Abby really wanted to do this on her own, but she had to admit she needed help. Claudia couldn’t paint faces for hours, and that’s how long it would take to do everything that had to be done.
Mary Anne ran into the house and phoned Logan. Logan agreed to help and said he’d call Shannon. Then Abby got Anna on the phone. Anna said she’d come right over with Shannon and that she’d try to recruit a few more people she knew.
Mallory came in to get more punch as Abby hung up the phone. “I’ll call Ben Hobart,” she said. “He might be able to come over and help.”
“Good idea,” said Abby.
Within the hour, Logan and Ben arrived. Shannon and Anna came right after them. Three friends of Anna’s showed up, too. “Just tell us what to do,” Shannon said to Abby.
Abby gave everyone a job. Mary Anne kept the music going and Claudia kept painting faces. Logan finished painting signs. Shannon and Anna used hammers and nails to finish putting booths together. Ben helped Mallory and Jessi set up the refreshment table.
When the Pikes arrived, Mallory put the triplets and Vanessa to work. Vanessa was in charge of sitting at the spin-art booth where people would get to make their own swirling paint creations on an electric wheel. The triplets were each in charge of a different game. Byron took the beanbag toss (which Abby was still working on, stitching up little bags filled with dried beans). Jordan manned the ring toss, and Adam was in charge of the water balloon game in which people tried to burst a water balloon on a picture of a distressed, red-faced person overheating from eating a hot chili pepper.
Abby noticed that Claudia was painting the last kid on her line. It was Jamie Newton and she was giving him the tiger face he’d requested. She glanced at Abby with a worried, “what now?” expression, but Abby gave her the thumbs-up signal.
Everything was ready to go.
By then, people were flooding in. Abby could see that — based on the number of people there — they were going to raise a fortune for the orphanage. Kids were already paying a quarter for a chance to bat at the hanging piñatas with a long stick. She heard a water balloon splat against the face of the chili-pepper eater. “A winner!” Adam cried, handing the boy one of the colorful Pogs that they’d bought as prizes. (And for which Abby had requested yet more donations in order to afford.)
Abby slumped against a tree and took a deep breath. Everything was going well. This festival was going to be a success. But had she made it a success? Or had all the Kristy thinkalikes saved her? It was an unsettling question.
Abby had been confident she could handle things — and handle them her way. She was sure Kristy was a fanatic who overdid everything.
Now she wasn’t as sure. Maybe Kristy knew more about running things than Abby had realized. But Abby was willing to learn, although she’d probably never admit it to Kristy.
I woke up early on Sunday morning even though I didn’t have to. I opened my eyes and lay in bed on my side, listening to the city sounds — the traffic, sirens, people on the street — and gazed at the morning sunlight streaming into my room. It was my last day in the city before returning to Stoneybrook. I wanted to savor every last minute of it.
Normally, I’d have been looking forward to getting home after a week away. I missed Mom and my friends.
But this time, when I got home, I’d have to deal with Robert.
That was something I did not want to face. As long as I was here I could pretend that nothing had happened. Or that something would change. Robert would see that Andi was a boring little twit and break up with her before I even got home.
Propping myself up on my elbows, I thought about that. It might happen. It was certainly possible.
And then I was suddenly completely overwhelmed by the most unbelievable thought — a totally startling, completely shocking realization.
The idea of Robert breaking up with Andi didn’t make me happy. In fact, the thought disappointed me.
Could it be? Was it possible that deep down — deep, deep, deep down — I was glad to be free of Robert?
Oh, sure, at first it had been a terrible shock. No one likes to be lied to by a person she trusts. And no one wants to be cast aside for someone else. It shakes your trust and hurts your pride.
I’d miss Robert like crazy.
But … still and all …
There was Ethan.
It wasn’t as if I was madly in love with Ethan or that I would have broken up with Robert to go out with him. Now, though, I was free to see more of Ethan if I wanted to. I liked that idea. I liked Ethan.
