Just Visiting

by Laura Dower

  But Madison wasn’t alone out there.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a flicker… and then another person.

  A boy was standing next to her, hands on the green barrel. Mabel’s barrel.

  The boy called out, “Whassup?” Then he tossed in his trash before disappearing without another word.

  Madison rushed back inside.

  “Who is that boy next door?” she squealed to Gramma Helen when she came back in. “You didn’t tell me your friend Mabel had a grandson!”

  “Oh, you must have seen Mark,” Gramma said. “Silly me! I forgot that he’d be visiting this week. Guess I was just so excited to have you here all to myself that I forgot. …”

  “How could you forget?” Madison asked. “Gramma, there is a cute boy next door. How could you forget that?”

  Gramma chuckled. “He is cute, isn’t he?”

  “How old is he? Where is he from?” Madison asked. “Is he nice?”

  “One question at a time! Let’s see … I think he’s around fourteen. And his parents live right here in Chicago. He comes to visit quite often, actually. I thought he was coming next week. Must have gotten the dates swapped.”

  Madison rushed over to the living room windows on the side of the house that directly faced Mabel’s house. She tugged back the curtain just a little bit and saw that there were still lights on next door. She could make out people moving inside the living room.

  “Maddie! What are you doing?” Gramma asked.

  Madison shut the curtains gently. “Oh. I was just looking …”

  “Looking?” Gramma crossed her arms.

  Madison knew she was turning three shades of violet. “For Mark,” she admitted. “I wanted to see what he looked like if I could … He seemed cute, but it was pretty dark out there … and …”

  The strange new boy had left Madison tongue-tied.

  “Maddie, I’m sure Mabel would love to introduce you to her grandson,” Gramma said. “Why don’t we meet up with them tomorrow, as I said?”

  “Really?” Madison gulped. “Oh no, that would be way too embarrassing…”

  “Nonsense!” Gramma said. “That’s exactly what we need to do. I’ll call Mabel first thing.”

  Gramma plopped down onto the sofa and Phinnie jumped up and danced around her. He wanted his back rubbed. She leaned over to scratch.

  On the other side of the room, Madison yawned and collapsed into an upholstered chair. It was odd to feel her heart racing so fast inside such a tired body.

  “Let’s get to bed,” Gramma said. “We have a big day tomorrow … and now, apparently, it’s going to be even bigger.”

  Madison nodded with a smile. “Yeah.”

  She went to get herself ready for bed.

  Lying there on top of the covers in her favorite Lisa Simpson nightshirt, Madison watched as bright moonlight cast shadows across her bed and walls. A giant fan in the window hummed while it sucked all the hot air out of the room.

  Phinnie snuggled closer to Madison. Although his fur made her legs twitch, Madison was too preoccupied to let it bother her.

  She closed her eyes again and thought about what it would be like to really meet the boy next door.

  She’d be finding out soon enough.

  Chapter 8

  BY THE TIME THE next morning rolled around, Madison had mapped out how, when, and where she’d meet Mark. She even imagined what she’d say.

  The only trouble spot was figuring out what to wear.

  “Holy cow!” Gramma cried as she wandered into the guest room. “Did a cyclone pass through here?”

  “No, Gramma,” Madison said. “I just don’t know what would look good.” She’d tossed the entire contents of her suitcase onto the floor and across her unmade bed.

  “What’s wrong with what you have on?” Gramma asked, surveying Madison’s outfit: a yellow tank top with a smile face, faded jean shorts, and sneakers.

  “Ick!” Madison said, looking into the mirror on the wall. “Ick! Ick! Ick! This color looks bad. I feel uncomfortable in these shorts…” She tugged at the legs and pulled them right off.

  Gramma sat down quietly on the edge of the bed and started to fold up some of the clothes strewn nearby. Madison pulled on a new pair of green cargo shorts that Mom had bought on sale at the mall. They felt better than the jeans.

  “For goodness’ sake, Maddie, we’re only going into town to run a few errands. We’ll be back before lunch,” Gramma said. “And I think you look fine.”

