Invaluable

by Holly J. Wood

  Just before the dream began to fade, I looked down at my hands again and thought about what Grandma had said.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Word was all over school before second period: Chelsea Andrews had broken off her prom date with Owen Black just one week before the dance. She had offered no explanation, and Owen was completely heartbroken. Everyone speculated over the reason for the breakup. Did she have another date in mind? Had Owen done something to make her mad? Was she still upset about not being asked by Luke? The texts flew as everyone analyzed the situation. This was the biggest piece of gossip since midterm, and rumors buzzed about like flies.

  I had a pretty good idea why Chelsea had canceled her date, and I was fairly sure it wasn’t because of Owen. After what I’d learned last night about her family’s financial situation, I was willing to bet that she hadn’t bought her dress yet, and now that the money train from her dad had come to a crashing halt, she had no way of getting one.

  A tiny thought crept into my mind, but I immediately shoved it right back out. Dream or no dream, there was no way I was going to help Chelsea! The nasty part of me still felt like her family was getting what they deserved, and if Chelsea couldn’t go to prom it was the result of her own unchecked excesses. Let her sell her precious car, or auction off some of her designer clothes on eBay. I was sure she could scrounge up the money from somewhere if she had the proper motivation. Besides, the good works I’d learned about last night had been toward the poor and needy—not girls who lived in mansions. I would do my part of kindness by not spreading what I knew about her dad. I smiled and feeling justified, let the subject drop.

  “May I take the hall pass, please?”

  Biology was almost over, and I’d tried to wait to use the bathroom, but suddenly my bladder warned that waiting was no longer an option.

  Mr. Norman glanced at the clock and gave me a withering look, but finally conceded. “All right, but please make it fast.”

  I shot out of my seat before he’d finished his sentence and grabbed the wooden pass from its peg. I darted down the hall to the bathroom; however, once I was inside, the sight before me almost made me forget why I was there.

  Chelsea stood at the mirror, sniffing and trying to apply makeup to her reddened cheeks and nose. She startled with embarrassment when she saw me.

  I looked away and pretended not to notice her as I headed into the stall. Normally, I would have waited until I heard her leave before reemerging, but class was almost over, and I was in a rush.

  She was still working on her makeup when I walked over to wash my hands. To my surprise, she looked over and gave me a sort of apologetic smile. I reached for a paper towel and smiled back in what I hoped was a reassuring way, and then left. No words had been spoken between us, but somehow in those smiles, we’d exchanged something. She knew that I wasn’t going to gossip about seeing her crying, and I knew that she was trying to apologize for the way she’d treated me.

  It had been an unexpectedly pleasant moment, and my heart felt lighter as I realized I was already forming a plan.

  • • •

  “Okay, pencil down please.”

  I’d just finished the last equation as Mrs. Bartlett walked over to my desk and picked up the test.

  “I’ll save you the agony of waiting and grade it right now, okay?” She smiled at me, and I nodded my head, blowing out a big breath.

  “That would be awesome, thanks.” I drummed my foot and chewed my fingernails as I watched her go over each problem. After five minutes, she looked up at me.

  “Would you like to know how you did?” Her stoic expression offered no hints, and I felt my stomach tighten into a pretzel.

  “Yes, please!” I closed my eyes and braced myself for the worst.

  “You got a B+. Great job! That means that if you do well on your final, you’ll pass the class.”

  “Oh my goodness, I can’t believe it!” Without even thinking, I ran over to her, wanting to give her a hug, but I stopped when I reached her desk. She laughed and stood up, holding her arms out to give me a quick hug.

  “You should be proud of yourself—for telling the truth and for studying so hard. Remember, if you have trouble in the future, you can always come and talk to me, that’s what I’m here for.” She smiled at me.

  “I will. I promise. Thank you so much for giving me a second chance.”

  I felt as light as air as I left the classroom. School had been out for almost forty-five minutes, so I was surprised when I turned down the hall and saw Jason standing there.

  He waved at me. “How’d it go?”

  I ran toward him and gave him a huge hug, which he gladly returned.

  “Whoa! That good, huh?” He laughed.

  I pulled away from him and proudly held up the paper.

  “No way—a B+! That’s awesome! I knew you could do it.”

  “Yeah, well I couldn’t have done it without your help. Thanks so much for studying with me.”

  “Anytime, but, if you really want to repay me, you could agree to hang out with me after tonight’s concert,” he said slyly.

  “Aha! So your charity comes with a price,” I teased.

