Give and Take
Page 9
“They must have to pay a lot for electricity,” Madison said.
“I heard that Jake Emerson hires an electrician to come every year and do special hookups,” Mom said.
Madison wondered why someone would spend so much money on decorations. At their house, Mom had put up a tree, a wreath, and a few candles in the windows. That was the extent of their decorating. They had yet to take the ornaments down from the attic to decorate the tree.
“When are we doing the tree?” Madison asked.
“We’ll decorate on Christmas Eve,” Mom said. “Just like always.”
“But it won’t really be like always, Mom,” Madison said. “Not really.”
Madison gazed out the window silently as Mom pulled up to the school parking lot.
“Well, have a nice day,” Mom said, trying to sound chipper. “You’d better hustle. It’s after eight. We’ll talk more later, okay?”
Madison kissed Mom on the cheek and ran toward the front steps so she would make it on time. She caught up with Fiona and Chet on the way inside.
“Yo, Maddie!” Chet bellowed. “What’s up?”
“Upstairs, upset, uptown …” Madison said.
It was a bad joke, but Fiona giggled.
“Yeah, later for you,” Chet said with a pretend look of disgust. He chuckled and rushed ahead to his homeroom.
Fiona followed him, waving back at Madison. “See you at lunch,” she said.
Madison entered her homeroom to find Ivy parked next to the seat where Madison usually sat.
“Hey,” Ivy said, acting a lot friendlier than the last time they had spoken.
Madison slid into her seat. “Hey, yourself,” she said.
“How was The Estates last Friday?” Ivy asked. “I was so bummed that I missed seeing Mrs. Wood. I called her up and said I had the flu.”
“Oh yeah?” Madison said, not sure whether or not she should believe Ivy. “Are you feeling better now?”
Ivy coughed for effect. “A little bit. I’m still on antibiotics though.”
A voice blared over the loudspeaker. It was Miss Goode, the assistant principal. She always seemed to have trouble making announcements. Egg called her Ol’ Yeller.
“ATTENTION, ATTENTION, MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION?”
A kid in the second row yelled back, “YES, YOU CAN!” and everyone burst out laughing. But Mr. Gibbons, Madison’s homeroom teacher, clapped his hands to quiet everyone down.
“ATTENTION! WOULD ALL MEMBERS OF SEVENTH GRADE PLEASE REPORT TO THE ASSEMBLY FOR A SPECIAL TALK FROM PRINCIPAL BERNARD. THANK YOU.”
The loudspeaker’s crackling static sent a shiver down Madison’s spine.
Mr. Gibbons clapped his hands together again. “Okay, everyone, let’s line up. You heard the announcement.”
Everyone filed into the hallway and then headed for the main assembly.
“Long time no see!” Fiona cried out when she spotted Madison. “Like five minutes ago.”
Aimee linked arms with Madison on the other side. “What is this assembly about?” she grumbled.
They sat in a row near Egg, Drew, and Hart. Madison found herself staring at Hart, who was sneezing into a tissue the entire time. Even sick he looked cute.
Principal Bernard took the stage wearing his usual, boring gray suit. He coughed into the microphone. Madison guessed that he had the flu, too.
“Students, I brought you here this morning to talk a little bit about this week’s seventh-grade festivities. As you know, this week is Winter Jubilee.”
Everyone burst into a round of applause, even the kids who were still half asleep.
“Yes, I think it’s a grand time, too,” Principal Bernard continued. “And I wanted to make some formal announcements about the activities and events that Far Hills Junior High has planned, since it’s our first holiday season together like this. First, I’d like to thank each and every one of you for helping to decorate the classrooms and hallways.”
The room applauded again.
“Settle down, settle down,” the principal said, holding his hands up. “I would also like to thank the committees dedicated to our goodwill Winter Jubilee events.”
Madison glanced over in Ivy’s direction and Ivy looked back.
“Now, as I understand it, many of you will be singing in a concert at The Estates tomorrow and at school again on Saturday afternoon. The faculty and administration are so pleased with your participation. Give yourselves a hand for that, boys and girls.”
Egg heaved his fist into the air. “Woo-woo!” he said. The room started clapping once more. Even Madison, Aimee, and Fiona were whooping.
“There is a distinct group of students, however,” Principal Bernard continued, “who deserve our special attention, and I would like to thank those volunteers who have taken extra time out of their busy schedules to meet with residents of The Estates a few times each week. Let’s all give the Adopt-a-Grandparent crew a warm thank-you. I’m talking about…”
He read through the list of names.
Madison wormed around in her seat as she usually did when someone called attention to her in a large room. She loved to be recognized, but in smaller ways than this. Madison liked it when her friends paid attention, when Mom and Dad noticed, or when Bigwheels wrote e-mails. Having her name read out to a million other seventh graders (well, 246 to be exact) wasn’t Madison’s idea of holiday fun.
She glanced over at Ivy again. This time, Ivy shrugged and smiled. The drones didn’t seem to notice.
Lucky for Madison’s self-consciousness, the assembly didn’t last much longer. And the rest of the day flew by just as quickly.