  Madison glanced over at the mirror once again. There was only one thing missing. She dumped out her plastic bag of little shampoos and barrettes onto the bed and located her brand-new tube of strawberry-kiwi lip gloss, smacking some onto her lips with a smile. She offered Gramma some gloss, too.

  “Oh,” Gramma said coyly. “Not for me!” But Madison insisted.

  Soon enough her grandmother had smacking strawberry-kiwi lips just like Madison’s. Phin got water and some kibble, and Madison and Gramma Helen went shopping.

  First they stopped by a stationery store, the dry cleaners, and Radio Zone, an electronics outlet. The only people they ran into were shop owners Gramma knew and one friend who lived in her neighborhood, a sweet old man named Fred. Madison was certain they’d run into Mabel and Mark on the street somewhere … but they didn’t.

  She looked for them in car window reflections, on the sidewalk, and even at the bank line. But they weren’t anywhere in the village of Winnetka.

  Gramma drove a scenic route on the way home, pointing out the big mansions and smaller cottages along the lake where her friends lived. Some had picket fences painted yellow. Others had giant, in-ground swimming pools. Folks on bicycles sped past them, and Gramma waved at everyone.

  By the time they arrived home, Madison was actually starting to forget about Mark, or at least trying to forget.

  And then she saw him—in daylight. Standing on the newly paved driveway.

  Looking cuter than cute.

  “Well, I’ll be!” Gramma said, smiling, as she pulled in her car. She rolled down her window. “Hello, there, Mark!”

  Mark smiled back. “Hello, Mrs. Hirsh!”

  Madison could feel her body sticking to the car seat.

  “I’d like you to meet my granddaughter, Madison,” Gramma said, pulling the car up next to Mark. He gave Maddie a high sign but didn’t say much more.

  Neither did she.

  “My grandmother was trying to call you,” Mark said to Gramma Helen. “Your answering machine isn’t working, she said.”

  “Oh, dear,” Gramma said. “I’ve been meaning to get that thing fixed. Well, you tell Mabel we’ll be over later, okay?”

  Madison was sinking into the hot front seat. She wanted to run, but there was nowhere to go. She couldn’t believe that she was wearing her yellow tank top—and all her lip gloss had been chewed off. She knew she should have changed shirts! And what did her hair look like?

  “Okay, then,” Mark said to Gramma Helen, quickly turning back toward Mabel’s cottage. “See you later!”

  Madison turned to the side to avoid looking in his direction. She shifted in her seat so her legs wouldn’t stick.

  Why did this boy make her so nervous?

  She’d hoped for a very different first meeting.

  After they unloaded the car, Madison got Phin for his midday walk. Gramma suggested that they take another scenic route, down the road toward Tower Head Beach. It was close by, and Phin could have fun in the sand. Dogs were allowed on this beach.

  “Maybe you’ll make a doggy friend down there,” Gramma cooed at Phin. He panted back at her.

  “I’ll be right back,” Madison said.

  “Take your time, Maddie!” Gramma cried. “We’ll go visit Mabel and Mark when you get back.”

  Madison’s pulse raced. All she could think about was running into Mark again in the same yellow shirt she had on now. Frantically she handed Phin’s leash over to Gramma, ran into the guest room,
and quickly changed into a new pink shirt with a little daisy on it. Just in case.

  Gramma shook her head. “You look FINE!” she said for the tenth time. “Now, give me a big smooch good-bye and skedaddle!”

  It only took Madison and Phin ten minutes to find the beach. Madison saw people gathered together by a row of shiny blue and red bicycles near a sandy path. There was a giant sign over a parking lot entrance that read TOWER HEAD BEACH. Several soggy-looking kids, who looked like they had been hanging out all day in Lake Michigan, tossed a Frisbee around. There was a concession stand, showers, and even a sandbox and playground.

  Many of the kids Madison saw were younger than she was, more like eight and nine, not twelve and thirteen. There were families and teenagers and grandparents everywhere. Everyone seemed to know each other, lingering by the bluffs and crowded around picnic tables. Madison guessed that Gramma came here often. She probably carted her watercolor paint set and easel down to the shore to spend afternoons, painting children and waves.

  She probably knew everyone here, too.

