who works hard and makes things happen. You will do fine, Alice. Really. Now, may I go and take my shower please?”
She looked at me for a second, her eyes soft and kind. I swear she almost appeared … grateful. Did I finally say the right thing for once? Of course, I knew she’d never tell me so. But I took some pleasure in that expression she wore for one brief moment.
“Shower away,” she said. “But not too long. We don’t want you fainting from exhaustion or something equally horrible.”
She left and closed the door behind her. As I undressed, I recalled what Dad had said about having a heart-to-heart talk with Alice. Is that what we’d just done? It wasn’t as special as it might have been over tea and scones, but it seemed to me that something had shifted between us. She’d confided in me about how she was feeling, and I’d reassured her that she would do what she needed to do and everything would be all right. And the surprising thing? I really meant it.
As I stepped into the shower, I suddenly realized one awful thing, though. I’d given away the compact that could have provided some much-need
ed money for her university education. I couldn’t ever let her know that.
Ever.
At lunch, I ate not one, but two bowls of soup. “You are feeling better,” my mother exclaimed.
“I told you,” I said. “May I please go to the party? Please?”
“She seems fine, Mum,” Alice said. “I think you should let her go.”
I could hardly believe my sister was standing up for me. It made me wish I’d had that heart-to-heart with her much sooner. It also made me feel even guiltier about the compact. But I couldn’t think about that. It was done, and there wasn’t anything I could do about it now.
“Rest up this afternoon, and if you still feel fine after teatime, I suppose you may go,” Mum said.
A nap was a small price to pay, so I agreed. Except, I ended up sleeping much longer than I’d planned, and so I was discombobulated when I woke up. There’d be no teatime for me. I quickly changed into a blue dress I’d chosen for the occasion and then started gathering my things. I realized I’d been so focused on Ned’s gift for his mum that I hadn’t prepared anything for her. So I quickly made her a card with some colored pencils and hoped Mum and Dad would sign all of our names to whatever gift they’d be giving her.
“Phoebe,” Dad called from the hallway. “We need to get a move on or we’re going to be late.”
“Coming!” I yelled.
From my window I could see that it wasn’t raining, so I grabbed my white cardigan sweater, my bag, the card for Mrs. Chapman, the compact in its little black pouch, and my phone. I rushed out my bedroom door, trying to get my bag open so I could shove everything inside, and ran smack-dab into my father, causing me to drop everything I’d been holding.
“What’s taking so long?” Alice asked as she walked toward us.
Dad crouched down to help me, and though the first thing I went for was the black pouch, he reached it first.
“What’s this?” Dad asked, standing up and eyeing it suspiciously.
“What’s what?” Alice asked.
Oh no, I thought to myself. This was not good.
“It’s a gift,” I said. “For Ned’s mum. May I have it back, please?”
But of course he couldn’t return it to me without opening the pouch first. His eyes lit up when he saw what it was.
“Phoebe!” he exclaimed. “Where’d you get this?”
Alice peered over his arm. “What is it, Dad?”
“It’s a vintage Cartier compact,” he replied as he turned it over in his hands, and then opened it up to take a peek on the inside. I’d taken the letter and photograph out because I wanted to keep those for myself. “It’s in excellent condition.” He looked at me. “Where did you find this?”
There was no way out that I could see. I had to tell them the truth, and they’d just have to accept the fact that I’d decided to give it away. I’d found it, so it seemed to me I shouldn’t feel badly about doing with it what I pleased.
“Paris,” I said. “At the flea market. I got it for a steal. Ned needed a gift for his mother, so I told him he could have it.”
My sister’s mouth practically dropped to the floor. “You’re giving it to Ned? Phoebe, have you lost your mind? Surely it’s worth a lot of money. How could you do that? Cartier is the brand we always watch for, you and I, when we’re antiques hunting together. You had to have known it was valuable.”
“I … I wasn’t quite sure. And besides, you were being so mean to me all the time. So I just …”
“So you just decided you’d throw away a small fortune that could have been used for my university expenses?” Alice shook her head before she headed toward her room. “I cannot believe you would do something like this to me.”
“Alice,” I said. “What I haven’t told you yet is what was inside the compact. It was a letter with a magical spell designed to bring two people close together again. I’ve been doing the items in the spell all week, so you and I could be close again. So believe what you want, but I didn’t do this to make you angry with me. Really, it’s the last thing I want.”
Alice scoffed. “A magical spell? Because you want to get close to me? Well, here’s an idea—tell me when you find something fabulous at a Paris flea market. Don’t you think I would have been excited with you? But now you’ve given it away and ruined everything.”
The way she said the last bit, it was like she’d taken a pair of shears and cut my heart in half.
As my sister turned to leave, Dad said, “Alice, come along, now. Let’s go to the car. Hopefully we can sort all of this out.”
