Pixie Piper and the Matter of the Batter

by Annabelle Fisher

I put down my fork. I was pretty sure I knew the answer.

  Wyatt hesitated as if he were reluctant to say. “Destiny,” he admitted finally. “At first, when we brought her into the barn, we put her down with the others. But she raced for the door.” Wyatt shrugged. “I wasn’t expecting her to try to escape, but she’s new. When I caught her, she nipped my nose. It’s my fault. I should have been more careful.”

  “I’m sorry,” I said. “I think she’s scared here.”

  “She’ll fit in,” said Wyatt. “It will probably take her a while to get comfortable. She’s a runt, you know. The others are all bigger than her.”

  A lump formed in my throat. I hadn’t realized Des was a runt.

  “She’s going to have to fit in soon or we’ll have to cage her,” said Aunt Cone Hat. She turned toward me. “It would be for her own good. It’s dangerous for a little goose to wander around alone.”

  Gray and I exchanged wide-eyed looks across the table. “I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again,” he promised.

  Aunt Cone Hat looked at him. “We’ll see,” she muttered.

  For a moment it was dead quiet. Then Aunt Bernie said, “If we don’t start eating, everything will get cold. Somebody pass the pasta.”

  “Did you know that Wyatt made the cheese with milk from our cows, Ivy and Fern?” Winnie asked Rain and me.

  Nell giggled. “Yes, those two are in love with him. Truly! They kick anyone else who tries to milk them.”

  “So Gray and River, you’d better be careful when you’re cleaning up the cow patties,” said Wyatt.

  Gray laughed. He didn’t mind being teased. It was a good thing, too, because there was a lot of it going on. Wyatt was the girls’ favorite target. They stole the bread off his plate when he wasn’t looking and passed him the pepper when he asked for salt. He pretended not to notice, but I think he enjoyed their pranks.

  The Aunts hardly said a word, though occasionally they’d catch my eye and smile. Except for Aunt Esperanza. The looks she sent me were scary. She was scary. Her eyes were shriveled like old raisins, her wrinkles had wrinkles, and her chin was round like a light bulb. And of course, there was that hat. I wondered if it was glued to her head.

  Perrin clinked a spoon again her glass. “Let’s hurry and clean up. It’s almost time for Good News.”

  I cleared my place and started to follow the girls to the kitchen.

  “Just a minute, Pixie,” said Aunt Cone Hat. “We want to speak to you.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Ye Olde Bad Talent

  I sat back down, wondering how I could be in trouble already and watched as Aunt Esperanza retied her hat. With her gnarled old fingers, it took a while, and her face scrunched up as if it hurt. I felt kind of sorry for her.

  “We’re glad you’re here, Pixie,” she said finally. “Doris has told us all about you. With your help, we’re hoping to bake more cakes with even stronger wishing powers.”

  I sat up taller. Maybe I wasn’t in trouble. I wondered if I might get to wear a tall black hat someday. Then I started imagining how Destiny would look in a goose-sized version.

  Crack!! Aunt Doris snapped her chewing gum. The expression on her face warned me to pay attention.

  “However, in spite of your power, I don’t know if you’ll pass your apprenticeship,” Aunt Esperanza continued. “Because you’d have to follow the rules. And so far, you’ve been failing at that.”

  “But I’ve been braver than brave and truer than true!” I looked at Aunt Doris. The smile she sent me was small and cautious.

  “You were disobedient. You didn’t listen to Doris when she told you to stay away from Raveneece,” Aunt Bernie said.

  It was true, but it felt unfair.

  Aunt Fancy’s bracelets jingled as she reached across the table and patted my hand. “It’s how you got in so much trouble, dear. We’re just trying to keep it from happening again. The next time you might not be so lucky.” She bit her lip, looking worried.

  “But I was supposed to guard my goose. That was a rule, too. You’re not being f—”

  Old Cone Hat’s glare stopped me from finishing my sentence. “You have to be able to recognize what’s most important,” she said. “And you’ve got to use self-restraint. Though so far, I’m not convinced you have any in you.”

  “Come on, Espy,” Aunt Doris said. “Pixie didn’t know how dangerous Raveneece was. And she had no idea about the strength of her own power.”