So, if I liked Ethan, I supposed I couldn’t blame Robert much if he liked someone else. (I could still blame him for lying to me, though.)
Dad knocked loudly on my door. “Are you up, Stace?”
“Yes!”
“Are you into going to brunch?”
“Definitely! I’ll get ready.”
“Give me half an hour to shower and change,” he called.
I dressed in black skinny pants and a light pink cardigan. (Another of our Bellair buys.) After picking through my perm, I put on some tannish-pink lipstick and a pair of bead earrings. Then I dragged my suitcase out from under the bed and started packing. I packed fast, throwing my clothes in hastily. Somehow, packing slowly and thoughtfully would have given me time to think about going home. Despite my realization, I was still feeling shaky about it.
By the time Dad was ready, so was I. “Where to?” he asked.
“Somewhere by the Museum of Natural History,” I replied. “I’d like to say good-bye to Grace and Henry before I go.”
“I know just the place,” Dad said. We took a cab to a café on the corner by the museum and had a great brunch. I ordered eggs benedict. “Dad, I owe you an apology,” I said as we ate.
“For what?” he asked, wiping his mouth with a cloth napkin.
“Last Sunday, in the museum … I acted like a little brat.”
“No, you didn’t.”
“Yes I did.”
“Well, maybe,” he said, laughing.
“I just didn’t want to hear what you had to say about Robert. But you were right. You were right about everything.”
“Ahhh,” Dad said, “that’s music to a father’s ears.”
I laughed. “No, really. I think we are too young. Maybe both of us were feeling it but we didn’t know. It’s better if we date different people. I see that now.”
Dad nodded and then reached across the table to place his hand on mine. “Are you all right, Stacey?” he asked. “You can know things are for the best in theory but not feel that way in your heart.”
Unexpectedly, his words brought a mist of tears to my eyes. I wondered if that was how he felt about his divorce from Mom. It was surely how I felt about the situation with Robert.
Roughly, I brushed at my eyes. “I’ll be okay,” I assured him.
Dad patted my hand. “That’s my girl.”
We finished our brunch and Dad requested the check. “Why don’t you run up to the Walkers’ while I pay? I’ll meet you out front in a cab and we’ll go to Grand Central.”
“Deal,” I said, getting up from the table. I hurried out of the café and over to the Walkers’ place.
“Stacey, hi,” Mrs. Walker greeted me at the door. “I’m so glad you stopped by. I bought you a little something to say thanks.” She took a package wrapped in blue tissue paper from the front hall drawer.
“Thanks,” I said, pulling apart the tissue. It was a gorgeous pair of hammered bronze earrings, small mobiles, like the kind Mrs. Walker wore.
“A jewelry designer friend of mine makes them,” Mrs. Walker explained. “I saw you admiring mine. I hope you like them.”
“I do,” I said sincerely as I put them on, staring into the front hall mirror. I’d never even told Mrs. Walker how much I liked hers. She’d just noticed. I suppose being observant is a quality good artists have. “Are Henry and Grace around?” I asked. “I’d like to say good-bye.”
“Henry!
Grace!” Mrs. Walker called down the hall.
The kids came running. “Hi, Stacey!” Henry shouted. “Where are we going today?”
“I’m going home, I’m afraid,” I said, bending to his level.
“Why are you afraid?” Henry asked seriously.
“Oh,” I said. “That’s only an expression.” (Although, in a way, I was afraid.)
Grace hugged me and then Henry reached over her and added his hug. I squeezed them back. I’d really miss them.
As the hug reached the minute mark, Mrs. Walker gently pried the kids off me. “That’s enough now,” she told them. “Stacey has to go.”
“ ’Bye,” I said, my hand on the doorknob. “It was a great week.”
“ ’Bye, Stacey,” Mrs. Walker said fondly. “Give our regards to your parents.”
“I will.” I left the Walkers’ and headed down the hall, feeling sad. I pressed the down button on the elevator and waited. When the door opened, Ethan was standing there.