Fiona had to attend a party for the soccer team after school and Aimee had rehearsals for The Nutcracker, so Madison walked home alone. When she arrived home from school that afternoon, she raced to check her e-mailbox.
From: Bigwheels
To: MadFinn
Subject: Good Luck
Date: Mon 17 Dec 3:13 PM
Tomorrow is the big day, right? I wanted to send e-mail and wish you LUCK. I know you will sing great (even though you say u can’t sing LOL).
Tonight is the seventh night of Hanukkah. Did I tell you I was Jewish? I guessed ur not b/c u were talking about Christmas. Hey that’s one thing we don’t have in common but that’s ok. So far this week I have gotten the coolest Hanukkah gifts like this sweater I wanted and a leather journal (I know u would love that one) and earrings and other smaller stuff. Have you ever been to a menorah-lighting ceremony? We have this AWESOME menorah that my father made in some pottery class he took. Even though he’s a real estate agent, I think he wishes he made pottery instead. Anyway, it’s painted and pretty and I wish I could invite u over for a ceremony before Hanukkah ends. Y do u live so far?
I was glad to hear that ur Mom will probably go to the concert. U have to let me know what happens!!! Check out the greeting card link on bigfishbowl to read a funny card from me to you. It’s under the password 67672. I sent it for extra good luck.
BTW: Are u getting Hart a Christmas or Hanukkah present? Maybe he’ll give you something?
FC—Fingers crossed.
Write back soon.
Yours till the light bulbs,
Vicki aka Bigwheels
Madison was about to check the link Bigwheels had sent when she received a message.
JeffFinn>: What do snowmen call their kids?
Madison laughed. Dad was sending her a joke? She responded anyway and they started to chat.
<
MadFinn>: Nothing’s changed since u talked last week can’t u convince her?
< JeffFinn>: I love you, M
Madison wanted to believe Dad. But he was always saying things would get better, even when it didn’t feel like they were.
It was fun to joke back and forth, too, but Madison knew that if she could have asked Santa Claus for one thing, she would have made a wish for peace of a different kind—the kind that involved both of her parents.
After disconnecting from the Internet, Madison rummaged through her closet, reviewing the next day’s events in her mind. Since tomorrow was the concert at The Estates, she needed a super-cute outfit to wear. Madison considered wearing her long black pants and yellow sweater, but decided that made her look too much like a bumblebee. She thought about her dark blue velvet dress, but that made her look like a prairie girl. Finally, she pulled out her beet-red angora sweater with the cool boa neckline, a dark green corduroy skirt, and mini-boots. (She picked out boots just in case it decided to snow.)
This was the ideal outfit.
She could color-coordinate with her BFFs in the morning.
Chapter 12
From: Gogramma
To: MadFinn
Subject: THE CONCERT
Date: Tues 18 Dec 5:44 AM
Maddie, I’m up at the crack of dawn, as usual. I have been thinking about you all weekend long. Are you nervous about singing in the concert today? Don’t be! You will be a star, I know. Here is a little poem a friend gave me once. I want to share it with you.
I give you all good wishes, because you are so dear And pray they will come true, with happiness so near.
Like a special angel,
you do such caring things,
That you deserve your own
pair of angel wings!
Send me an e-mail message and let me know how the concert goes. I am sure your Adopt-a-Grandmother will be as proud of you as I am.
Love, Gramma
Madison reread Gramma Helen’s e-mail again. She had printed it out and stuffed it into her skirt pocket that morning so she could have it with her all day long. Reading the e-mail while sitting on the bus headed for The Estates was like having Gramma right there.
No one else was paying much attention to Madison anyway, so she could read all she wanted. Half of the seventh grade was stuffed into the bus. Everyone was shouting and gossiping and complaining about the fact that it still hadn’t snowed outside. The ride to The Estates went by faster than fast—or at least faster than usual. Madison’s skin broke out into goose pimples.
Nerves.
Hart Jones, whose nose was still a little red from sneezing and suffering through the flu, ended up sitting across the aisle from Madison. She tried to turn casually and look at his face, but it was hard to shift in the seats without looking too obvious.
Madison did not want to look obvious.
“Hey, Finnster,” Hart whispered across the bus aisle. “This volunteering gig has been a good time, right?” he said.
Madison smiled. “Right,” she said.
“Last week I wasn’t so sure. I mean, my guy, Mr. Koppell, wouldn’t talk to me for, like, ten minutes. I was so freaked out,” Hart explained.
“What happened?” Madison asked, mouth agape.
“Nurse Ana told me he has forgetting spells and then he gets embarrassed,” Hart said.
“No way!” Madison shrieked. “That sounds just like Mrs. Romano. She called me by someone else’s name.”
“Hey, Hart,” Ivy said, slinking up the aisle, still within earshot of her trusty drones.
“Hey, Ivy,” Hart replied. Madison didn’t think he seemed interested, but he still responded nicely.
“What are you two talking about?” Ivy asked.
“YOU!” Egg blurted. He’d been listening.
From across the aisle, Fiona giggled at Egg’s remark.
“Well, excuse me,” Ivy said. “I was just trying to be nice.”
“You were nice,” Hart said, recovering. “Egg didn’t mean it.”
