Sink or Swim

by Laura Dower

  “Your house looks great,” Madison said.

  Fiona rolled her eyes. “That’s because my dad and his friends were working on it. Chet washed paintbrushes or something. Loser.”

  “I did more than that!” Chet yelled. “Who are you calling a loser?”

  “Oh, shut up,” Fiona grumbled. “Come on, Maddie. Aimee’s upstairs.”

  Fiona’s room had been reorganized since Madison’s last visit. Fiona still had the same Beanie Baby collection (even though those were collecting some serious dust) and her own personal purple phone, but the bed and tables were in a different place. Everything was moved to the outer walls of the room to leave a wide-open space in the center of the room for hanging out.

  “Maddie!” Aimee squealed when Madison entered the room. “Welcome to Fiona’s Beauty Spa and Nail Salon.”

  There was no air conditioner on in Fiona’s room, but the windows were open wide and a mild breeze wafted inside. Madison plopped down on one of Fiona’s giant pillows on the floor.

  “I love your lip gloss!” Aimee said, waving her hands in the air to dry the coat of polish she’d already applied.

  “Oh no! I forgot my nail polish,” Madison said.

  “No problem! We can just pick from these colors,” Fiona said. She produced a plastic tray of polish in assorted colors. On top was the package of adhesive decals.

  “So who’s coming to the barbecue?” Madison said. She was hoping to hear one H name on the top of the list.

  “All my brother’s friends, including Egg, of course,” Fiona said, grinning. “I think he might be coming over early, too.”

  “Is Ben coming?” Madison said, smirking.

  Aimee swatted at her with the hand that was dry. “Cut it out! Why do you have to tease me about him? I don’t like him that much. And I can live through one barbecue without him.”

  “Well, he’s coming,” Fiona said.

  “What?” Aimee gasped. “GET OUT!”

  Madison giggled.

  “You never told me he was coming! When did you invite him? What am I going to do when he gets here? Fiona, I could kill you!”

  Fiona was giggling now, too.

  “Aim, you look great, quit worrying,” Madison said. “I bet he’s more nervous than you are.”

  Aimee started hopping and spinning around the room like some electronic toy gone berserk.

  “Sit down and finish painting your nails,” Fiona said. “No one will be here for an hour, anyway.”

  Madison picked out a plum color and started to apply it. “Is this too dark?” she asked her friends.

  “It’s perfect,” Fiona said. “And you can put a little silver star on the tip, too.”

  Madison decided at the last minute that the plum color on her nails was way too dark and didn’t match her linen shorts, so she switched manicure colors to a pale peach. The girls’ nails were done and dried by the time the first guests arrived and the barbecue crowd started to appear.

  Fiona and Chet had invited their friends from Far Hills Junior High, but the party also included parents, neighbors, and friends of theirs from church. In just a short time the yard and porch began to fill up with people mingling with their drinks and hors d’oeuvres. Mr. Waters and Chet had moved the ladders and paint cans into the garage.

  Aimee looked out the window in Fiona’s bedroom. “I see Drew! Wait! I see Egg.”

  “And Señora Diaz is with him,” Madison said, squishing in beside Aimee at the window.

  Fiona came over to see, too. “Señora Diaz and my mom have been talking lately.”

  “Are they talking about you and Egg or what?” Aimee asked.

  “No,” Fiona said, making a face. “They’re just on the same parent-teacher committee at school.”

  The three friends ran downstairs.

  “Look,” Fiona cried. “Lindsay’s here.” Lindsay Frost was another friend from school who sometimes made a foursome out of their trio of best friends. Lindsay had been away in Europe with her family since school had been dismissed for the summer.

  “You all have tans!” Lindsay cried. She gave Madison, Fiona, and Aimee big hugs.

  “You look so good,” Madison said. “You got your hair cut.”

  “I can’t believe we haven’t seen you in two weeks!” Aimee cried. “The summer is going by so fast already.”

  Mrs. Waters waded through the crowd of people in the parlor and hallway of the house, passing out stuffed mushrooms and telling guests where to find the punch and other drinks.

  “This isn’t the kind of barbecue I expected,” Madison said. “It’s like a real party.”