  Aunt Cone Hat rapped the table with her knotty knuckles. “She didn’t just break a rule, Doris! She shattered Raveneece. The Sinister Sisters are bent on revenge. Every person and goose on this farm is now threatened.”

  “I didn’t do it on purpose,” I said. “I didn’t even know it could happen.”

  “That doesn’t matter to the Sinister Sisters,” Aunt Esperanza snapped. “You’ve got a talent for trouble—and trouble is exactly what we don’t need here. You are not to set foot off this farm. And you’re never to be alone. Understood?”

  I stared at her with my mouth wide open. She was being so mean! A rhyme popped into my head:

  “Underneath that pointy hat

  Is your head pointy, too?

  I’m not the one who doesn’t get it,

  Aunt Cone Hat, it’s you!”

  Okay, I didn’t actually say it. None of the other Aunts spoke, either. I glanced at Aunt Doris, but she wouldn’t look at me.

  “Yes, understood.” I sighed.

  “Now go and join the others in the TV room.” Aunt Esperanza dismissed me with a wave like she was shooing a fly.

  “Okay—but can I go to the barn to check on Destiny for a couple of minutes first? I haven’t seen her since this morning.”

  “No! That goose needs to learn to be without you. And the sooner, the better!”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Ye Olde Good News

  In the TV room, I joined Gray, Rain, and River on a rug that was as soft as the fur of a Persian cat. We were closest to the TV and farthest from the Aunts, who sat in wooden rocking chairs at the back of the room. Right behind us, Perrin, Nell, Winnie, and Pip were settled on a cherry-red sofa. Winnie leaned forward and patted me hello when I sat down.

  “What did the Aunts want?” whispered Gray.

  I scooted closer and murmured, “They think I’ve got a talent for trouble.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Everyone already knows that, Pix. So what?”

  “So I’m supposed to follow the rules, no matter what.”

  “Turn it on, Wyatt, or we’ll miss the beginning!” commanded Aunt Esperanza.

  Wyatt had been leaning against the doorframe, munching popcorn. But at Aunt Esperanza’s command, he snatched up the remote and clicked it at the TV screen.

  The show opened with music that sounded like chirping and a line of cartoon birds on a telephone wire tweeting to one another. Then a real live woman with spiky blond hair looked up from some papers on her desk and said, “Happy Friday! I’m Toni Tellsit, and this week we’re highlighting two Good News stories.”

  “Ooh, I like Toni’s outfit tonight,” said Aunt Fancy. “That yellow dress is very becoming.”

  “Fancy, you like anything with a bow,” chided Aunt Bernie. “The one she’s wearing is big enough to decorate a dinosaur in an Easter parade.”

  “Quiet, you two!” Aunt Cone Hat snapped.

  “The first story tonight is about the opening of a new playground at the children’s hospital in Rainbow Ridge,” Toni Tellsit began. “It’s designed to be friendly to kids with disabilities, as well as those who can get around under their own steam. But before we take you there, we want to introduce you to the young men who helped make it happen, eight-year-old Corey Robin and seven-year-old Robbie Robin.”

  The camera focused on two boys with eyes as big as quarters and mops of dark hair. They looked alike, although there was one big difference. Robbie was in a wheelchair.

  “Okay, boys, tell us how you did it,” said Toni.

&n
bsp; Corey shrugged. “Well, before, when I went to the playground, Robbie always came along to watch. I wanted a place where he could do stuff with me.”

  “And how did you put your idea into action?”

  Corey pushed his hair out of his eyes. “I made a wish on my birthday cake.”

  Perrin, Nell, Winnie, and Pip clapped.

  “Shh!” the Aunts chorused.

  “And what happened next?” asked Toni.

  “It was weird. The week after my birthday, this lady who’s a playground engineer, Ms. Handly, knocked on our door,” Corey explained. “She said Rainbow Ridge Hospital had asked her to build a playground for them. They told her to talk to Robbie and me about it, because Robbie’s spent a lot of time there.”

  Toni grinned at him. “I heard that you helped with the fund-raising, too,”

  “A bunch of us kids did,” Corey said. “We held car washes, did yard work, walked dogs, watered plants, and ran errands.”

