The Friendship Bracelet

by Arlene Stewart

  “Sure,” he answered.

  Olivia watched as they sat at a table by the window overlooking a small pond, and Zoe took out her flosses, scissors, and tape to attach the flosses to the table. There was also a clipboard in her backpack that would anchor the bracelet as they worked on it. Mu Mu had suggested bringing them in case the tape idea didn’t work out.

  “And here are Hailey and Makayla,” Mrs. Leon announced, returning with two little girls about four or five. They’re way too young to be in a hospital, thought Olivia.

  “Let’s all sit here, at the big table,” suggested Mrs. Leon.

  Like Noah, the girls were wearing bathrobes and slippers, only theirs were bright pastels and fluffy. The sleeve on Makayla’s bathrobe barely concealed that her right hand was bandaged. She can’t do any work, thought Olivia right away. Hope we have a bracelet she likes that we can give her.

  “Makayla, want to sit next to me?” Mu Mu said, pulling out a chair.

  “I fell from the swing,” said Makayla, showing her arm to Mu Mu.

  “I’m sorry,” said Mu Mu. “Bet that hurt!”

  Makayla nodded.

  Mrs. Leon patted the seat of the chair next to her. “And, Hailey, you sit here in between Olivia and me,” she suggested. “Now, children, people have been making friendship bracelets for a long, long time. But, Olivia, why don’t you tell the girls more about them? For instance, I see you are wearing some. Are there stories behind them?”

  “Yes, there are stories for each one,” she said, pointing to them. “Let me start with this one with our name on it, THREADS. Do you both know what a club is?”

  • • •

  Later at Katonah Crafts, Olivia was opening one of the drawers in the floss cabinet. “That was so awesome!” she laughed. “Anybody else need more blue?”

  “I do,” said Ethan. “Bright electric blue, cobalt blue, and sapphire.”

  “Anything else?” asked Olivia, handing them over.

  Mu Mu looked up. “I could use some powder blue. And what’s that pinky-white floss called?”

  “Seashell,” both Ethan and Olivia replied.

  “Yup, that’s it,” Mu Mu said, reaching out. “You know Hailey is only five, but she was good at making a simple braid. She really liked your blue-and-white braid, Olivia. I’ll make her one and bring it next week.”

  “And Noah caught on fast too,” said Zoe. “He started on a braid in purple, blue, pale green, and black. He’s going home on Friday, so I left it with him,” she told Ethan and Austen. “How did you guys do with Jacob and Nick?”

  Ethan and Austen glanced at each other. Austen raised his hand in a “you go first” gesture.

  “They already finished the bracelets from last week: the arrow, in mustard yellow, viridian blue, raspberry, and lime green,” said Ethan.

  “So today we started them with the chevron pattern,” Austen continued. “And they’re both going home maybe this week, so we showed them how to finish the bracelets by themselves, right, buddy?”

  Ethan nodded.

  “Cool!” the girls said together. Ethan and Austen gave each other a high five.

  Miss Ruth Ann looked over from behind the counter and smiled. The doorbell rang, and the mail carrier sprinted in with a package.

  “Oh, look, it’s from Floss World,” Miss Ruth Ann said, opening the box. “Must be the new colors, Ethan.”

  “Cool,” he said.

  Mu Mu, Zoe, Austen, and Olivia all looked at each other and rolled their eyes. Ethan caught them.

  “OK, OK,” he said with a laugh. “So I’m a thread head.”

  “Then so are we,” laughed Zoe, and the other members of THREADS joined in.

  Chapter 38

  Camp was quiet.

  The skies were overcast, turning dark and inky. The director couldn’t decide whether or not to dismiss the campers for the day, so everyone was staying close to home base by the picnic tables until she made the call.

  “Looks like it’s going to pour, if you ask me,” Mu Mu said to Olivia while pointing at the sky. “Can I come to your house if it rains? Mom is at an open house. One of the agents at Lin Realty called in sick.”

  “Oh, sure,” Olivia replied, looking up. “And Zoe said she was going to be home all day. Maybe she can come over too.”

  “Super!” said Mu Mu.

  “And guess what! My mom bought some fancy chocolate chips yesterday. Maybe we could make one of your recipes?”