  “Yeah.” Fiona shrugged. “It started out like a BBQ for Chet’s friends and my friends, but then it just grew. My mom’s excited to show off the house.”

  “Speaking of moms,” Aimee said. “There’s your mom, Maddie.”

  Madison excused herself and rushed over to say hello to Mom, who came into the party armed with flowers and a bottle of wine.

  “Happy house!” Mom said cheerily as she greeted Mr. and Mrs. Waters.

  Normally, Madison would have waved hello and then scooted off to be with her friends, but right now Madison was staying close to Mom’s side. She stuck her arm inside Mom’s arm and led her over to the table with nachos and chips.

  “This place looks fantastic!” Mom said. “Hey, Maddie, maybe we should paint our house, too. What do you think?”

  “I like ours the way it is,” Madison said.

  “Yeah, me too,” Mom agreed.

  “Hey, Finnster,” Hart said, walking right up to Madison and Mom.

  Madison jumped when she heard Hart’s voice.

  “Hart!” she said, feeling her cheeks blush as usual. “Um…this is my mom …I think you met before…. Maybe not…”

  “Hi, Mrs. Finn,” Hart said.

  Mom grinned. “Hello.”

  Hart smiled. Then he walked off in the direction of Chet, Egg, Drew, Dan, and some other boys. They were headed outside for a game of football or Frisbee. Madison wasn’t sure which. Of course, Fiona wanted to follow them outside so she could keep an eye on Egg. Aimee was frantically searching the crowd for Ben, who still hadn’t arrived.

  Madison decided to stay inside for a while longer with Mom. They shared a big plate of nibbles together, and Mom talked about her trip to Australia with some other neighbors, including Aimee’s mom and dad, who arrived late.

  The barbecue continued for hours. Madison eventually found her way outside to her friends and Hart and the rest of the boys. By now, the sports games had concluded and they were trying to start up a game of charades. Chet was making a big deal about playing flashlight tag, too, but no one could do that until it got darker outside.

  Many of the parents and neighbors were leaving and the barbecue was turning into a kids-only affair. Madison’s mom waved to her from the driveway. “See you at home!” she said.

  Madison couldn’t believe she’d survived a week of no Mom and time without friends. Today she was making up for all of it.

  Now she just had to figure out a way to get Eliot on her side before Monday rolled around and she started work again at the Reed house.

  Chapter 14

  MADISON SPENT ALL OF Sunday with Mom in the garden. They went to the Far Hills nursery together in the morning to pick out perennials for planting. It was late in the season, but they still managed to find some colorful flowers for the side yard. Of course all Madison could think about when she was digging her fingers into the dirt was Eliot. She imagined him sitting beside her, playing with the mud the way he played with his toy boat.

  Her brain was whizzing with new ideas about how to entertain Eliot and keep him happy for the rest of the summer. So what, Madison tried to tell herself, if he doesn’t ever warm up to me completely?

  Sunday night, Madison reopened her files and logged online.

  Eliot

  Rude Awakening: A mother’s helper’s work is never done. Even when I’m not baby-sitting, I’m THIN
KING about baby-sitting.

  New ideas for Eliot and me this week: hide-and-seek? Build the highest Lego building? Go to the small playground down the street? I want to try everything I can so Eliot has a good time. And make Mrs. Reed happy, too!

  While Madison was writing in her files, her e-mailbox beeped. She had new mail all the way from Bigwheels and horse camp.

  From: Bigwheels

  To: MadFinn

  Subject: How’s Babyspitting?

  Date: Sun 29 June 7:31 PM

  Everyone hogs the computers @ camp at night when we have free time!!! Sorry I haven’t written in a while. Our days are packed with trail riding and even some gymkhana like having a rodeo. Mostly I just do my best to stay on my horse (LOL), but a guide helps me out.

  Tonight was our first big Sunday, so they had a chuck-wagon dinner for everyone. I think I’ve already found someone to like, too. Yeah! A guy in my trail group was talking to me @ dinner and he had the coolest green eyes. He lives in Idaho, so I guess we’ll just be friends while we’re here unless he becomes my keypal just like u!

