“What’s going on with you and Ham?”
“Nothing.”
“If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s okay.”
Egg considered that for a moment. “There’s nothing to talk about. We’re just not friends anymore.”
“Oh, is that all? Do you want to tell me why?”
“She said she didn’t believe Peter Pan can fly.”
“Hmmm . . . is that a big problem?”
“Yes” Egg answered in a tiny voice.
“Mind telling me why?”
“I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“You could never understand.”
“Why not?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“Why not?”
“Stop saying why not.”
“Oh, sorry. Anyway, it seems like a silly thing to lose a friend over. Especially a best friend.”
“You sound like Grammy.”
“Thank you.” Ashley waited for her sister to say something. When she didn’t she asked “was there anything else . . . besides Peter Pan?”
“Not really.”
“Sure?”
“Ashley, did you ever feel like a grown-up and a kid at the same time?”
The question surprised the older girl. ”Yes. Many times.”
“Did you ever feel that when you did the kid stuff . . . it just wasn’t important anymore? Only the grown-up stuff was.”
This was getting way more complicated than Ashley had expected and she didn’t feel like she was the right person to help her little sister. “Egg, do me a favor. Call Grammy. I’m sure she could help you figure this out.”
“I should figure it out on my own.”
“Why?”
“Cause I’m Fl…” she stopped herself just in time. “Cause it’s my problem.”
“We all need a little help sometimes. I think this is one of those times.”
Egg sighed. She felt terrible. What would she do without her best friend? She desperately wanted to apologize but just couldn’t. If no one – especially Sylvia – believed in Peter Pan . . . or Flying Girl . . . than the most important part of her life meant nothing. “I guess I’ll call Grammy.”
*****
“This emergency meeting of the Hameggattic Sisterhood is now in session.” The four girls were in the attic headquarters sitting on cushions.
Melody said, “I would like the sisters to vote Egg out of the club.”
“But she and I started it.”
“Sylvia, she doesn’t want to be friends with us anymore. She’s made that perfectly clear. So, I think we should make it official and vote her out of the sisterhood.”
“I agree with Melody,” said Angela.
“Me, too” added Presley.
“Well, I disagree. She’ll realize how silly she’s being. Then we’ll all be friends again.”
“I don’t think we should wait for her. Besides, she can always ask us to take her back into the club.”
“She is being so mean,” huffed Angela. “She really is the wicked witch.” Only Sylvia didn’t giggle.
“Let’s take a vote,” insisted Melody. “And I vote her out.”
“Out” agreed Angela and Presley.
“I vote against it.”
“The vote is three to one. So Egg is no longer a member of the Hameggattic Sisterhood,” declared Melody.
“And I vote that we change the name of the club.”
“Angela, why?” cried Sylvia.
“Because her name is in it.”
“Great idea. Anyone have a suggestion for a new name?”
“Oh, I do,” said Presley. “Let’s call ourselves the Lollipop Guild.” It was the name of some of the Munchkins from the Wizard of Oz.
“That’s a wonderful name. I vote yes.”
“Me, too.”
“No” said Sylvia. “We can’t.”
“The vote is three to one, so the Hameggattic Sisterhood is officially changed to the Lollipop Guild.”
*****
“Hi, Grammy.”
“Hello, my love. How are you?”
“Not very good.”
“Oh, dear. What’s the problem?”
“Sylvia and I aren’t friends anymore,” she answered while fighting back tears.
“Egg, I’m so very sorry. What happened?”
So granddaughter explained to her grandmother about all the things that had been bothering her that led up to the argument over Peter Pan.
“How about spending the day with me tomorrow? Then you and I can figure out how to make this problem go away.”
“Thank you, Grammy. But what happens if it takes fifty years for us to become friends again . . . like you and Grazy?” Egg was referring to her grandmother’s neighbor and childhood best friend. They had broken up when Grazy had seen the reflection of her friend flying. When she confronted the older Eloise, she of course denied it. And for the next fifty years, the two hardly ever spoke. They only recently patched things up.
“It won’t take that long, dear one. I promise you.”
Whenever her grandmother gave her such a promise, Egg usually felt a million times better. For some reason, she didn’t feel that way now.
*****
That night Egg went to bed early. And even though it was just seven thirty, she fell asleep almost immediately.
“Egg.”
“Dazzle, is that you?”
“It is I.”
“How are you?”
“I am well. Thank you for asking. I come to you tonight not as a princess, but as a friend.”
“That’s nice. Why?”
“You are troubled and I wish to help.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Egg, you must be you, when you are not me.”
“Huh?”
“You must be you, when you are not me.”
“No, I heard you. I just don’t know what that means.”
“There is a saying on your world — Physician, heal thyself. Egg, heal thyself. You have the power.”
“Dazzle, I’m so sorry, but I haven’t a clue what you’re talking about.”
“Talk to she who came before. She was not the One; but she is very wise. Goodnight, Egg.”
“Dazzle, don’t go yet.” But, she was gone.