  “I sold lemonade,” Robbie added.

  “Let’s show our viewers the results of all that work,” said Toni. “Here’s a videotape.”

  The new Rainbow Ridge Playground was bustling with children playing on a pretend pirate ship. There were lots of ramps and wide doors for kids who were in wheelchairs or who had trouble walking up stairs. There was also a push carousel that had spaces for wheelchairs and a row of swings that alternated high-backed ones with the usual backless kind, so that kids like Corey and Robbie could swing next to each other.

  The idea that it might have been one of the Goose Ladies’ cakes that made Corey’s wish come true was super amazing.

  After a commercial, Toni reappeared on the screen with a shaggy-haired man in a Beatles T-shirt. “Next, meet Mr. Melvy Moonpie,” she said. “For seven years Mr. Moonpie has been collecting pickles that look like the members of his all-time favorite band, the Beatles. And the good news is, this week he finally completed his collection. Please tell us your story, Mr. Moonpie.”

  “Well, Toni, when I was young, I began collecting anything that had the Beatles’ names or faces on it—posters, T-shirts, mugs, shoelaces, slippers, towels, hats, scarves—everything right down to my boxers.”

  “Er, about the pickles,” Toni reminded him.

  “Well, one day, I was having a ham and cheese at Pete’s Diner. I always order a whole pickle on the side, because Pete’s are the crunchiest. Anyway, I was about to bite into a mean, green one when suddenly I was face-to-face with Paul McCartney!”

  “Your pickle looked like Paul McCartney?”

  “Yep.”

  “That must have been amazing!” exclaimed Toni.

  “I think this nut’s cracked,” muttered Aunt Bernie.

  Gray rolled off his cushion, snickering. Rain and I elbowed each other in the ribs.

  “Yep! That pickle had the face of Paul, there was no mistaking it,” Melvy Moonpie continued. “But to make sure I wasn’t dreaming, I showed it to the waitress, Minnie Crackers.”

  “And she cracked up,” Gray whispered. He and River both buried their faces in their knees.

  “And what did Minnie say?” asked Toni.

  “She shouted so loud it set the neighborhood dogs howling. ‘Congratulations, Melvy, you’ve finally found Paul!’”

  I looked over at Gray. I was afraid he might die laughing.

  “Was Paul more difficult to find than the other three pickles, I mean, Beatles?” Toni asked.

  Melvy rubbed his chin. “John was easiest—he came with a corned beef sandwich. George was in a dish with pickled tomatoes and peppers, but I had to stop my nephew from biting into him. Ringo was in a jar I found at the back of my sister’s refrigerator. Lucky for me, she never throws anything out. But it took me seven years to find Paul. I’d wished for him on my birthday cake the night before, and there he was!”

  “Viewers at home, you are in for a treat,” Toni said. “Melvy Moonpie has brought his collection of pickled Beatles into the studio today. Here they are.”

  Melvy stood behind a table that held four medium-sized glass jars. Slowly, the camera focused on each one. The water the Beatles floated in was pretty murky. They were wrinkled, bumpy, and old. They looked like pickles.

  “If you ask me, those things are stomachaches waiting to happen,” grumbled Aunt Cone Hat.

  “So I guess finding Paul was the best day of your life,” said Toni.

  Melvy turned a crooked-toothed smile to the camera. “Oh no. The best day of my life was selling my pickle collection to another Beatles fan. He’ll be picking them up right after this show.”

  Toni’s eyes widened. “After all the trouble you went to?”

  “It’s time for someone else to enjoy them,” Melvy said. “You see, ever since I read about the oil spill in Alaska, I’ve wanted to go there to help clean up the shores and restore the area for wildlife. But until now, I couldn’t afford the airfare. It’s been my wish for a long time, and now I’m finally off to Fairbanks next week!”

  CHAPTER NINE

  Ye Olde Night of Secrets

  I’d been thinking we’d have some free time when Good News of the Week was over. But Aunt Esperanza said, “Good night, apprentices.” She made it sound like it was an order.

  I turned to Gray and rolled my eyes. He sent me back a burp and followed River and Wyatt. The three of them were sharing a room right near the barn. According to Wyatt, it was so close they could roll out of bed to milk Ivy and Fern.