  Over to one side, Madison noticed a girl staring in her direction. They seemed to be about the same age. A moment later, the girl approached. She wore a bathing suit with a flower in the center, just like Madison’s suit.

  “Hey,” she said. “Cute dog.” She leaned over to pet Phin.

  Phin gave the girl a happy snort in return.

  “Hi,” Madison replied. “I’m Madison. This is Phin.”

  The girl introduced herself as Pam. “Do you live here?” she asked.

  “Oh no, I’m just visiting. Visiting my grandmother,” Madison said. “What about you?”

  “Just visiting,” Pam said. “How long are you here?”

  “A week. I came for the Fourth of July,” Madison said. She wondered if maybe Pam was the antidote for BFF withdrawal. They could go to the celebration together.

  “Oh, that Fourth of July thing sounds like fun. There’s supposed to be this awesome fireworks display in downtown Winnetka,” Pam said.

  “Sounds great,” Madison said. “Are you going?”

  “Not me.” Pam shook her head. “I’m actually leaving tomorrow.”

  “Leaving?” Madison said.

  Her stomach was sinking … sinking … SUNK.

  “Bummer,” Madison added, trying to paste on a fake smile.

  “Yeah, I really want to go home for the Fourth of July,” Pam said. “And see my BFFs, you know? I’d rather hang with them than … well, than with my grandpa and grandma. You know? Even though the lake is cool and all that…”

  Madison nodded. “Yeah, well …”

  Of course she knew. Exactly.

  “Well, I gotta go. It was nice to meet you. Bye, Phin!” Pam said before dashing away. She hopped on a bike and took off through one parking lot.

  Madison waved.

  How had she made and lost a friend in less than five minutes?

  It was some kind of new world record.

  She and Phin turned around toward home. Gramma Helen was just the person to cheer Madison up all over again.

  When she got back to the house, however, Gramma was on her way out the door.

  “Where are you going?” Madison asked.

  “Oh, hello!” Gramma said. “I left you a note on the counter. Mabel invited us over for tea. Isn’t that nice?”

  Madison panicked. “Tea?” she said. She wanted to meet Mabel. But she was too nervous to meet Mark.

  “Shake a leg! Let’s go!” Gramma said. “We can bring Phin, too.”

  “Well …” Madison stalled. “The truth is, Gramma, that I’m not feeling that well. Maybe it was the walk to the beach. I’m just a little hot, and my stomach … kind of… aches.”

  Gramma reached out and felt Madison’s head. “You’re sick? You don’t feel feverish.”

  “I just don’t know if I’m up to meeting someone…” Madison continued. She coughed a little for effect.

  “Maddie, Mabel would really love to meet you!” Gramma said. She tried to convince Madison of the 101 reasons why she should go.

  But Madison moaned and groaned and got her way.

  She’d stay put.

  “Well,” Gramma said reluctantly. “If you change your mind, we’re right next door. And when I come back, we’ll find something to do that doesn’t make you so … achy.”

  The way Gramma said that, Madison wondered if Gramma knew she might be faking.

  Moments after she left, Madison spied on Gramma and Mabel through the living-room curtains. They sat down around a table at the kitchen next door, pouring cups of tea and laughing.

  Mark wasn’t around, but Madison scrunched down into the sofa just to make doubly sure that neither he—nor anyone—would see her there.

  Phinnie jumped up on the sofa, panting. He had been frisky since they’d gotten back from the beach, and he still had some sand in his little pug paws.

  Madison petted his head and told him to calm down, but he wouldn’t. He jumped off the sofa and then jumped right back on again. He leaped up so fast that his paw caught the edge of the curtain and nearly dragged it down off its rod.

  Madison fell into the window with a smack but quickly recovered. She shooed Phin off the sofa and peeked out the window again.

  But no one was in the kitchen anymore.

  Brrrrrring!

  Phin howled when the doorbell rang. Madison thought her heart had stopped. But she also knew who she would discover on the welcome mat.

  Gramma and Mabel.

  Mabel was all smiles. “Ooooooh!” she cooed, grabbing Madison’s cheeks. “You’re twice as pretty as your picture!”