  “Ooh.” Mu Mu smiled. “Now I’m going to actually pray for rain!”

  Olivia gave her a fist bump. But then the smile on Mu Mu’s face disappeared like the sun behind those rain clouds.

  “Look at six o’clock,” she muttered, pointing over Olivia’s shoulder.

  Olivia swiveled and glanced at the camp entrance. Elin Pierson and Kennedy Washington were strolling in, and unfortunately, they seemed to be heading right toward them. Olivia’s body tensed up, and she thought, This must be what it’s like to see a tornado approaching. Well, maybe that’s too much. Maybe a squall?

  “Stand your ground,” whispered Mu Mu. “Don’t even look their way!”

  Meanwhile, Ashley and Parker also caught sight of the two former campers and hurried over to them. Olivia and Mu Mu watched as they spoke for a few minutes. Ashley was gesturing with a “you listen to me” attitude.

  Erin and Kennedy nodded their heads up and down, and then all four walked over to the picnic table.

  “OK, listen up. All eleven/twelve girls, please form a circle here,” Ashley said, pointing to a spot right in front of her. Olivia noticed that Parker, who had moved to the side, was taking out her phone. This is a funny time to make a call, she thought.

  Ashley continued, “As you all are aware, Team Unicorn has been down two members since the recent unfortunate incident in Carey’s Woods. Elin Pierson and Kennedy Washington have something they would like to say to you now.”

  Mu Mu nudged Olivia and gestured toward Parker. She was recording everything.

  With a shake of her head, Elin flicked her long, blond hair over her shoulder and said in a quiet voice, “We’re both very sorry for what happened.”

  Kennedy nodded as Elin spoke.

  “And we’re sorry if anyone got poison ivy,” Elin continued.

  The campers stood there silently.

  “OK, everybody, let’s put this behind us,” said Ashley. “I’m sure Elin and Kennedy are sincere in their apology. Let’s give them a big hurrah for being so brave.”

  A few campers shouted, “Yay!” But Mu Mu and Olivia were not among them.

  Elin smiled and looked like she was about to leave, but then she stopped and said to the group, “Just so you know, honestly, it wasn’t our fault. We thought Olivia and Mu Mu were stepping back into us and we put up our hands to stop them. After all, I was wearing my new sneakers.”

  “Yes, she was!” cried Kennedy, pointing to Elin’s feet.

  Olivia gasped.

  “Oh please!” shouted Mu Mu. “That will so not fly!”

  The first of the raindrops started falling.

  “Camp dismissed!” cried Ashley.

  • • •

  Zoe shook her head. “I can’t believe it!” she said. “Wow! And I especially can’t believe your counselor bought that lame story. Not in a trillion years would my mom have swallowed that!”

  The rain was pelting against the windows in Zoe’s bedroom, or Alex’s old room, as Olivia still thought of it. She remembered the time a branch flew against it and broke one of the panes. Even today, she could remember which one was repaired.

  “Yup, Elin is outrageous,” added Mu Mu.

  “She’s trouble,” said Zoe.

  “Double trouble,” Mu Mu said. “Oh, and speaking of double, we made double-chocolate-chip cookies at Olivia’s. We left a big bag dow
nstairs on your kitchen counter. Are you hungry?”

  “For chocolate-chip cookies? Always!” said Zoe, scooping up Carl and heading down to the kitchen.

  A weird, sad feeling washed over Olivia. She didn’t feel good about anything. Before she could stop herself, she invented an excuse and blurted out, “You know what? I’ve got to go over to Katonah Crafts. I forgot all about promising to help out Miss Ruth Ann.”

  “Right now? Don’t you want to try the cookies?” asked Mu Mu, a little surprised.

  “Oh, yeah, sure I do. Save me some?” she said. “Mu Mu, I can text you if you want to come back to my house.”

  “Oh, stay here, Mu Mu,” Zoe urged. “You can help me with Carl. I’m trying to teach him to sit.”

  Carl looked up at them and then ran to the back door.

  “Look, he’s so smart. He needs to go out!” said Mu Mu. “He’s teaching us!”

  Main Street was quiet. Even though it was raining lightly, Olivia walked slowly. She didn’t have to go to Katonah Crafts. Seriously, she needed to be alone for a while. The gazebo was empty, so she headed there and plopped down on the bench.

