The Vanderbeekers Make a Wish

by Karina Yan Glaser

  The Vanderbeeker kids rushed around grabbing Papa’s toiletries and throwing T-shirts and jeans and socks and a phone charger into Pop-Pop’s ancient suitcase, each item causing a puff of dust to billow up. Papa tossed in underwear and dug out his fancy pair of shoes from the far corner of the closet while Isa put in a book. The packing finished, Oliver zipped up the luggage and Papa pulled out the one nice suit he owned and draped it over his arm. It was already enclosed in a garment bag.

  “I think I’m ready,” Papa said at the same time Mama called up the stairs, “Honey, you should get going!”

  They went downstairs and watched Papa tie his sneakers and grab his wallet, keys, and phone and shove them into his jacket pocket.

  “I love you all,” Papa said, opening the door. He looked at Oliver once more. “And I’m really sorry, Oliver. I’ll make it up to you.”

  “Be safe out there,” Mama said, looking outside. The wind was fierce.

  “The wind is supposed to let up in an hour,” Jessie noted, looking at the weather on her phone.

  “Good,” Hyacinth said. She didn’t like thinking about Papa on a plane in this weather.

  After hugging Mama and all the kids, Papa picked up the suitcase, and the Vanderbeekers followed him to the sidewalk in front of the brownstone.

  Oliver watched him walk down the sidewalk to the avenue, where he could hail a taxi, already feeling as if the brownstone was lonelier and emptier without him.

  Two

  “Come on,” Mama said, ushering the kids back inside the brownstone. “Let’s get some breakfast.”

  “We were supposed to be leaving for our camping trip right now,” Oliver said forlornly.

  “How about I make you my super-special cheese, egg, and tomato sandwich?” Mama said, putting an arm around him.

  “And afterward you can take me bike riding!” Laney added. She had just learned how to ride a bike without training wheels, but unfortunately, her bike was so small that her knees hit the handlebars with every rotation. Since Hyacinth was still using her bike, Laney couldn’t move up to a bigger bike yet. Nevertheless, Laney was able to ride admirably, despite looking as if she belonged in the circus.

  While Mama finished getting breakfast ready, the Vanderbeeker kids (except Oliver, who moped on the couch) set the table and filled glasses with water for Jessie and Isa, milk for Laney and Hyacinth, and juice for Oliver. Jessie brewed a cup of ginger tea for Mama. Isa donned oven mitts to remove the casserole from the oven, and Mama sliced into the crackly crust of a fresh loaf of sourdough. She got Oliver’s special sandwich ready and placed the rest of the sourdough slices on a platter with butter and jam. Jessie brought the platter to the table, and everyone sat down.

  Jessie glanced at Papa’s seat, sending up a silent prayer that he would have safe travels to Indiana. She remembered her first and only plane trip, which had happened last year when she and Mr. Beiderman, their third-floor neighbor, flew to Atlanta to find Jessie’s best friend, Orlando. Now Orlando lived with Mr. Beiderman, and after nearly nine months of filling out forms, Mr. Beiderman had received final approval to be Orlando’s legal guardian.

  Mama blessed the food, and everyone except Oliver made a grab for the sourdough.

  “Will Uncle Sylvester still be able to come to Papa’s birthday party?” Laney asked.

  “I’m not sure,” Mama said. “I guess we’ll know later this week. Jessie, can you get my phone? I think it’s in the bedroom. I need to double-check my work schedule.”

  Jessie went upstairs and stepped inside her parents’ bedroom. It smelled so good in there, like fresh linens and lavender. She grabbed Mama’s phone from the bedside table, and as she was leaving, Pop-Pop’s blazer, which was still on the bed, caught her eye. Slipping Mama’s phone into her pocket, Jessie picked up the blazer. She was about to place it in the cardboard box holding Pop-Pop’s other possessions when she had the overwhelming desire to put it on.

  She slipped her right arm into the sleeve, the worn silk lining cool and reassuring against her arm. She reached her left arm back to slip the other sleeve on, and while it was slightly large, the blazer settled itself onto her body as if it was made for her. Pop-Pop must have been the same height and build as Papa. Jessie had passed her mom in height last year, then sprouted another few inches in the last couple of months. She was now getting close to her dad’s height, and nearly every day, one of her neighbors commented on this fact.

