by Laura Dower
: well
Madison’s fingers froze on the keyboard. She couldn’t let her friends figure out that she really did have a crush on Hart! She had to make something up—fast.
Angry denial was too obvious. Madison went for a distraction tactic instead.
Madison couldn’t believe the speed of her lie. She swallowed hard and hoped that Fiona and Aimee would stop asking questions about Hart.
Madison breathed a sigh of relief.
She talked more about the Texas heat….
She listed the special events that had been planned for the wedding….
She updated her friends on the so-so progress of the wedding collage….
But all of a sudden, Fiona interrupted with the news that she had to get offline immediately. She needed to go and meet with her family. The doctors were coming back with news about her dad.
Madison stopped chatting. Talk of boys suddenly seemed unimportant, compared to the serious issues that Fiona was dealing with.
After saying her sudden good-byes to Aimee and Fiona, Madison was pleasantly surprised to find two e-mails waiting for her.
From: Bigwheels
To: MadFinn
Subject: Re: We’re Heeeeere
Date: Fri 19 July 10:11 AM
I just realized when I was writing this that since ur in Texas now we’re CLOSER--now ur only an hour away instead of 3 hours. Cool, huh? It must be so hot there. It’s hot here, too, but only in the 80s, not almost 100. Is it hot in Far Hills, too? My dad sez the whole country is having a heat wave. I hope by now u got ur suitcase. It would look pretty weird wearing shorts to the wedding, right?
What is a “girl” day? Where’s ur Dad? Are there any other relatives there or is it all ur stepmom--I mean FUTURE stepmom--and her family? I hate being around a bunch of new people and having to talk and act nice when I feel uncomfortable. You know what I mean?
I am babysitting my bro & sis BTW, but my mom isn’t paying me. I decided it was ok b/c mom and dad promised me that if I’m good @ it they’ll get me MY OWN laptop computer at the end of the summer. Can u believe that? Then we can e-mail ALL THE TIME. Well, more than we do now.
How’s the wedding collage? I bet ur still working on it! LOL. I attached some clip art and a poem I found about love. It’s goofy but maybe it will give u more ideas. See whatcha think.
And write back soon. I want to hear EVERYTHING.
Yours till the chili dogs,
Bigwheels aka Vicki
Madison grinned and hit SAVE. She would respond to Bigwheels later—when there was more time to think and when she’d had a chance to go through the poem attachment.
She clicked on the next message.
From: ff_budgefilms
To: MadFinn
Subject: Phinnie Misses You
Date: Fri 19 July 11:01 AM
Bark! The two of us are sitting here in my office and it just isn’t the same around here, honey bear. We don’t like it when you’re away! I hope the wedding weekend is going well. I’m sure your dad is taking good care of you. Be good to him, too. I can’t wait to see pictures of you in that orange dress!
We’ll talk on the phone today or tomorrow, okay?
Just know that I love you very much.
Love,
Mom
p.s. I am sure you have heard about Fiona’s father. I am sending flowers from all of us with get-well wishes. I know he will be fine so don’t worry. Take care.
Madison couldn’t believe what difference two e-mails could make, but they did make a difference. And she hadn’t even gotten any junk e-mail, either! That was a first.
Brrrrrrrrrrrrring-a-ding!
The hotel phone rang. Madison nearly jumped off the bed. She flung the blanket off and picked up the receiver before the second ring.
“Hello?”
“Well darlin’,” the voice on the other end said in a deep, Texas drawl.
It was Wanda.
“You won’t believe this, Madison, but my car broke down. Marly and I are here at the gas station waiting for the mechanic. Of all the crazy things that could happen, wouldn’t you know it? Just my luck!”
“So … are we still going to the tea party?” Madison asked.
“Well, shoot!” Wanda said. “’Course! We’re just going to stick around here for a short spell and see if they can fix my brake. Chances are someone else will come in the van and get all of us and haul us back to the ranch, ’kay?”
“Okay,” Madison said in her most agreeable voice.
“You just sit tight, sweetie. Marly and I will call you in a bit,” Wanda said.
As Madison hung up the phone, she wondered where Dad was right now. He would probably freak out if he knew she’d spent half the morning holed up in the air-conditioned hotel room. He’d be worried.
At the same time, she couldn’t believe her continuing luck.
Not only had she had time to contact her BFFs, Mom, and Bigwheels. Now, she even had extra time to work on another page of her wedding collage.
Chapter 13
The Bellville Tea Party
I have only been to one tea party in my life, in second grade, and there were dolls involved. Today’s wedding tea party was nothing like that. Here’s what a girl day is: a bunch of ladies sitting around talking about flowers and dresses. I love girl stuff too, but I was so BORED!
Not only that, but Stephanie was too busy to really talk to me. And then everyone started talking about the wedding gifts they got Dad and Stephanie. I couldn’t believe the things people were buying like crystal bells and big, huge things that have to be shipped separately.