“Stacey!” he cried.
“Hi, Ethan,” I said, stepping into the elevator with him. “I’m leaving today, so I came up to say good-bye.”
He let the elevator door shut and pressed the down button for me. “You’re going down again, too,” I reminded him, laughing.
“So what? I don’t mind taking a ride with you,” he replied, his eyes smiling into mine. “I’ll even go to the station with you, if you want.”
“My dad is waiting outside in a cab for me,” I told him. “You can come, too.”
Ethan shook his head. “No thanks. I want to get all decked out when I meet your dear old dad.” We both glanced down at his torn jeans. He probably had the right idea. I was happy to hear him say he planned on meeting Dad. “Listen,” he said, suddenly seeming shy. “I’d like to see you again. I mean, when you’re in town. Is that okay? Would you like to?”
I nodded, feeling very happy. “I would like to, yeah.”
“You’re not seeing someone else or anything?”
“I was. But that’s over now.” Saying the words wasn’t nearly as awful as I’d expected.
Ethan smiled. “Do you have a phone number?”
Rummaging in my pocketbook, I found a pen and wrote my city number and my Stoneybrook number on the back of my crumpled ticket for the Circle Line cruise. “There,” I said, handing it to him. “What’s your number?”
Ethan wrote his number on an old museum ticket I found in my wallet.
He walked me to the front of the building. There weren’t any mushy good-byes because Dad was there in a cab waiting in the street. “I’ll call you,” Ethan said, waving as I climbed into the cab.
“ ’Bye!” I called. And then the cab pulled away. I waved to Ethan until we turned the corner. Then he was gone.
Sitting forward in the seat I thought about going home, and what my next conversation with Robert would be like.
I couldn’t believe it. Before I was even at my front door, who came up the street but Andi Gentile. I saw her as Mom and I pulled into the driveway. Couldn’t she even wait for me to get my suitcase unpacked before coming over to tell me she’d stolen Robert?
“Is this a friend of yours?” Mom asked, getting out of the car.
“Not exactly,” I said as Andi turned up our front walkway. “But I know her.”
Mom went into the house and left me standing by the car. Andi stopped and faced me. Her expression was so tortured and unhappy it actually made me feel sorry for her. I didn’t want to feel that. I wanted to be angry.
I couldn’t help it, though. She looked as if she were about to cry.
“Stacey, I have to tell you something,” she began unhappily. “Can we go somewhere and talk?”
“I already know,” I said.
“You do?” She gasped. “How … could you?”
“Manhattan isn’t another planet, you know,” I said bitingly. “There are phones there.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for it to happen. Robert and I just kept running into each other and when we did we always had a lot to talk about and a lot of laughs and —”
“It’s all right,” I said, cutting her off. I really didn’t want to hear about their good times.
“It’s all right?” Andi repeated, daring to step across the lawn toward me. “I don’t understand.”
“I don’t own Robert,” I said, and saying the words helped me realize they were true. “If you and Robert want to be together then I can’t stop you. I shouldn’t stop you.”
“I don’t want you to hate me, Stacey,” said Andi.
“I don’t hate you.” Oddly enough, that was true, too. I didn’t. How could I blame her for liking Robert? I knew how much there was to like about him. “I don’t hate you,” I repeated more softly. “But I would kind of like to be alone now. Okay?”
“Okay, sure. I’m glad we talked.”
“Yeah, me, too,” I replied, turning toward my house.
Inside, I leaned against the door, catching my breath. Almost immediately, I heard the phone ring. “Yes, she’s here, Robert. Just a moment,” I heard Mom say into the cordless phone in the dining room. She brought the phone to me. “For you.”
“Hi, Stacey,” he said. The sound of his voice made my hands shake. “How was the city?”
“Fine,” I said, my voice actually trembling.
“Can I come over?” he asked.
“Sure.”
“I’m at a phone booth. I’ll be there in five minutes.”
“Okay.” I clicked off and clutched the phone.
“You all right?” Mom asked, seeing my expression.
