by Annie Bryant
“Sorry,” she gasped. “But I had to get away from those mummies!”
She looked up gratefully into the face of her rescuer.
Oh, no. It was Danny. Isabel didn’t remember Danny being this tall.
“Are you okay, Isabel?” Danny asked.
“Yes. I am fine, thank you,” Isabel said with a tight smile. She nodded at Danny and took a step back to where Avery and Charlotte were standing, trying their best to keep straight faces. Oh just my luck, Isabel thought to herself. But at least Danny is alive and not some thing that came back from the dead.
The girls smiled gratefully at the two guards who had unlocked the door. “Thank you so much!” Isabel said.
Charlotte nodded. “Yeah! But how did you know we were here?” she asked.
“It’s this young man you should be thanking,” one of the guards said, patting Danny on the shoulder. “If it wasn’t for him, you girls might have been stuck there all night. Good thing he happened to be walking by the ladies’ room, and heard you yelling. He alerted the museum staff right away.”
“That’s funny,” Avery said. “What were you doing by the ladies’ room, Danny? There isn’t even any art in this hall. Boy, I guess we did luck out!”
Danny turned beet red. Isabel had to stifle a laugh.
“Oh, no!” Charlotte nudged her friends. They looked up to see Ms. Weston charging down the hall. Following behind her was not only the museum docent, but half the kids on their field trip, several chaperones…and Ms. Rodriguez!
Anna and Joline were huddled together giggling. “This is too funny,” they heard Anna whisper to Joline.
Ms. Rodriguez looked more upset than they’d ever seen her. “We’ve been looking everywhere for you girls!” she said. “I have been worried sick!” Ms. R clasped her chest. Her eyes were full of disappointment.
“We didn’t mean to get locked in,” Avery mumbled. “We were just trying to—”
“Enough,” Ms. Rodriguez said. She stared at her students, lingering on Anna and Joline, who suddenly got very quiet. “Avery, Charlotte, Isabel—we’ll discuss this in private. Follow me. Ms. Weston, why don’t you come along as well? We’ll meet the rest of you at the bus.” No matter how upset Ms. Rodriguez was, she would never create a scene about something like this in front of the whole class.
Isabel felt especially guilty as they made their way down the museum corridor away from the rest of the students. All she wanted was to get away from Danny without hurting his feelings. The problem was he just wouldn’t take the hint. Isabel felt like a fool for running away from Danny all afternoon. And things had escalated and escalated. Maybe if she’d let Avery and Charlotte yell when they wanted to, right after they first got locked in, they could have been rescued without Danny’s help.
Ms. Weston, who was walking next to Ms. Rodriguez, looked back at Isabel. “This isn’t like you, Isabel. Or you two, either,” she said to a red-faced Charlotte and Avery. “I think there’s more to this, Ms. Rodriguez. We ought to hear the whole story before we come to any major conclusions.”
“I’d like to think that you girls would know better,” Ms. Rodriguez added.
Charlotte, Avery, and Isabel glanced at one another. Ms. Rodriguez looked serious but not cross, and was going to hear the girls’ side of the story before she made any decisions.
Ms. Rodriguez gestured for everyone to stop as soon as she found a quiet corner. “All right, girls. What happened?”
“It’s all my fault, Ms. Rodriguez,” Isabel blurted. “Avery and Charlotte were only trying to help.”
Isabel told the two teachers how Danny followed her around all over the museum and bothered her whenever she tried to sketch or enjoy the artwork on her own. “We didn’t mean to hide in the storage room, but we didn’t know how else to lose him. I know it was wrong,” Isabel admitted. “I’m really sorry.”
“I’m sorry too,” said Charlotte.
“Me too,” added Avery.
“How come you didn’t just tell Danny you needed your space?” asked Ms. Weston.
Isabel shrugged and said in a soft voice, “I tried to let him know, but he just didn’t take the hint. I guess I should have said something stronger but I didn’t want to hurt his feelings.”
“Hmm…” Ms. Weston looked at Ms. Rodriguez. “There really isn’t an easy way to deal with that type of thing.”