  I don’t know why I feel so bad, she thought, while nervously twisting her mom’s blue-and-white friendship bracelet. It isn’t just the Elin and Kennedy thing. What’s bothering me is Alex. I still miss her like crazy. My new friends are nice, but what about old friends? Is that what life is, getting close to people and then losing them?

  She remembered a saying Alex’s mother had on a pillow: Make new friends but keep the old. One is silver, the other gold. A train was pulling out of the station on its way to New York City. Just like Alex had to pull away from me, she thought, pleased with the imagery.

  But then she realized, Maybe in time, my new friends will become gold? Oh, it’s just too much. I can’t even deal with this!

  “Hey, beautiful, what are you doing here?” someone said, breaking in on her questions about life.

  She swung around. It was Jayden, Ethan’s stepbrother.

  “Oh, nothing,” she answered, on guard.

  “So how come Thread Head isn’t with you? Thought you two were knotted together. Seriously, what are you wasting your time with a nerd like him for anyway? Why don’t you let me buy you a soda?” he asked with a smirk.

  Olivia almost laughed, thinking, Double trouble, wasn’t that what Mu Mu and Zoe said about Elin? Well, they should check out this guy.

  Then, as if the fates were sending her a great big special delivery gift, the door to Katonah Cupcakes opened. Out walked Elin Pierson—that’s right, Elin Pierson—in her most-dazzling princess hairstyle ever, with long, long curls and a pearl crown. Something drew her eyes across the street, and she stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Olivia with Jayden.

  “Hi, Elin,” Olivia shouted with a wave.

  Elin sauntered toward them and as she did, she brought her A game: her walk got more and more stuck-up and her entire attitude more princessy, practically royal. She even put on her sunglasses. In the rain! Talk about throwing shade!

  “Oh, Elin,” called out Olivia, jumping up. “Have you met Jayden yet?”

  Like a miracle, Elin went for the bait, crossed the street, and then, Olivia reeled her in. “This is Jayden,” said Olivia. “He helps Mr. Dalwinkle at Village Hardware.” Nobody said anything, so she slipped away, practically doing a jig. “Sorry, I’ve got to go. Bye, bye,” she said in a high voice with a wave.

  When Olivia was across the street, she turned around. She was planning to put on a super pathetic face in case they were watching, but she didn’t have to. Elin was already sitting next to Jayden. He was taking her photo… Oh, and now they were exchanging phone numbers.

  Yes! It was such a great moment for her. Olivia could almost hear “Nessun Dorma” playing and the sound of cymbals crashing: “Vincero! Vincero! Vincero!”

  Chapter 39

  Maybe I will help Miss Ruth Ann, Olivia thought and hurried down Main Street.

  “Oh, hi, Ethan. Just saw your stepbrother, Jayden, in town,” she said, entering Katonah Crafts.

  “That’s cool,” muttered Ethan, absorbed in the new flosses, yarns, and cords catalog.

  Olivia shrugged and walked over to the counter. “Hi, Miss Ruth Ann,” she said with a smile. “You look very nice today. I like your dress.”

  Miss Ruth Ann smiled back and patted her hair. “Thank you, dear,” she said.

  With a jerk of his head, Ethan looked over, and then he gave Miss Ruth Ann a thumbs-up.

  Both Olivia and Miss Ruth Ann started to laugh. “What’s so funny?” said Olivia’s mom, opening the front door. “Oh, that rain. I’m soaked! It just started coming down hard.”

  Olivia hurried over to help her mom with her umbrella. “Is there anything I can do here today?” Olivia asked, looking around.

  Miss Ruth Ann pointed to an unopened carton. “Well, we need the new flosses put away in the floss cabinet,” she said, opening a drawer. “You know how we like to line them up like so.”

  Olivia nodded. Ever since she was really little, that had been one of her favorite jobs.

  After thirty minutes or so, the skeins of floss were perfect.

  “Anything else?” she asked.

  “Let’s see, we put away the flosses, organized the bead bins, set up the new coloring book section. I’d say we’re good,” answered her mom. “But, sweetie, where is Mu Mu? Weren’t you spending the afternoon with her?”