Here I am, barely able to finish one dumb collage. Who wants a piece of paper with pictures and words stuck to it when you can have a life-size crystal collie or a complete set of silver servin
g pieces with little lassos on the end?
To make matters worse, Tiffany and her cousins were all dressed in these perfect outfits with matching sandals. I thought my purple dress looked okay, but my black sandals didn’t really match so well. For the rehearsal dinner tonight I’m wearing Aimee’s white skirt with embroidered red flowers and a peasant blouse. I don’t know what I’d do if I hadn’t borrowed clothes from my BFFs. They are lifesavers.
Today my cousin-to-be Tiffany told me she has a stylist coming to her HOUSE to do her hair for the wedding! It made me think of myself, trying to French-braid my hair alone in the hotel bathroom. Actually, I counted and Tiffany flipped her hair every ten minutes today. Could anything be more annoying?
Rude Awakening: Whoever said it’s better to feel good than to look good never went to a Wolfe tea party in Bellville, Texas.
Even though the wedding parties are the main things driving me crazy, I think I’m feeling sadder than sad right now b/c I found out my friend Fiona’s Dad had a heart attack. Is that possible? He wasn’t even sick! I haven’t seen my dad since I heard the news. He’s been gone all day doing “guy” wedding stuff. Apparently, Dad got his tux this morning and went fly-fishing or wade fishing all afternoon. I don’t even know what that is. But I should just shut up. I can’t rip everything apart. I’ve only been here a day.
I just miss Dad. A lot.
I wish he were here so I could tell him I love him.
“Hey! Maddie!” It was Dad, banging on the divider door between their rooms with his fist.
“Oh, Dad! Wait a sec!” Madison said. But before she could close her laptop, Dad flew in through the divider door with his arms wide open.
“I need a Madison hug right now! Right now!” Dad said, as if he were psychic and had heard Madison’s secret, typed-in wish.
“Oh, Dad! I’m so happy to see you!” Madison giggled. She closed the notebook and gave him the hug he wanted.
“What a day! I caught a largemouth bass, rented a tux, met about thirty members of the Wolfe family I never knew existed. Better than an Indiana Jones adventure, right?” Dad said, winking at Madison.
Madison laughed along with Dad, but only for a second. Then she got serious.
“Dad,” Madison said. “I heard really bad news today. Fiona’s dad had a heart attack.”
“What!” Dad exclaimed. He looked stunned. “Oh, no! What happened?”
“I guess he just got chest cramps and collapsed. Something like that,” Madison said. “He wasn’t sick or anything.”
“Oh, that’s awful news,” Dad said, sitting on the edge of the bed. “How are Mrs. Waters and Chet?”
“I don’t know, Dad,” Madison said, her voice a little shaky. She sat next to Dad. “I think I feel sick.”
“Oh, Maddie,” Dad said. He grabbed Madison and gave her another hug. “Honey, I’m sure Mr. Waters will be okay. I know it.”
“I guess,” Madison said. She felt tears welling up and swallowed hard so she wouldn’t cry. “I just wish I’d been fishing with you today, or spent some time with you today. That’s all. When I heard about Fiona’s dad, I felt worried about you. Does that make any sense?”
“Oh, Maddie, I am sorry you had to spend so much time alone. I’m sorry you got stuck with Wanda and Marly,” Dad said.
“Dad,” Madison said, looking away. “This whole trip to Texas is just too … too … much.”
Dad stroked the top of Madison’s head. “I know. I never expected that in two weeks someone could pull together a wedding this crazy. I really did think it was going to be much smaller. Leave it to Stephanie’s mom….”
Madison just rolled her eyes, but Dad saw her do it.
“Aw, we’ve been over this. She means well, Maddie,” Dad said with a frown.
“Yeah, I know,” Madison said. “But does she always have to be so touchy-feely?” She bit her lip so she wouldn’t say anything else that was negative.
“That is such awful news about Mr. Waters,” Dad said, getting back on topic. He wrapped his arm around Madison. “Are you okay? Do you need anything? What can I do?”
“Well … can we just hang out for the rest of the night and get room service, just the two of us?” Madison asked. “Can we spend some more time alone together before you and Stephanie get married?”
Dad bowed his head. “Oh, Maddie …”
“I know! You don’t have to say it,” Madison said. “We can’t.”
“You’ll have me all to yourself when we get home to Far Hills,” Dad said.
“But what if you have a heart attack?” Madison asked.
“Oh, Maddie,” Dad said gently. “I’m not planning on it. Don’t worry yourself about that.”
“But it could happen?” Madison asked, throwing her arms back around her dad.
“I’ll be fine, Maddie,” Dad said again. “I love you so much.”
Madison stood up and went to look at herself in the mirror above the dresser. Dad followed her. He looked at Madison in the mirror while she wiped the tears away.