  Jessie opened the closet and looked into the mirror that hung on the inside of the door. The jacket made her look a lot like Papa, and that made her happy. She ran her fingers along the shell buttons and the slightly scratchy wool fabric and the smooth leather of the elbow patches. Her grandfather had worn this blazer hundreds of times, and somehow it made her feel connected to him in a way she had never experienced before. She kept the blazer on and went back down the stairs. She found Laney trying to circle the dining room table on her tiny bike while Tuxedo, George Washington, and Paganini sought refuge under the couch and Franz ran after Laney, barking.

  “Whoa,” everyone said when they saw Jessie.

  Laney hopped off her bike and ran to Jessie for a closer look.

  “It fits you!” Isa said.

  “It’s a little big,” Jessie said, holding her arms out.

  “You look just like Papa in that jacket,” Laney observed.

  “She looks just like Pop-Pop in that jacket,” Mama said. “Wait a second. Is that Pop-Pop’s jacket?”

  Jessie nodded. “It was in the suitcase Papa used for his trip.”

  “Wow,” Mama said. “I haven’t seen that in years. Pop-Pop wore that all the time.”

  “It feels really good to wear,” Jessie said, hugging the jacket around her before sitting back down at the table. “Like I know him somehow.”

  Mama teared up a little bit. “I wish you had known him. He had a smile that lit up a room. I think about him all the time.”

  “How did he die?” Oliver asked.

  Mama looked at her kids in surprise. “Papa never told you?”

  They shook their heads.

  “It was the day before Papa’s college graduation,” Mama began. “We were so excited he was coming to the ceremony, especially since his health hadn’t been great earlier that year. When we talked to him that morning, he sounded really happy. But then Papa got a call that night. Pop-Pop had had a heart attack. He died on the way to the hospital.”

  “That is so sad,” Hyacinth said. “Poor Papa!”

  “It was terrible,” Mama said. “We flew back to New York City right away.”

  “Papa didn’t go to his college graduation?” Jessie asked.

  Mama shook her head.

  “Wow,” Isa said. “I had no idea. He never said anything about that before.”

  “He doesn’t like talking about it,” Mama said, then glanced at the clock. “I’ve got to get to the bakery. Can you clean up after you’re done eating?”

  The Vanderbeeker kids nodded and started to clear the table while Mama grabbed her bag and dashed out the door.

  As they loaded the dishwasher with their breakfast plates, Hyacinth spotted movement outside the living room window that faced out onto 141st Street. It looked as if someone was bringing lots of bags right to their door.

  Wondering who could have ordered so many packages, Hyacinth walked to the living room window and pulled back the curtain.

  “Um, Isa?” Hyacinth said. “You should come see this.”

  Isa made her way to the window and peered outside.

  “Oh no,” she said, replacing the curtain as the doorbell rang.

  “What’s going on?” Oliver asked.

  “Isa? Jessie? Open up!” came a voice from behind the door.

  The Vanderbeeker kids looked at one another.

  “Did you know they were coming?” Oliver asked Isa.

  “Don’t you think I would share that information?” Isa replied, panicked.

  Jessie was hurriedly texting their mom.


  “I know you’re home! I saw you through the window!” came the voice on the other side of the door.

  Jessie’s phone pinged. “Mama says, ‘Seriously? I’m so sorry! Take care of them until I get home, please!’”

  “This day could not get any worse,” Oliver muttered.

  “I’m opening the door,” Isa said, her hand on the handle. “Everyone ready?”

  “No,” said Jessie, Oliver, Hyacinth, and Laney.

  “Grab Franz,” Isa said before opening the door. A gust of wind whooshed into the brownstone, and Franz howled and strained at his collar as Hyacinth tried to pull him back.

  “Took you long enough,” the woman outside said. She held a gigantic umbrella. Her hair was combed up and out to make her look as if she had been electrocuted, and she wore a silk shirt with black pants and leather pumps. A pearl necklace draped around her neck. Standing next to her was a man wearing a white button-down shirt, slacks, and black shoes that looked like the ones Papa wore to church.