  “Good night, Aunts,” Perrin chirped, speaking for all of us. She headed upstairs with Nell, Winnie, and Pip. Rain and I followed, taking our time. We made up a game of hopping up three steps and then jumping back two, so it would take us extra-long to get to our room.

  By the time I’d reached it, I had a plan. Quickly I grabbed my nightgown and toothbrush and headed for the door.

  “Pixie, there are two bathrooms down the hallway,” Perrin called. “And if you want to send an e-mail home, the computer room is next door. It’s about the size of a closet, so don’t miss it.”

  “Thanks,” I replied, even though I wasn’t ready to send my family the cheerful note I knew they were hoping for. But the door to the computer room was open. The room was tiny, but cozy and inviting. The walls were papered with a print of geese wearing tutus, and a small wooden table with a computer was waiting like an invitation. It seemed so cozy and private that I plopped right down.

  TO: Lucy Chang, Alexa Pinkston

  SUBJECT: My First Day

  This baking camp is for the birds

  The staff is strict, the kids are nerds

  The place has more rules than a jail

  I think at camping, I might fail

  The only thing that’s good’s the cake

  I think I made a big mistake

  Miss you!

  Pixie

  After I clicked Send, I continued on to the bathroom. At home I lived in the caretaker’s cottage on an estate that included a museum of rare and historical toilets. I was hoping the commodes here would be shaped like geese or that they recited rhymes when you flushed, so I could tell Uncle Bottoms, who owned the estate. Unfortunately, these toilets were totally uninteresting.

  I turned on the shower, but I didn’t get in. Leaving my clothes and sneakers behind a stack of towels on a shelf, I put on my nightgown and slung my little goose flashlight, which I’d put on a lanyard, around my neck. Quickly, I padded back into the corridor again. I wanted the other girls to think I was in there, while I went to the barn to see Destiny. But if one of the Aunts caught me, I was planning to say I was on my way to the kitchen hoping to find a bedtime snack. I knew it was deceitful. And I felt bad about wasting water. But as Aunt Cone Hat herself said, I had to recognize what was most important. Right now, Des was at the top of my list.

  “Ahem.” I was heading for the staircase when someone coughed softly.

  I was not braver than brave. I jumped before I realized it was Rain. “What are you doing here?” I asked.

  She held u
p her toothbrush as an answer. “What about you?”

  I decided to trust her. “I’m going to see Destiny. I’m worried she thinks I abandoned her. Don’t tell anyone.”

  “I’ll come, too. I want to see Drizzle.” Rain crossed her arms over her chest as if she wasn’t budging.

  “We’ll probably get in trouble,” I told her.

  “If you go down that staircase, you’ll definitely get in trouble.” I spun around at the sound of another voice. Somehow, Pip had snuck up on us.

  I was more disappointed than surprised. I’d thought maybe she was different from the others—less interested in following rules. “You were spying on me,” I grumbled.

  “Not spying—protecting. You know we’re not supposed to leave you alone.”

  “I’m still going. I don’t care if I get caught.”

  “Me, either,” Rain added, lacing her fingers through mine.

  Pip sighed. “Then I guess I’ll have to break the rules and go, too. But the Aunts’ rooms are right below ours and they might hear us. I’ll show you a better way.”

  “Okay,” I agreed. “Just let me turn off the shower.”

  We made our way to the other end of the hall, where Pip opened a deep closet with shelves packed with bed linens and towels. There was also a tall, built-in cupboard, with doors like a china cabinet. Pip swung them open. Inside was a staircase.

  “This leads directly to the barn,” she said. “The stairs are creaky, but the Aunts sleep pretty soundly.”

  “I never worry about making noise,” Rain said.

  “Why, are you a cat?” I teased.

  She grinned. “It’s my special gift—I can make myself and everything around me silent.”

  Hmm. Although the apprentices all knew about my ability—which I wouldn’t have called a “gift”—it was the first time I’d heard anyone mention theirs. “What if you drop something?” I asked.

  “It doesn’t make any noise, unless I want it to.” Rain wasn’t bragging; she was just stating a fact.

  Pip removed one of her slippers and dangled it between two fingers. “What if someone else drops something?”