“No, I suppose we haven’t covered that,” Ms. Rodriguez agreed. She too was thinking deeply. “You know, Isabel, if anyone is ever bothering you, even if it doesn’t seem like that big of a deal, it is very important for you to let him know that you need your space. If you are afraid of hurting his feelings just say, ‘I don’t want to be rude, but I want to be left alone right now.’ Usually that’s all it takes. If it doesn’t work, please come and talk to a chaperone, like Ms. Weston or myself. That’s what we’re here for. Besides, it’s much better than hiding out in a storage room.” She smiled.
“Danny didn’t mean to do anything wrong, but I should have been more clear I guess,” Isabel said. “I’m sorry we ran off and hid like that, Ms. Rodriguez. That was a big mistake.”
“Ms. R, I don’t think Danny is the type of kid to take a hint.” Avery leaned in conspiratorially to Ms. Rodriguez. “Danny is a real talker, Ms. R, and he just loves to show off how much he knows.”
“That may be true,” Ms. R agreed. “But I think it’s always a better choice than running off and hiding, right?”
“If a mummy is chasing you…” Avery didn’t have time to even finish her sentence. Ms. R’s expression meant the discussion was over.
“Would you like me to have a talk with Danny?” Ms. Weston asked Isabel.
“Umm…” Isabel hesitated.
“I’ll tell you what,” Ms. Weston began. “Why don’t I have a little chat with him after school about what the signs are that someone wants to be left alone? As long as you just give him a friendly word now and then, I think everything will be fine.”
“Not too friendly!” Avery whispered to Charlotte.
Ms. Rodriguez tried to be stern again. “So is this the last time you girls will ever run off on a class trip?”
“The LAST,” Avery promised.
“Definitely,” Charlotte agreed.
“Never again,” Isabel stressed.
“All right then, girls. Charlotte, I’m confident that your time with the exhibits is going to provide some great material for you to write about in The Sentinel.”
Charlotte began to smile. “I hope so,” she said.
“And I’m sure that we will be seeing lovely artwork from you, Isabel?”
“Totally!” Isabel assured her, thinking of her sketches from the storage room.
“Well, then I’m glad that you got something out of it. But don’t—and I mean don’t”—Ms. R said with a twinkle in her eye—“let it happen again!”
Ms. R looked at her watch. “Okay, let’s go, kids. We’re already running twenty minutes late.”
As soon as they exited the museum and were settled on the bus with the rest of the group, Ms. R signaled the driver to start, and the big yellow bus began rattling toward Brookline.
The three girls huddled together in their seat. “What a day!” Charlotte said. “Do you think Maeve and Katani had any adventures in New York City?”
“Compared to us? Hah! Impossible,” Avery declared. “Wait’ll they hear about this! They’re going to be extremely sorry they missed ‘The Case of the Mummy Who Came Back from the Dead.’”
“I’m not so sure,” Isabel said with a grin. “I would have been okay with missing being stalked by Danny AND by mummies all in one day!”
“What Danny needs,” Charlotte said thoughtfully, “is someone else to have a crush on, other than Isabel. You know, someone who can appreciate his…”—she coughed—“his finer qualities.” Her eyes gleamed.
Betsy Fitzgerald, who was sitting in the bench behind them, was bent earnestly over a huge coffee-table-sized book about Egypt in h
er lap. Even on the bus, she wasn’t missing a chance to study. “Hmm…” Avery tapped her chin. “Does the word ‘soul-mate’ ring a bell?”
Both Charlotte and Isabel, following her gaze, covered their mouths as they burst out laughing.
CHAPTER
19
The Core of the Big Apple
Though Katani and Maeve loved the hot chocolate from Montoya’s Bakery, they had to agree that Serendipity’s “Frrrozen Hot Chocolate” was a scrumptious experience. Maeve pronounced it to be “among the finer things in life.”
They left Serendipity full of sugar and completely exhausted in the best way you can be tired after a day jam-packed with incredible surprises. When Maeve and Katani returned to Michelle’s apartment, they also agreed that they had to tell the rest of the BSG about their incredible day, although they wouldn’t reveal everything until they came home. “I can’t wait to see the look on their faces when I tell them about how I asked Simon to dance,” Maeve pointed out. “And being interviewed on TV!”