  “Why are you still in your pajamas at this hour?” the woman asked Isa, her mouth pressed into a firm frown. “And what happened to your hair? You have such beautiful hair and don’t even brush it.” The woman looked at Jessie, then raised her voice to be heard over Franz’s barking. “What on earth are you wearing? Is that a man’s jacket? What a horrible color. Hyacinth! I see you hiding behind Isa. Come out so I can get a look at you. Can’t you lock up that horrid dog?”

  The man next to her didn’t say a word, but he took a hasty step back when Franz lunged toward him in an attempt to lick his hands.

  Isa opened the door wider and swallowed. “Hi, Grandma. Hi, Grandpa. How nice to see you.”

  Three

  Isa stared at her grandparents. “So . . . what are you doing here?”

  Grandma tsked and stepped inside. “Didn’t your parents tell you we were visiting? Aunt Penny came with us. She’s bringing all the bags.”

  “Aunt Penny!” exclaimed Laney. She ran past her grandparents, leaped over the pile of luggage stacked on the doorstep, and dashed out into the rain.

  Aunt Penny was mom’s cousin; Grandma and Aunt Penny’s mom were sisters. Penny lived in California and visited the Vanderbeekers every year, although usually around Thanksgiving. She called frequently and always remembered their birthdays.

  Isa, Jessie, Oliver, and Hyacinth were left with the grandparents. There was an uncomfortable moment as they stared at one another. Behind their grandparents was a mountain of wet luggage. Beyond that, on the sidewalk, was Aunt Penny. She was standing next to a taxi-sized suitcase and hugging Laney.

  “Hi!” Aunt Penny called when she caught sight of Isa. She brushed wet hair out of her eyes. “Any chance you can help me drag this into your apartment? I think your grandma brought every pair of shoes she owns!”

  “I can help!” Laney exclaimed. She grabbed a handle, pulled as hard as she could, and budged the bag not one inch.

  Isa picked up an umbrella and hopped over the luggage heap with Oliver to lend a hand. She gave Aunt Penny a hug and handed her the umbrella, and Isa and Oliver each seized a handle of the duffel, letting Aunt Penny shake out her tired arms.

  “I’m so glad to see you!” Aunt Penny exclaimed, huddled under the umbrella.

  “We’re glad to see you too,” Isa said, grunting as she and Oliver dragged the duffel toward the front door. “We weren’t expecting you!”

  “Seriously?” Aunt Penny said. “Your grandparents have been planning this trip for a month. I, on the other hand, just found out I had some vacation time I had to use or else they would take it away. My mom mentioned that your grandparents were visiting for your dad’s birthday, so I figured I’d surprise you. I guess it worked!”

  “You were a good surprise,” Laney said, hugging her aunt again.

  “No one told us,” Oliver said. “Grandma has already insulted Isa’s hair and told Jessie that her jacket was ugly.”

  Aunt Penny stifled a smile. “If you’re looking to compare who had it worse with your grandma, let me tell you that on the bus ride up here, she advised me to wear makeup and better clothes so I could attract a husband. Then she sent a text to all of her friends with a photo of me that she had ‘made better’ with a filter and asked if they knew of any single doctors or lawyers who were looking for a wife.”

  “You win,” Isa and Oliver said at the same time.

  “She’s a character,” Aunt Penny said.

  “I was supposed to be on a camping trip with Papa right now,” Oliver said. “But his best friend’s mom passed away, and now Papa is at the airport waiting for a flight to Indiana.”

  “Oh, that’s terrible, Oliver,” Aunt Penny said. “I’m sorry about your camping trip. That stinks.”

  “We’re glad you’re here, though,” Laney said.

  “I can’t believe you didn’t know we were coming,” Aunt Penny said. “Your mom didn’t say anything?”

  Isa and Oliver shook their heads.

  “Usually she’s so organized,” Aunt Penny said, watching Laney leap over the luggage and head into the brownstone. “I can’t imagine she would forget.”

  The luggage was now all at the doorway, and Isa and Oliver again made their way over the pile of bags and started dragging things into the apartment.

  Inside, their grandma was scolding their youngest sister.

  “Your shirt is backward and inside out!” Grandma said.

  “It’s more comfortable that way,” Laney explained. “The tag itches my neck.”

  Grandpa just stood by silently, looking as if he would rather be at the dentist’s.