  “Only when the reward is too irresistible to ignore.” His eyes were playful, but there was an underlying sincerity in them that made me blush.

  I tried to lighten the mood. “Okay, but you do realize that would mean hanging out with me two nights in a row. Do you think you can handle that?”

  He took my hand. “Absolutely. A group of us are going to Luke’s tonight to play pool and Ping-Pong and stuff. Is that okay with you?”

  Ack! Why was Luke always involved in our activities? Was he purposely trying to torment me?

  “Sure, that sounds great,” I said, trying to maintain an enthusiastic tone.

  “Sweet! Do you mind if I walk you to your car?”

  “That would be nice.”

  He continued to hold my hand as we walked down the hall, somehow making things seem official. Congratulations, Eliza, I thought to myself. You have your first boyfriend.

  • • •

  My car rattled violently before wheezing to a stop beside the gas pump. I patted the dashboard consolingly. “You just take it easy for a few minutes.”

  I climbed out of the car and was about to hit the Pay Outside option on the keypad when a thought came to me. I pushed the Pay Inside button instead. After fueling up, I ran into the service station and found what I was looking for—a king-sized candy bar. Placing the chocolate on the counter, I told the cashier I also needed to pay for pump 8. With that taken care of, I got back in the car and, after a few frightening failed attempts, started it up and zoomed toward the bank.

  Once back home, I selected a couple of cards from Mom’s never-ending supply of greeting cards. I chose two that had cute designs on the cover but were blank inside, and I hurried up to my room. I had only a few hours before I had to be back at school, so I had to move fast. The first card I wrote was for Courtney.

  Courtney,

  Thanks for being such a great little sister. I want you to know that I’ll always be there for you, and if you ever need anything, let me know. I miss hanging out with you and hearing all about what’s going on in your life. You’re the best! I love you! ☺

  XOXO,

  Eliza

  I sealed the card and wrote her name on the envelope. I grabbed the candy bar and headed for her room. I knocked even though I knew she wasn’t there. After waiting a few seconds, I went in and placed the card and candy bar on her bed. I smiled when I pictured her reaction. I’d chosen her favorite kind of candy bar, and I hoped that my note would brighten her day.

  I glanced around at the posters on her walls and realized that I hadn’t been in her room in a long time. She was into different bands and movie stars now, and it made me feel bad that these changes had happened without my even noticing them. Suddenly I felt like a stranger in her room, like I was imposing, and something about that seemed wrong.


  I hurried out of her room and closed the door, looking both ways down the hall before running back to my room.

  The next card was a little trickier to write. I sat for several minutes trying to think of what to say, but nothing was coming, so I decided to keep it short and simple.

  Chelsea,

  This is for your prom dress—or whatever else you need.

  Sincerely,

  Your friend

  I tried not to cringe as I placed two, crisp one hundred dollar bills in the card and sealed it. If I’d had time, I would have typed the note to ensure total anonymity, but I doubted Chelsea would recognize my handwriting, and time was of the essence. I scribbled her name on the front of the envelope and grabbed my car keys before I could talk myself out of my plan.

  I drove up the hill to the Andrews’ residence and parked my car half a block down the street from her house. Creeping stealthily up their long driveway, I carefully scoped the landscape for a good hiding place.

  After making sure the coast was clear, I ran up to the door and balanced the envelope on the doorknob. Feeling a surge of panicked adrenaline, I rang the doorbell and then bolted down the steps and around the corner. I hid behind a large tree, my heart pounding in my chest. I held my breath and strained my ears to listen.

  I heard the front door open, and I waited for several seconds, imagining someone was looking around to see who the visitor had been. I finally heard the front door close again, and I waited a few more seconds before leaving the safety of the tree and peeking around the corner of the house. I could see the front porch clearly. The envelope was gone. Mission complete!

  I crouched down as much as possible and dashed out of the yard and down the drive. A warm, peaceful feeling overcame me as I reached my car, and I recognized the Spirit letting me know that I’d done the right thing.

  I smiled as I drove home. Sure, it had been a lot of money, but Chelsea needed it more than I did right now. I realized that doing something nice for someone I didn’t like had somehow miraculously healed my heart. All the bad things I’d felt about her had melted away and all that was left was kindness.

  I said a quick prayer, thanking Heavenly Father for this wonderful lesson and for the promptings I’d received. I also thanked Him for helping me do well on my math test. The list of things I was grateful for seemed to keep growing, and I prayed all the way home. By the time I pulled in the driveway, I felt so happy I thought my heart was going to burst. Grandma had been right—about everything. I looked up at the attic window and grinned. Time to find that candle.