“And I want to tell them in person about how I helped Dina B,” Katani added.
Maeve noticed that Katani didn’t mention modeling in the show as a highlight. Until today, Maeve would have thought that modeling was the coolest part of the fashion show. But Katani didn’t see it as all that important; she was proud that people actually appreciated her design talents.
Before they could get on the computer and IM the other BSG, Michelle noticed the light flashing on her answering machine. “Better wait a minute,” she joked. “It could be Vogue asking Katani to do a layout for them, or maybe it’s Simon Blackstone’s record company trying to sign Maeve onto their label!”
In fact, it was Maeve’s father. “Hi, Maeve,” the message began. “Slight change of plans. Turns out Grandma and Grandpa have tickets for a show tomorrow, so they won’t be around. I thought it would be fun to take Sam and you and Katani to Ellis Island to do some sightseeing. That’s where most European immigrants entered New York, you know. It should be very educational…” Maeve winced at the word “educational.” But Mr. Taylor continued, “…AND fun. So I’ll pick you up tomorrow at ten, okay? Maybe we can even do some shopping later.” Katani’s face lit up at the mention of shopping. “See you tomorrow, honey,” Mr. Taylor said. “I hope you had some time for fun today. Those fashion shows can be a lot of work! Okay, love you. Bye!”
When the message ended, Maeve and Katani glanced at each other and burst out laughing.
“Come on,” Maeve said. “I absolutely can’t wait another second. We have to tell the girls what happened today.”
“Not everything!” Katani reminded her.
“Not everything,” Maeve agreed. “Just enough so they’ll be dying to hear more!”
A Name on the Wall
Mr. Taylor arrived promptly at ten o’clock on Saturday. Katani and Maeve were waiting for him.
That morning Maeve’s tendency to be messy didn’t bother Katani one bit. Maeve was such a good friend, so loyal and fun. Katani couldn’t blame her for not being neat and tidy. After all, not everyone was organized like she was, and Maeve had so many other amazing qualities going for her. Besides, she seemed to have learned her lesson after her “lost in the Big Apple” adventure, and she was clearly making an effort to be more organized. She got up as soon as the alarm went off. She’d even settled on her outfit, a pair of wild striped pants and a white blouse, after only fifteen minutes. And remembering her aching feet from the day before, she gratefully slipped on the comfortable shoes Charlotte had insisted upon. It was small step for mankind, but a giant leap for Maeve.
“Come on, girls!” Mr. Taylor called. “The adventure is about to begin!” Katani and Maeve smiled. If he only knew, thought Katani.
Katani, Maeve, Mr. Taylor, and Sam ate a quick breakfast at a Manhattan deli. “It’s part of the New York experience,” Mr. Taylor said. Within half an hour, they were sitting comfortably on a ferry headed for Ellis Island. Mr. Taylor explained that Ellis Island was where thousands of immigrants from Europe arrived over a century before to seek a better life in America.
The wet wind on their faces and gentle rocking of the boat soothed them as they bumped over the harbor waves. “It’s like flying!” Sam exclaimed gleefully, lifting his face into the spray. “Like being at the controls of a B-29—those were old World War II planes. Three, two, one, blast off!”
Maeve was so elated that she wasn’t in the least bit bothered by Sam’s WWII chatter. In fact, after everything that had happened the day before, Maeve found it kind of cute. She wished her weekend would go on and on. She didn’t even mind that Ellis Island was an educational place…she just hoped it wouldn’t be too educational!
“Whoa—there’s the Statue of Liberty!” Sam shouted a few minutes later. Sure enough, the ferry was headed toward Liberty Island, home of the Statue of Liberty, to drop off tourists there. Maeve and Katani stared in awe at the huge, beautiful statue of the lady with the torch who had welcomed so many to the shores of this country.
“Wow!” Katani said to Maeve. “She’s so beautiful. I just never knew that she would be that beautiful.”
Maeve nodded. “And much bigger than you’d expect.”
“Did you know,” Sam said, “that you can climb up to Lady Liberty’s spiked cap? There are lots of stairs inside. I bet it’s a mile high!”