“You haven’t even told me,” Dad asked. “How do I look?”
“Good,” Madison said.
“You look good, too,” Dad said. He turned Madison around and pulled her into his arms. “You’ll be the belle of the ball.”
“Stop it, Dad,” Madison said.
“I especially like your hair,” Dad added. Madison had worn it loose with a braided headband. “You hardly ever wear it down like that. And you’re wearing the moonstone earrings I gave to you. Yes, you look very pretty tonight.”
“Oh, Dad!” Madison said, now feeling one hundred percent embarrassed. Dad always said the right things—nice things—but sometimes they made her feel self-conscious. “Thanks, Dad.”
“Thank you,” Dad said as they prepared to leave the hotel room and head downstairs. One of Stephanie’s old friends, who lived in downtown Bellville, was coming by the hotel to pick them up.
“Thank me for what?” Madison asked.
“For being you. For being here. For lots of things,” Dad said.
“I feel better now,” Madison admitted.
“I want you to have a good time tonight, okay?” Dad said. “Better than last night. Try to give this place and the other people here a chance.”
“I will,” Madison reassured him.
“Good answer!” Dad said, giving her a peck on the cheek. He smelled like lime aftershave lotion.
As they walked out of the room, Madison grabbed the little straw bag with embroidered flowers that matched her skirt; and slid the green leather book of poems inside it.
She couldn’t help wondering what outfits Tiffany and the others would be wearing.
The ride to the Wolfe ranch took longer than it should have.
Dad sweated it out in the front seat.
“What’s with the traffic?” he asked, about a dozen times. They were already more than a half hour late.
Stephanie’s friend Mike, who had picked them up at the hotel, seemed unfazed by the delay. He tried to engage Dad in some friendly talk about sports or stocks or one of those things that Madison couldn’t have cared less about.
Meanwhile, Madison sat staring through the backseat window, already plotting how and where she would hide from the crowds at this next Wolfe event. She opened up the book of poems and read her selection silently to herself.
As they pulled up to the ranch, Madison spotted the already-familiar faces of the staff members who parked cars. Giant flower arrangements decorated the front entryway of the main house. Every time they came to the ranch it seemed bigger.
Stephanie’s mother was out front, greeting guests with her painted-on red lips and mile-wide smile.
“Jeff!” Mrs. Wolfe screeched when Dad opened the door of Mike’s car and piled out, shaking the wrinkles out of his suit jacket and wiping a little perspiration off his forehead. “Where on earth have you beeeeen?”
Madison could see Dad’s shoulders slump. “We stopped for a bite on the
way,” he joked.
Mrs. Wolfe looked appalled.
“Do you think it’s funny, Jeffrey?” she said, tsk-tsking Dad with a wave of her well-manicured fingertip. “I’ve got guests waiting….”
Just then, Stephanie appeared at the top of the steps.
“Jeff!” she cried, running to greet Dad with a big embrace. She looked over Dad’s shoulder and waved at Madison. “I guess Mother told you we were worried about you three.”
Stephanie reached out to give Mike a hello, too. He kissed her on the cheek and headed inside.
“Sorry. We hit some traffic,” Dad said, stuttering a little as he tried to explain. “Mike was driving as fast as he could.”
“Oh, don’t worry,” Stephanie started to say.
“Hmmmph!” Mrs. Wolfe said. Despite Dad’s detailed explanation, she still looked unhappy. “Well, I’m a little worried myself. We’d better get in there, Stephanie Mae, or else the whole schedule tonight will be torn to bits.”
Madison watched Mrs. Wolfe ascend the steps into the house, shaking her head and carrying the train of her dress skirt so she wouldn’t trip.
Stephanie rolled her eyes so that only Dad and Madison could see.
“Stephanie …” Dad said in a low voice. Madison knew that voice. It was the way Dad sounded when he was stressed out.
“Don’t say it. Please,” Stephanie replied.
“We said this would be a small wedding, right?” Dad asked. “Well, I see about a hundred or more people here already for the rehearsal. What is that? I think I have been patient and tolerant and …”
“Jeff!” Stephanie said, turning her head toward Madison. “Maddie is right here. Can’t we talk about this when we have a moment alone?”
Madison tried to look away, but she heard everything.
“A moment alone?” Dad exclaimed. “Now, that’s a joke.”
Stephanie tugged Dad’s sleeve and pulled him out of earshot of the other guests, although Madison could still hear him loud and clear.
“We need to discuss this privately,” Stephanie said again.
Dad looked as though steam might blow out of his ears at any moment. His cheeks were getting red.
“There’s nothing to discuss,” he said. “This is not what I wanted. I didn’t think it was what you wanted, either. And yet, here we are. I brought Madison here all the way from New York. She’s miserable and uncomfortable. I’m not feeling all that great, either….”