  Yipes! Mu Mu. Olivia had forgotten all about her.

  “She’s at Zoe’s. I’m going there now,” she said quickly. “Her mom is picking her up soon.”

  “I’ll go with you,” piped up Ethan, getting out of his chair and stretching. “Looks like the rain stopped.”

  When they knocked, Zoe opened the door with puppy Carl in her arms. “Hey, hi, come on in, guys,” she said. “You know, Ethan, I was going to text you. I need some help with this bracelet I’m working on.” She led him off to the screened-in porch.

  In the kitchen, Mu Mu was sitting at the long island.

  “So, how were the cookies?” Olivia asked, looking at an empty plastic bag.

  “They were great. Zoe’s dad ate most of them. But I have to get back to your house. My mom is picking me up in a while.”

  Olivia nodded, and after saying good-bye to Zoe and Ethan, they scooted out. Raindrops were still falling from the trees on Bedford Road, so they dashed across the green and headed up to Olivia’s front porch, where it was dry and cozy.

  “Mom should be here in a couple of minutes, so can we wait outside?” asked Mu Mu, pointing to the round table.

  “Oh, sure, but let me get Sullivan,” she said, opening the front door. The big dog bounded out of the house and immediately covered Mu Mu with kisses.

  “It’s hard to believe this is how big Carl will get,” she laughed, trying to get some air.

  “Oh, Carl will be even bigger!” said Olivia, pulling him off Mu Mu and trying to control him. “That’s right, Sully, we’re talking about Carl, your big baby brother. Now sit.”

  Mu Mu laughed. “But you know what, Olivia? Zoe’s father really loved the chocolate-chip cookies. And he writes a food blog. Did you know that? Isn’t that the coolest thing?”

  “Yep. Very cool,” agreed Olivia.

  “So I told him about my chocolate-chip cookie quest, and he asked me to write a little bit about it. It could be fun!” she said. “He already told me how much they like Golden Panda—oh, there’s Mom. TTYL!”

  Her mother pulled up, and Mu Mu waved good-bye.

  Wow! That could be really cool for her, thought Olivia, realizing that even though Mu Mu talked about food a lot, she didn’t seem to overeat, and she was so tiny! Maybe there was such a thing as a food prodigy? Like a piano prodigy or a violin prodigy? Or flute—which reminded her how she had been neglecting her flute since s
he got braces.

  “Let’s go, Sully,” she said, heading upstairs. She was opening the flute case when it came to her: Wait a minute. Mu Mu is just as good at making friendship bracelets as Ethan. Yet Zoe asked him for help. Oh, wow! That’s interesting.

  Chapter 40

  The community garden was down Pawley Road, a dirt road that wound past big horse farms. Olivia loved the look of the pristine, white fences that enclosed the meadows. Every now and then, she could see an actual horse or two frolicking in the sun.

  They passed the old train station, and Olivia kept an eye out for the large area with the eight-foot-high fence Austen had told her about.

  “That’s to keep out the deer,” he had explained. “They’re all over the place up here.”

  Even in a much busier place like the village, Olivia had seen deer too, near her house, but her mom wouldn’t put up a fence. She kept saying that Sully would keep them at bay.

  Yesterday, Austen texted Olivia to come over at two o’clock. It was a good time for him, before the sun got overly hot, and when a lot of people had already gone home for the day.

  It was a good time for her too, after camp when she could change into her new lacy white top and aqua shorts.

  “Austen said to park anywhere,” Olivia explained to her mom. “Look, there’s a good spot, next to the big gate.”

  They walked in and saw a grid of beautifully tended raised beds. “Keep an eye out for asparagus,” said her mom, leaning over. “That’s what I want to plant in the backyard.”

  A few of the gardeners smiled as they passed.

  “Oh, look,” said Olivia’s mom, pointing to a figure a few rows over. “It’s Mrs. Vreeland, from the library. You know her. She’s such a sweet person. She comes into Katonah Crafts all the time for yarn too.”

  “Sure, for her needlepoint,” recalled Olivia.

  “Angela, hello,” called her mom, waving to her.

  Mrs. Vreeland straightened up and waved back.

  Before Olivia’s mom could scoot away, Austen walked by pushing a wheelbarrow full of compost.