  Of course no one is like YOU!!! :>)

  Thanx for sending ur e-mails about the job. It’s important. I’m sad u didn’t get to see Hart swim this week, but I’m sure you’ll see more of him this summer. He prob. understands y u missed it. BTW: Take a picture of u & Eliot and send it 2 me @ camp, ok? I want to see what he looks like. Write back soon, babyspitter! LOL.

  Yours till the trail mixes,

  Vicki, aka Bigwheels

  Madison realized after reading Bigwheels’ e-mail that she didn’t have any photos of herself and Eliot. She would bring the digital camera and ask Mrs. Reed to take a picture. Then she could share it online, and send Dad and Gramma Helen a copy, too.

  Monday morning, Madison packed the camera in with her towel and bathing suit in case the Reeds went to the Lake Dora pool again. Unfortunately, the sky looked kind of ominous, so she wasn’t sure that swimming would be in the plans. But Madison wasn’t going to let this rainy day get her down like she had before.

  Madison ate breakfast with Mom and then left the house, skipping along the street up to the Reed house. It wasn’t raining yet! Madison lived so close to Eliot—and the walk there was so easy. She could probably even bring Phin over for a visit sometime.

  The front screen door at the Reeds’ house was open when Madison arrived. She walked right in.

  “Hello?” Madison called out.

  “Madison! Good morning!” Mrs. Reed called back from another room. “I’m in here with Becka. I think Eliot’s upstairs waiting for you.”

  Madison yelled, “Good morning,” put down her bag, and looked up the stairs.

  “Eliot?” Madison said. “Are you up there?”

  She heard nothing. Peanut Butter and Jelly scooted down the stairs, chasing after each other. Madison climbed up.

  “Eliot?” Madison asked again.

  “HIYA!” Eliot screamed, popping out from behind a corner.

  Madison nearly jumped out of her skin. She clutched at her chest.

  Eliot roared with laughter. He swatted at her leg.

  Madison smiled even though she wasn’t sure what he was up to. “How are you this morning?” she asked cautiously.

  “Kitties!” Eliot cried, pointing to the cats. They returned up the stairs and quickly disappeared into his bedroom. “Come on, let’s go now!”

  Eliot grabbed Madison’s arm and started to drag her into his room. He’d never done this before. Usually he wanted his mama or he wanted to play alone. Instead of being instantly delighted, however, Madison questioned his motives.

  “Do you have something in your room?” she asked. “Are the kitties playing there?”

  He shook his head. “No!”

  “Okay. Well, are your trucks in the bedroom?” Madison asked.

  “No!” he snapped.

  Madison half expected something to bonk her on the head or come crashing into her side as she walked in. Eliot was acting stranger than strange.

  “My secret,” he whispered. “Seeeeee-kret!”

  “Secret?” Madison asked. Now she was really curious.

  Eliot slowly pushed open his door. Nothing about the room looked that different than it had the week before. His small red table and chairs were still in the corner. The airplane mobile was still hanging from the ceiling. Books of all sizes were perched on a high shelf.

  “What is it, Eliot?” Madison asked. “You’re being awfully—”

  “BOO!” Eliot cried. Madison guessed that was his way of announcing a surprise. He threw open the closet door. “My secret place.”

  Madison’s eyes flitted in every direction. The closet was crowded with toy animals in all shapes and sizes. There was more than the typical stuffed bears and rabbits. Eliot had rhinoceroses and elephants and ten different kinds of monkey. They were arranged in rows.

  “Wow! Is this your own zoo or what?” Madison asked.

  “Zoo! Zoo!” Eliot chirped. “My friends. You my friend?”

  Madison dropped down onto the carpet and crossed her legs so she could give Eliot her undivided attention.

  “I am definitely your friend,” Madison said.

  “Did you meet Zebra?” he asked, distracted again. He introduced Madison to Camel, Armadillo, Cobra, and Stegosaurus Dinosaur, too. Madison was sure there were one hundred animals in here, in all shapes and sizes. She wondered why Eliot was sharing them with her now.

  Then she realized why exactly.

  Eliot liked Madison. And he really did want to be friends. Madison grinned. Even better was the fact that he liked animals, too. Just like Madison.

  The two stayed upstairs for over an hour, taking animals out of the closet and examining their coats and scales and tails. It was quite a collection.