  Grandma turned her attention to Hyacinth. “Hyacinth, stop hiding behind Jessie! I want to get a good look at you.”

  At the sound of his favorite human’s name, Franz ran toward Grandma to see what she wanted. Grandma shrieked and stepped back to avoid him, and before anyone could say “axelotl,” she slipped and crashed to the ground, hitting her head against the lowest stair.

  “Grandma!” Laney yelled, and everyone rushed to surround her.

  “Is she dead?” Hyacinth asked, horrified.

  “She got knocked out,” Jessie said. “Give her space.”

  Everyone except Grandpa took a big step back. Jessie checked for a pulse while Grandpa grabbed her hand and squeezed it. Ten seconds passed.

  “This isn’t good,” Oliver said quietly. “We killed Grandma.”

  Then Grandma’s eyes fluttered open, and Laney yelped in surprise.

  “What are you all doing?” Grandma said, trying to sit up.

  Jessie helped her to a sitting position. “You hit your head on the step and went unconscious for a few seconds. Hyacinth, get an ice pack.”

  “I hope you didn’t get a concussion,” Aunt Penny said, looking over Jessie’s shoulder.

  Oliver looked for the spot where she had slipped. A greenish blob was smeared on the ground by the stairs. “I think she slipped on the lettuce that Franz spit out earlier today.”

  “Ew, gross,” Laney said, making a face.

  Isa ran to the kitchen and grabbed a paper towel to clean it up. “You’re right, Oliver. It was the lettuce.”

  The Vanderbeeker kids turned to look at Franz. He was sitting in front of the living room window, totally unrepentant, his eyes trained on a squirrel running along a branch of the oak tree that grew in front of their brownstone.

  “We should go to the emergency room to get an CT scan,” Jessie said, turning back to Grandma. “Just in case. Sometimes the brain can hit the inside of the skull and be bruised. There could be bleeding or swelling.”

  “No,” Grandma said. “My brain is fine.”

  “Yes,” Grandpa said, and the Vanderbeekers looked at him in surprise. Was that the first word he had said since he arrived?

  “I hate the hospital,” Laney said.

  “Grandma, just a quick visit,” Jessie assured her.

  None of the Vanderbeekers were thrilled to go to the hospital. It was at the
hospital where they had received the news that Mr. Jeet, their beloved neighbor, was dying. Ever since, they had purposely stopped walking by there, even changing their route to avoid passing it. But Grandma had hit her head pretty hard, and Jessie made an executive decision that they had to leave for the hospital immediately. Grandma must have realized that it was pointless to argue and let Jessie help her up off the floor. Jessie took off Pop-Pop’s blazer, hung it on a coat hook, and grabbed an umbrella.

  “Who is going to bring in our luggage?” Grandma demanded.

  Jessie ignored her and opened the door. Miraculously, Orlando was coming home from a run with Mr. Beiderman. They were dripping wet from the rain.

  “Hey, guys! We have to take Grandma to the emergency room,” Jessie said.

  “Grandma slipped on slobbery lettuce and hit her head!” Laney reported.

  “I’m fine,” Grandma hollered from inside the brownstone.

  “Can we help?” Orlando asked.

  Jessie nodded, then pointed at the luggage. “Can you bring the rest of this in and dry it off? You know where the spare towels are.”

  “Sure,” they said.

  Mr. Beiderman waved at Aunt Penny, whom he had met a few times from her previous visits.

  “I’m Orlando,” Orlando said. He had not met Aunt Penny before. “Nice to meet you.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Penny said, reaching over the bags to shake his hand. “I’m Penny. Cousin to their mom.” She tilted her head toward the Vanderbeekers.

  “Don’t mind me, I just have a medical emergency,” Grandma said loudly, then turned to Orlando and Mr. Beiderman. “Be careful with those bags.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Orlando said, pulling out his Southern charm. He winked at Jessie.

  “At least someone has manners around here,” Grandma grumbled.

  Orlando and Mr. Beiderman stepped inside and moved some bags so there was a pathway for Grandma, Grandpa, and Aunt Penny to go past.

  “Thank you!” they said.

  “Are you okay walking several blocks, Grandma?” Isa asked when they got to the sidewalk. It was still windy, but at least the rain had slowed to a drizzle. “We could get a cab if that would make you feel better.”