  Gramma was beaming, too. “Isn’t she?”

  Madison cringed with all the attention. She felt like she was a toddler—not an almost teenager. Mabel’s hands were cold, too, and she smelled like bread.

  “How’s the tummy?” Gramma Helen asked as they walked inside. “We were going to leave you alone, but Mabel just couldn’t wait to meet you. Are you feeling any better now that you sat down for a while?”

  Madison cocked her head from side to side. “I guess so,” she mumbled, rubbing her abdomen for effect.

  “You look a little pale,” Mabel said, reaching for Madison’s forehead, just like Gramma had done earlier.

  As Madison leaned to shut the front door behind them, Mark unexpectedly appeared on the stoop.

  “Hey!” he said. “I just ran back to get my grandmother’s cane. She left it in the hall. Can I come in?”

  Madison glanced down and saw that Mabel had an Ace bandage wrapped tightly around her ankle.

  “Well, yeah,” Madison said. Mark was even cuter than when she’d seen him in the driveway. She was trying not to stare but wasn’t having much luck.

  “Grams!” Mark called out as he walked inside. Mabel turned around when she heard Mark’s voice, and then everyone went into the other room.

  Madison rocked from heel to toe, heel to toe. She couldn’t stand still.

  Why did this boy make her so nervous?

  Everyone sat together in the living room. Gramma and Mabel started gossiping about their other neighbor, Mr. Miller.

  Mark looked bored. He turned to Madison. “Are you here for the rest of the summer?” he asked.

  “Uh-huh,” Madison said, still staring. She barely could get the words out. “Wait! I mean, no. I mean … I’m only here for a week. Duh. I don’t know why I said that.”

  Mark laughed. “I came to help my grandmother. She’s been kind of sick, you know? But she’s getting better now.”

  “I saw her limping,” Madison said.

  “Yeah, she fell last week and sprained her ankle. My mother and I drove over here to help. I stayed,” Mark said.

  “Where do you live?” Madison asked. Her lip twitched nervously the way it sometimes did around Hart—only more so.

  “Me and my sister and parents live in Chicago,” Mark explained. “It’s only twenty miles away. Where do you live?”

>   “New York,” Madison said.

  “New York City?” Mark asked, his voice rising excitedly.

  “Nearby,” Madison said. “I live in a town called Far Hills. It’s a train ride into the city.”

  “Oh,” Mark said. “Cool.”

  He fell silent. The air was thick as mashed potatoes between them. Gramma and Mabel were still gabbing between themselves about the weather.

  “So …” Madison said.

  “So …” Mark said.

  Phinnie ran over and leaped onto Mark. He started jumping up and down, and Mark cracked up. Madison cringed with more embarrassment. First it was her ugly shirt, and now it was her silly dog!

  “Phinnie!” Madison cried, trying to pull him down.

  “He’s okay,” Mark reassured her. “I love dogs. In fact, I saw you walking him yesterday.”

  “I think I saw you out at the trash cans, too,” Madison said.

  “Yeah, that was me,” he admitted.

  Madison smiled. For some reason, Mark was slowly taking away all of her nervousness. She asked him questions about school and his grandmother and what he liked to do for fun. He answered quickly and asked the same questions right back. He seemed as curious about her as she was about him.

  “So you’re only here for a week,” Mark said.

  “Yep,” she said.

  “Too bad I’m leaving soon,” Mark said.

  “Leaving? You are?” Madison asked with disbelief. Was he going to be just like Pam, the nice girl from Tower Head Beach, heading somewhere better and bigger for the upcoming festivities?

  “I’m taking off this week,” he said.

  Madison caught her breath.

  “But you’ll be here for the Fourth of July?” Madison asked.

  “Oh yeah!” Mark said. “I wouldn’t miss THAT. No way. I like to go down to the Village Commons after the parade. They have this awesome Winnetka barbecue, and free sparklers, and the best carnival. Better than the one near us in Chicago. I would NEVER miss this.”

  Madison’s stomach flip-flopped. “It does sound like fun,” she said, her voice drifting off. “I should go…”

  “Yeah, well …” he said. “Anyway …”