Madison wanted to hit Hart in the head for saying that. After everything he’d heard and seen, how could he still be sweet on Ivy? Maybe he prescribed to the same philosophy as Fiona—you get what you give?
Madison looked over at Ivy. “We were really just talking about volunteering, you know,” she said.
Ivy smiled. “Oh,” she said, heading back to the drones. “Later, then.”
The bus pulled into The Estates about ten minutes after that, passing the same rows of drooping winter plants on the way into the entryway cul-de-sac. From inside the bus, Madison shivered.
More nerves.
“I love, love, love that skirt, Maddie,” Aimee said as they got up to exit the bus. “I was going to wear one just like it, but it looks so much better on you.”
“Nice color,” Hart said.
Madison raised her eyebrows. “Really?” she said, starting to laugh. Hart had noticed her skirt?
“WATCH IT!” Egg squealed in her ear. He pushed Madison’s back. “Would you move, please?”
“Walter!” Señora Diaz said. “That’s quite enough. Get off the bus in an orderly fashion or not at all.”
Egg’s shoulders drooped as he walked off, leaving his friends giggling behind him. Once again, his mother had embarrassed him. And once again he had to take it.
An enormous crowd of Far Hills seventh graders invaded The Estates. Residents who had been milling about in the lobby stopped to stare at the young busload of kids.
“Welcome, everyone! Buenos dias!” Nurse Ana said, waving her hands in the air.
Mrs. Montefiore threw her arms around Nurse Ana and smiled. “We’re so happy to be here. Is the piano all set?”
The kids divided into groups with the different teachers. Slowly, the groups moved inside the door to avoid standing out in the cold.
“Please stay together,” Señora Diaz said.
“No monkey business!” bellowed Mrs. Montefiore, taking herself too seriously, as always. She grabbed two kids who were chewing gum.
“Follow me to the auditorium,” Mr. Lynch said with a grin. He was wearing a reindeer tie.
Madison, Aimee, and Fiona linked arms and shuffled along behind the boys.
Even though they had been rehearsing for a couple of weeks, the class was still unsure in places about lyrics and tempo. They pushed together on makeshift risers placed on the center of a makeshift stage. When Mrs. Montefiore played a few notes on her pitch pipe and got everyone quieted down for warm-ups, Aimee and Fiona squeezed closer to Madison.
Do, re, mi, fa, sol…
Madison could hear all the people who had the best voices. Fiona and Ivy stood out the most. She could hear Hart singing, too. It was one thing he wasn’t so great at—but at least they had that in common. Maybe they could mouth all of the words to the songs together?
After a few vocal warm-ups, the kids were asked to sit down quietly on the risers while the residents of The Estates filed in. Madison was surprised to see a throng of older men and women vying for the front rows. Everyone was dressed up. She scanned the crowd for Mrs. Romano.
“There’s Smokey!” Egg said, waving his arms wildly. Smokey gave Egg the thumbs-up.
Mrs. Holly Wood was seated front row, dead center. Ivy shimmied over to the edge of the stage to say hello.
Other kids waved and hooted at th
e residents, too.
But Mrs. Romano wasn’t there yet.
Madison craned her neck for five minutes, bobbing and weaving among her fellow classmates for a glance at her new friend.
Where had she gone?
“May I have your attention, please?” Nurse Ana spoke up louder than loud. The microphone was broken. “Please give our school volunteers a warm welcome. These fine students have come all the way from Far Hills Junior High to share some of the holiday spirit with you.”
Most of the residents clapped politely. The students stood up tall and began to sing.
Ivy led off with a solo rendition of “Winter Wonderland” while the rest of the chorus hummed and cooed. Madison had to admit that Ivy’s voice sounded beautiful. Mrs. Holly Wood cheered when she was done.
Fiona sang a solo, too. She put on a “costume” for it. Mrs. Montefiore loaned her a red, rubber nose and furry brown antlers.
“‘Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer,’” Fiona crooned, “‘had a very shiny nose…’”
Madison giggled as the chorus sang backup. Hart even had a guest vocal. He played the voice of Santa.
“‘Rudolph with your nose so bright, won’t you guide my sleigh tonight,’” Hart yelled. Everyone laughed.
In addition to other Christmas carols and Hanukkah songs, the seventh graders sang a Kwanza and New Year’s tune, too.
“Bravo! Bravo!” Smokey said, jumping up and stomping his feet when they sang their finale, “Sleigh Ride.” It was their best number. The whole room liked it so much, they sang along, too.
“Please everyone join us for some refreshments down in the dining area,” Mr. Lynch said after the applause died down. “Our resident chef has made us some sweet treats.”
Egg and Hart high-fived each other. “FOOD!” they cheered.
Madison turned to Aimee and Fiona. “That went surprisingly well. Your solo was awesome, Fiona.”
“Oh-em-gee, TOTALLY,” Aimee said. “I couldn’t stop listening.”
“Let’s go walk around,” Fiona suggested. “I really want to meet Mrs. Romanoff.”
“Her name is Romano,” Madison corrected her. “And I don’t think she’s even here. I didn’t see her in the audience.”