“Robert and I are about to break up,” I told her. “He’s coming over now.”
Mom bit her lip. “Want me to stay or go?”
“I think we need some privacy,” I said.
“All right, but I’ll be right upstairs if you need me,” she offered, heading up the steps.
“Thanks.”
In less than five minutes, Robert showed up. “Hi,” he said, looking terribly guilty.
“Come on in,” I said, leading the way into the living room. “Before you say anything, Robert,” I began, sitting on the couch, “I know what’s been happening. Claudia told me and I’ve already talked to Andi.”
Even though the situation was serious, I had to laugh grimly to myself. Robert looked as if he were about to fall off his chair. Eyes wide, he paled and clutched the seat of the chair. “You know?”
I nodded. “What I don’t know is why you lied to me.” When I said the word lied it caught in my throat and came out in a choked way.
“I didn’t want to,” Robert said, the color returning to his face. In fact, the color was going from white to bright red. “Really, I didn’t. I just wasn’t sure what was happening and I didn’t want to upset you.”
“Well, you did upset me!” Now my voice was half sob, half anger.
“I know and I’m sorry. I didn’t want to say anything until I was sure.”
I started crying. “And now you’re sure?”
Robert came across the room to the couch. “Why?” I asked through my tears. “Why do you like her better than me?”
Robert took my hand and squeezed it. “I can’t explain,” he said quietly. “I’m just more relaxed with Andi. I think we have more in common.”
“That makes sense, I guess,” I said, sniffling.
“I don’t have a handkerchief or anything like in the movies,” Robert said helplessly. He raised his arm. “Want my sleeve?”
I pushed his arm away, but the offer made me laugh through my tears. “How will I ever find another guy who will let me blow my nose on his sleeve?” Then I started crying again, this time harder than before. The tears gushed out of my eyes like a river overflowing.
“You’ll find someone great, Stacey,” Robert said tenderly. “Because you’re great. You really are. I hope we’ll always be friends.”
I dried my eyes. “I hope so, too,” I said. “Maybe we can be. After awhi
le.” He hugged me hard and I hugged him back.
Then he got up and I could see he wanted to leave. I walked to the door with him. “I’ll see you,” he said, stepping outside.
“Yeah. See you.” I watched him walk away. He turned back once and waved. I waved back, then shut the door.
“How are you?” Mom asked from the stairs behind me.
“I’ll live,” I said, forcing a smile.
“That’s the truth. You will,” Mom agreed. “And life is long, you know. You and Robert might get together again. If you were truly meant to be together you will. Look at Mary Anne’s father and Dawn’s mother.”
“I can’t think about that,” I said. “Right now it doesn’t seem too likely.” The phone rang again and I answered it. “Hello?”
“Hi, it’s Claud. Are you okay? You sound weird.” I told her what had just happened. “Oh, wow,” she said. “I’m coming right over.”
“You don’t have to,” I said.
“Yes, I do. I’m your best friend, aren’t I?”
“Of course.”
“Then I have to come right over.”
“All right,” I agreed, a smile forming on my face.
“I have the money from the festival to give you, too.”
“Why to me?”
“You’re the treasurer. Abby said to give it to you. She’s glad you’re back to take over. I’m not sure she’s glad Kristy will be president again, though. It’s hard to tell. I think she was getting into the job, but maybe a little too much.”
Claudia rambled on about the BSC and everyone we knew. By the time she hung up, I was feeling a lot better. I was glad she was coming over.
As I headed up to my room, I realized it felt good to be home. My future might not include Robert anymore, but I was eager to return to my regular life, see my friends, baby-sit for some of our regular clients.
I’d heard an expression once: sadder but wiser. I hadn’t understood it at the time. Now I did. That was me — sadder but wiser Stacey McGill.
I was going to be okay, though. No matter what happened, I’d always have myself to rely on. As long as I liked me, I’d be fine. And that was something I hadn’t been sure of before Robert broke my heart. Now I was sure.
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