  After the morning flew by, Madison and Eliot headed downstairs to have a snack and some lunch. Before they ate, they fed the Reed cats together. Eliot liked petting Peanut Butter while she lapped her milk.

  “Do you like her tongue?” Madison asked. She put a drop of milk on Eliot’s hand so the cat would lick the milk off.

  “Ooh!” Eliot laughed. “Tickles.”

  “I should bring my doggy over so you can meet him,” Madison suggested.

  “DOGGY!” Eliot squealed.

  After lunch, Eliot didn’t need much entertaining. He was content to sit on the window seat and stare at the rain. As droplets rolled down, he tried to catch them from behind the glass. “Wain!” he cried.

  Madison gave him a surprise hug as they sat there. She expected Eliot to wriggle away, but he didn’t. He rested his head on her shoulder. It was nap time and he wasn’t putting up a fight? Normally, Mrs. Reed put Eliot down for daily naps, but today it appeared that Eliot was ready to have Madison take over that task. He snuggled closer.

  “Maddie?” Eliot said. “Thwimming! Thwim!”

  “Oh, I’m sorry. We can’t go to the pool today,” Madison explained. “It’s wet and hot outside. We have to stay in here.”

  “Nonononono!” Eliot said, shaking his head. “Thwim!”

  Eliot pushed away from Madison, and she felt a pang of dread. Was he running away again? He climbed down off the window seat and tottered away into the other room.

  “Eliot?” Madison cried out. “Come back here, Eliot. We have stuff to do.”

  No answer. Madison wondered if maybe he was originating a game of hide-and-seek all on his own. She walked through the house, looking for his little orange socks—the one article of clothing that might give him away. Was he hiding behind the sofa? Back up in his closet? Madison didn’t know.

  “Eliot?” she asked aloud.

  “Is everything okay in here?” Mrs. Reed said, appearing at the doorway with Becka in her arms. Becka’s face was smeared with formula and applesauce. She quietly looked around.

  “I think Eliot’s playing a game of hide-and-seek,” Madison explained.

  No sooner had she said that, however, than Eliot r
eappeared. He was holding something behind his back.

  “What are you up to?” she asked, picking him up.

  Eliot grinned. “Here!” he said. In his small fist he was holding on to something. Madison peeled apart his fingers.

  It was the blue ribbon he’d won at Pool Day.

  “Look, it’s Eliot’s prize!” Madison cheered.

  “No!” Eliot yelled, shaking his head. He pushed the ribbon into Madison’s face.

  “Looks like he wants someone else to have that ribbon,” Mrs. Reed said.

  Madison looked at Eliot. “Eliot’s ribbon,” she said clearly.

  Eliot giggled. “I want down,” he said.

  Madison lowered him to the ground and held the ribbon out and away for herself.

  “Maddie ribbon!” Eliot said.

  “Did you tell him to give me this?” Madison asked Mrs. Reed, who quickly shrugged “no.” She was smiling, admiring her son.

  “Wow, Eliot,” Madison said. She had one of those lumps in her throat. Only this wasn’t a bad-omen lump. This was a very good lump.

  Here was what Madison had been waiting for since she’d started baby-sitting.

  “Thank you, thank you,” Madison said a few times in a row.

  Eliot seemed pleased with himself. He grabbed Madison’s arm and swung it from side to side.

  Mrs. Reed looked doubly pleased. “Well, someone has a new friend. That’s for sure.” She looked as surprised as Madison.

  Right on cue, Becka cooed.

  After lunch Madison and Eliot played with the animals, read animal stories, and laughed together. Madison had never had such a great time at the Reed house. She told Eliot all about endangered animals and volunteering at the animal clinic even though she was certain he didn’t understand what either of those things were.

  By the late afternoon, Madison asked Mrs. Reed for some blank paper and crayons. She set them out on the table and invited Eliot to color along with her. First they drew a picture of the family—Mr. Reed, Mrs. Reed, Eliot, Becka, Peanut Butter and Jelly. That picture went up on the refrigerator. Then they drew a picture for Becka. Eliot drew funny bunnies with extra-long ears. At least that’s what Madison said they were. They could have been almost anything, since it was really only a bunch of squiggles.