*****
Before she went to sleep, Sylvia had to send an email that she really didn’t want to send. But the Lollipop Guild had voted three to one so she had no choice.
She turned on her computer, logged into her email account . . .
. . . and began to type. It was addressed to Eloise, formerly known as Egg to her ex-friends. The sisters had decided that they would never use her nickname again. The vote had been three to one. So Sylvia was forced to address her former best friend by her real name. .
Dear Eloise,
*****
The next morning at her grandmother’s house, Egg was sitting at the kitchen table drinking tea and reliving her conversation with Dazzle.
“She said to talk to you.”
“Really? She mentioned my name?” The older woman felt a twinge of excitement.
“Well, not exactly. She said talk to the one who came before. And even though she wasn’t the One, she is very wise. So that must be you.”
“Oh, my. Dazzle thinks I’m wise. How very sweet of her to say.”
“She said that I shouldn’t be her when I’m me. What does that mean?”
“I’m not sure. What else did she say?”
“Something like doctor cure yourself and Egg, you have the power.”
“Was it ‘Physician, heal thyself?”
“Yes . . . yes. What do you think it means?”
To give herself a little time to consider this information, the older Eloise went to the oven and took out some muffins she was baking. She put them neatly on the plate then fetched some butter and grape jelly. She put it all on the table in front of her granddaughter. The whole time Egg sat quietly. She knew th
at her grandmother was thinking and she didn’t want to interrupt.
It wasn’t long before her grandmother ventured a guess. “Well, here’s what I think. When you are Flying Girl, somehow you are more like Dazzle than yourself. But when you’re not wearing the suit, you’re just good old Egg. And when you’re Egg, you need to think and act like what you are; a nine-year-old girl.”
“That’s exactly the conversation I was trying to have with Ashley though I didn’t say it that way. But . . . how do I stop being Flying Girl and just be me? I feel so . . . so . . . childish when I do nine-year-old stuff.”
“Dazzle obviously knew there might be a problem. So I think she’s telling you to use your bracelet to somehow make you feel good about being you.”
“How do I do that?”
“Sorry, my love. Only you have the power of the magical jewelry. But I feel absolutely confident that you’ll find your own answer to that question.”
“Grammy . . . please take me home.”
“Of course.”
*****
Back in her room, Egg locked her door, put out her Do Not Disturb sign and dressed in her flying suit. She then put on all of her jewelry, walked to the bathroom and stared at herself in the mirror.
Placing her hands on each cheek, she said, “Eloise Grace Graystone, you must be at peace with who you are. Feel not the conflict between the power and desires of Flying Girl and the yearnings and needs of Egg. They may co-exist in harmony. Accept yourself and be happy.”
“Why do I keep talking like that every time I use this thing?” In truth, she had no idea what she was going to say. The words came out of their own free will. And . . . they worked.
She took off her suit and jewelry and stored them back in the little chest. Smiling, she turned on the computer so she could send an email to Sylvia to apologize.
When she logged into her account, there was an email from her friend. It was probably something nice like “when you’re feeling better, call me. Best friends shouldn’t be mad with each other.”
She opened the email and began to read . . .
Dear Eloise;
This is to tell you that the Hameggattic Sisterhood no longer exists. Angela, Presley, Melody and I have started a new club called the Lollipop Guild. And since you are not a member, you will not be invited to attend our meetings.
Also, the four of us will no longer call you by your nickname because you are not one of us.
Sylvia, President
The Lollipop Guild
PS: The Lollipop Guild has asked me to inform you that Peter Pan is just a fairy tale. Real people can’t fly. I’m sorry if that makes you mad.
Egg stared at the email . . . then re-read it two more times. She would have read it again, but her eyes were too blurry with tears.
Chapter 2 – Flying Monkeys
Egg decided that she wanted to go back to summer camp . . . the one where she first met Sylvia. She and her ex-best friend had decided months ago that they were going to skip it this year. But now that she had no one to play with, it seemed like a good idea.
Mrs. Graystone made all the arrangements but she still felt very bad for her daughter. Being a former nine-year-old herself, however, she knew that girls at that age made and lost friends all the time. She had tried her best to help Egg reconcile with Sylvia, but it was no use. Apparently, that friendship was beyond saving.
When she had heard her daughter crying the other night, she had entered her bedroom to see what had happened. She didn’t even knock.
“Sweetheart, what’s wrong?”
Egg ran to her mother and threw herself into her outstretched arms. With her head buried in her mom’s stomach, she cried so hard that she couldn’t even catch her breath. Mrs. Graystone carried the girl to the bed and they sat there holding each other for almost ten minutes until the worst of the crying was over.
“What happened sweetheart” the older woman asked gently.
“I got . . . I got . . . an email . . .” which was all she could say before crying again.
“May I read it?” Egg nodded yes.