“And I’ll bet you have to be pretty fit to get there!” Mr. Taylor laughed. “I tried it once—got halfway up and I was wiped! And that was a while ago…when I was still in shape!”
“Well, I’m gonna get in shape so I can run all the way!” Sam boasted.
Mr. Taylor laughed again. “Running, huh? Mighty ambitious of you, son.”
Sam went on, “Dad, come on! I’m going to be an Army dude, right? And if you are in the Marines or the Navy SEALS or the Army Rangers you HAVE to run all the way up. I think it’s the law…”
“Okay, Sam,” Mr. Taylor said. “But you might want to do a little more research just to be on the safe side.”
Maeve and Katani smiled at each other. Little brothers could be so weird, but very entertaining.
Twenty minutes later, the motor of the ferry slowed to a low hum. “Here we are!” Mr. Taylor announced. He helped the girls and Sam down onto the dock on Ellis Island. Signs everywhere directed them toward the main building, and they trailed in along with dozens of others.
Maeve groaned when she saw that the signs read: “Immigration Museum.”
“Museum?” she whispered to Katani. “Is that code for ‘boring’, or what?”
“Maybe it won’t be so bad,” Katani whispered back. “I can’t wait to hear about the Museum of Fine Arts adventure.”
“But this isn’t art, it’s history!” Maeve insisted. “My worst subject, next to math.”
She was already worried about the thrilled, absorbed look on Sam’s face as he walked next to her. If Sam loved it, it was a sure bet that Maeve would hate it!
The tour started with a movie that talked about all the immigrants who came on ships, often with nothing but the clothes on their backs, dreaming of a new life here in America. The movie explained about the hardship of crossing the Atlantic and the difference between the wealthy passengers who could afford luxurious suites and the working class people who were crammed four to a cabin and often had to share their quarters with rats. A lot of the time, a family could afford passage for only one person, usually the father, who came to America, worked very hard to save money, and then sent for the rest of his family to join him. This could take years.
Then the movie went on to talk about Ellis Island itself—how it was the port through which the immigrants were processed, how their long European names were often misunderstood and misspelled by Customs officials who stamped their papers, and how consequently, they ended up with new, Anglicized names that were easier to spell but that had never belonged to them before.
Of course, the immigrants had to get jobs as soon as possible, but many were dis
criminated against in this new home where they hoped their lives would be better. The film showed signs in shop windows: “No Irish Need Apply.”
Maeve looked at the jiggling, black-and-white footage of the people going through the immigration lines and felt a connection to these people. What did they have except hope? And yet, with nothing but that, they sailed across a dangerous ocean and started from scratch in a country where most of them couldn’t even speak the language, and often the best jobs they could get were in sweatshops where they sewed or did laundry or other menial work for ten to twelve hours a day. They had no unions to protect their working conditions, and the bosses paid their men practically nothing—the children and women even less. Still, they came to America in droves and felt they were making things better for their families.
And they did, Maeve told herself. She knew that somewhere back in her family was a relative who came to America from Ireland. Suddenly she understood why. And just as suddenly, she had no more worries that this would be a boring day.
When the movie was over, the guide called out, “Come see our Immigrant Wall of Honor! You may even see the name of someone you know.”
“Let’s take a look, girls,” Mr. Taylor invited them. “You know, Katani, Maeve’s great-grandmother—my grandmother—came here from Ireland during the Great Depression in the 1930s. She had a pretty rough time. But I sure am glad she stuck it out!”
They followed the other tourists outside where the Wall of Honor was filled with names. Soon they could hear others oohing and aahing as they found familiar names.
“I’ve got one!” Sam shouted. “Right here, near the bottom!”
He pointed to a tiny line of carving. The others bent down to look. Sure enough, it said “John Taylor.”
“Good, Sam,” Mr. Taylor praised him. “And could you find your great-grandmother, Maeve Reilly?”
This time it was Katani who found the name further down the wall among the Rs. “There she is!” she exclaimed, pointing carefully at the name on the wall. Sam and Maeve put their fingers on it too. It made them feel more connected to the woman who had come all the way from Ireland so long ago.