“I don’t want to, Dad,” Alice said. “Go on to the party without me. I’m suddenly ill. I’m sure they’ll understand when you explain I’ve come down with the nasty virus Ned and Phoebe had.”
After she shut her door, Dad helped me gather the rest of my things. He didn’t say a word as we walked toward the front door together.
Mum stood there looking at her phone. “Is everything all right? Sounded like Alice was upset.”
“She’s upset, that’s for sure,” Dad replied.
“Where is she?” Mum asked. “Oh no. She’s not going with us?”
“No. It’s fine, Collette. She can stay home. She said to tell the Chapmans she’s not feeling well.”
Mum looked at me. “What in the world happened this time?”
“Let’s go,” Dad said. “I’ll explain on the way.”
While he drove across town, Dad explained what had happened. He left out the part about the letter, which I was thankful for. Mum would not have been happy if she’d learned I’d been lying about what I was doing in London. He probably didn’t want to upset her before the party.
“What are we going to do?” she asked when he’d finished with the story.
“I don’t suppose there’s anything we can do,” Dad replied. “Phoebe has promised the compact to Ned, and I think we need to honor that promise.”
“I disagree,” Mum said. “I think she should talk to him about it. She could ask him if she can keep the compact after all. He might be understanding.”
I thought back to all the horrible things Alice had said to me in the hallway. “I don’t want to do that, though,” I said. “Like Dad said, I promised it to Ned, and so, I’m going to give it to Ned. I’m the one who found it, so seems to me I should have the final say as to what happens to it.”
“I wish you’d shown it to me earlier, Phoebe,” Dad said.
“I was going to surprise you and Alice with it,” I said softly as I looked out the window. “But then I decided Alice didn’t deserve it, really. And Ned had been so nice to me all week …”
“Well, I hope his mum knows what a special thing she’s getting,” my mother said.
It felt like the right thing, giving the compact to Ned like we’d discussed. And yet, at the same time, it also felt very, very wrong. It was a strange, mixed-up feeling, and I didn’t like it one bit.
When we got to the restaurant, a sign with CHAPMAN PARTY and an arrow pointing upstairs showed us the way.
“Think they reserved the entire second floor?” Dad asked Mum as we made our way up the stairs.
“Most likely,” Mum replied. “Makes it extra special that way.” She turned to me. “Feeling all right, Phoebe?”
“Yes,” I said. “I’m fine.” I glanced at the small gift she carried. “What did you get her?”
“A lovely bottle of perfume,” Mum said. “Chanel No. 5. It’s not something women splurge on for themselves, but it’s nice to receive as a gift.”
“Did you sign my name on the card?” I asked.
“Yes, it’s from all of us.”
“I made her a card at home, but do you think that’s immature?” Clearly, my sister had given me a complex.
“Phoebe, it’s not immature; it’s thoughtful,” Dad said. “She’ll be thrilled you went to the trouble to do that for her.”
Upstairs, groups of people were standing around and mingling, while others were seated on sofas
or stools. It was a relaxed environment, not formal and stuffy, and I was glad about that.
We hadn’t made it far when a waiter approached us and asked if we’d like something to drink. My dad ordered three ginger ales for us, which sounded really good to me. I searched the room for Ned, and when I found him, talking to Chester, he waved me over. I put my finger up to tell him it’d be just a moment. I wanted to get my drink first. The waiter returned a minute later with our order. I asked my parents, “Can I go see Ned? I need to give him the compact.”
“You’re absolutely sure that’s what you want to do?” Dad asked.
“Yes,” I said.
“All right,” Mum said. “We’re going to find the birthday girl and extend our best wishes. We’ll come find you later.”
When I reached Ned and Chester, Chester said, “Hello, Phoebe.”
“Hello.” Both of them were dressed up in jackets and ties. I thought Chester looked especially handsome. The light blue shirt he wore looked really good with his blond hair and deep blue eyes. “The two of you are looking quite dishy, I must say.”
Chester’s cheeks turned pink. Ned proudly stuck his chest out, or tried to anyway. He’s so skinny it’s not like there’s much to stick out. “We do, don’t we?”
“Never mind,” I said with a smile. “I take it back. Your head doesn’t need to get any bigger than it already is.”
He nudged me with his elbow. “You love my big head and you know it. And I’m so glad you’re here! I was starting to worry you might have been too ill to come. Hadn’t heard from you today.”
“If Mum had her way, I’d be at home in bed. But I somehow managed to convince her I’d be fine.” I leaned in closer. “Still, would it be all right if we found some seats?”
They both turned and looked behind them. “There’s three chairs,” Chester said. “Back in the corner. Let’s grab them.”
After we took a seat, Ned asked, “So. Can I see it? Mum’s gift?”
I took a big sip of my drink, then set it on the floor by my chair so I could get the pouch out of my bag. “I’m sorry I didn’t have time to wrap it.”
He opened the pouch and let the compact fall into his palm. “Whoa. It’s even more amazing in person.”
Sealed with a Secret Page 9