So Mrs. Graystone walked to the computer and read the email that was on the screen. “Oh, dear” was all she could manage to say. She walked back to her daughter and hugged her again. “Why don’t you email her back and apologize? Sylvia would never hold a grudge. Go on, dear, go type one right now.” It seemed like the simplest way to get these best friends friendly again.
“Do…do…you really th…think so?” Egg managed to say between bouts of crying.
“Well, it’s certainly worth a try. Would you like me to help you?”
“Ple…please.”
So Egg sat at her computer and with the help of her mom typed…
Dear Sylvia;
I am very sorry for having acted like I did.
Your friendship is the most important thing in the world to me and I’m sorry that I made you angry. I understand about the Sisterhood stuff even though it makes me sad.
But, I hope that you can forgive me so we can be friends. Maybe even best friends. Please answer this email as soon as you can.
Eloise.
“Very nice. I’m sure by tomorrow morning you two will be friends again.”
Just hearing her mother say it made Egg feel so much better. “Do you really think so?”
“Just you wait.”
*****
Egg waited . . .
. . . and waited . . .
. . . and waited.
But Sylvia never replied.
*****
So, plans were made for Egg to go to camp in two days. Meanwhile, her Grammy was coming over the next day because Egg’s parents were going out antiquing. Ashley was gone for a week to visit some friends who had moved a couple of hours away.
That night Egg tried to talk to Dazzle . . . maybe the only friend she still had in the whole world. But if her princess friend came, Egg didn’t remember.
*****
Ten o’clock the next morning, Egg and her grandmother were in Egg’s bedroom re-reading the email from Sylvia. For the most part, the young girl had regained her composure . . . probably because she had used up about a year’s supply of tears the night before.
“Maybe Sylvia isn’t home. Did you try calling her?”
“No.”
“Why don’t you call her right now?”
“I can’t, Grammy. I would just start crying again. And, what would I do if she didn’t accept my apology. I . . . I . . .” she didn’t finish.
“Well the next best thing is to give it time. If she really was your best friend, then a week or two without your friendship will be just as hard on her as it is on you.”
Egg immediately thought of her grandmother’s best friend Grazy and the almost fifty years it took for those two to get back together. But she didn’t say anything.
“So, what would you like to do today? Is there anything you need for camp?”
“Mom got me everything I need. But, would you mind terribly if I went flying for an hour? It’s my last chance before I go to camp.”
“Of course not. In fact, that sounds like a perfect idea.”
“Would you like to come with me?”
“Oh, no thank you, dear. I think I’ll just stay here and do a little gardening. Your mom and dad don’t really have a green thumb, do they?”
That was an ongoing family joke. The only plants that Egg’s parents didn’t kill were made of plastic.
So Egg took the contents of the little chest to her bathroom and changed. When she went to slip on the bracelet, she got the notion to put it on her left hand instead of the right. Maybe she could discover its magic when it was on the other wrist. She came back out, kissed her grandmother, went to the balcony and leaped skyward. As she flew high above the town, she smiled for the first time in days. There was only one thing she could absolutely count on . . . that flying would make her feel better.
Unfortunately, today was to be the exception. How was Egg to kno
w that doing a good deed would lead to such a terrible accident?
*****
Two hours later . . .
“In a freak accident, a phone company employee who was up on a pole making repairs fell twenty feet to the street below.
The police on the scene said that when they got to him, the person was barely conscious. They attempted to find out what happened, but all the injured man would say was, “flying monkey, flying monkey.”
Whether he was referring to the monkey that had earlier escaped from a pet shop or the ones from the Wizard of Oz is unclear.
The unidentified workman was taken to Mount Needles State Hospital. He has two broken ribs, a broken arm and a concussion. His condition is listed as serious.
In other news…”
The elder Eloise turned off the television. “Oh, dear” was the best she could manage.
“Grammy, I think it was my fault that he fell.” Egg was as upset as she had been the night before.
“Egg, you don’t know that.”
“After I caught the monkey in a big tree . . .
. . . I flew right past a man on a telephone pole. I even waved to him.”
“Did you see him fall?”
“Of course not, otherwise I would have tried to catch him or at least fix him up if he was hurt.”
“I’m sorry, I know you would have. I was only trying to point out that it may have been anything that made him fall . . . not just the sight of Flying Girl.”
“But you heard what they said. He kept talking about flying monkeys.”
“Well, no matter, dear one. We can’t change the past, but we can influence the future.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means that Flying Girl is going to visit the poor man at the hospital and fix his injuries.”
“How . . . they won’t let me in. Would they?”
“Hmmm . . . you’re probably right. But I think I know a way.” She walked over to the telephone and dialed a number. She waited a moment before whoever she was calling answered. “Lottie, it’s Eloise. Do you still do volunteer work at the hospital? Wonderful . . . I hate to ask, but I need your help. My granddaughter and I have to get in to see that man who fell off the telephone pole today. Did you see it on TV?”
Boxed Set: Egg and the Hameggattic Sisterhood: [The 12 book 1st adventure + the series prequel] Page 27