  • • •

  Piles of clothes lay strewn about me as I looked at my watch. I’d been through Grandma’s things so many times now that I felt like I knew her old wardrobe better than I knew my own. The candle was nowhere to be found, and it was time for me to get ready for the concert.

  Maybe this value token will randomly appear like the last one, I thought hopefully as I began piling the clothes back into the drawers. I’d grabbed the last sweater when I noticed something. I held the sweater up and examined it for a moment, and then looked up at Grandma’s picture. It was the same sweater she was wearing in the photograph!

  I turned the soft white fabric over in my fingers and smiled as I thought of Grandma wearing it. “This must have been one of your favorites, huh?” I asked as I looked up at her picture.

  Just for fun, I slipped the sweater on over my shirt and wrapped my arms around myself as if giving Grandma a hug. Laughing at the silly gesture, I moved to take it off when suddenly I felt something lumpy in the pocket. I closed my eyes and reached down, hoping it wasn’t something nasty like old dentures, but to my surprise my fingers closed around a thin, waxy object—the candle!

  I quickly pulled it out. “Grandma, you old rascal! I never thought to look in your pockets!” I remembered her saying that good works was her favorite value, so it made sense that she would keep this token close to her heart.

  As I looked at the candle more closely, I saw something that I hadn’t noticed in my dream last night. Written on the side of the candle in tiny letters were the words Let your light so shine.

  I turned to Grandma’s picture and smiled. “I will, Grandma. I promise.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  We’re so proud of you, honey. You did great!” Mom said, hugging me.

  Dad reached out and put his hand on my cheek. “For a minute I thought it was an angel singing up there. You looked and sounded absolutely beautiful,” he said.

  “Oh, Dad.” I rolled my eyes but smiled at him, secretly pleased by his comment. “Thanks so much for coming.” I turned and impulsively gave Courtney a hug. “You too, Court. Thanks for being here.”

  She hugged me back awkwardly and didn’t look me in the eyes when she said, “Sure. You sounded really good.”

  I was a little hurt that she seemed so standoffish, but then I reasoned that she probably hadn’t gotten my note yet.

  “Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Moore! Didn’t Eliza do a great job?” Jason appeared by my side, and although he was talking to my parents, his eyes never left me.

  “She certainly did. And I enjoyed the numbers that your choir performed, too,” Mom said. “Eliza said that you’re going over to a friend’s house now, is that right?”

  Jason smiled. “Yeah, we’re just going to go play some games and stuff.” And then after a quick glance at my dad, who was frowning, he added, “But don’t worry, I’ll have her home by eleven o’clock sharp.”

  My dad acknowledged this with a grunt and slight nod, and I saw my mom discreetly elbow him in the ribs. “Well that sounds like fun! You two have a good time.”

  I smiled at her, thankful to have at least one sane parent. “Thanks, Mom. See you later.”

  Jason and I walked toward a group of after-choir stragglers, mostly the people going to Luke’s house. Luke, however, was nowhere in sight.

  “So, what am I going to have to do to get your dad to like me?” Jason asked once we were out of earshot.

  “Well, I think all you’d have to do is change yourself into a girl, and then the two of you would be best friends,” I said, trying to keep a straight face.

  “Ha-ha, very funny.” He rolled his eyes. “Seriously though, the man hates me, and I need to get on his good side.”

  “Why?” I asked in feigned innocence.

  “Why? I’ll tell you why.” He turned to face me and his voice dropped so that only I could hear. “Because I’m crazy about his daughter, and I want to spend as much time with her as possible. I have to be honest, though; I don’t blame your dad for being protective. When I saw you in that dress, I almost broke out in a sweat. You look incredible!”

  I blushed furiously, happy to know that he thought I looked pretty. I was wearing one of my favorite dresses. It was a little on the formal side, but not enough that I couldn’t wear it to church. It was a black satin, tea-length gown with a lace overlay and beadwork on the empire-waist bodice. It was my “little black dress,” and I wore it whenever I wanted to look extra nice.

  He shook his head. “I don’t know what I’m going to do when I see you in your prom dress. Maybe we should have an oxygen tank on hand—just in case.”

  I smacked his arm and laughed. “Whatever!”

  • • •

  We headed to Luke’s house and found several cars already parked in the driveway. I tried to quiet the flutter in my stomach at the thought of seeing Luke again. He and I had barely spoken since that day outside the school, and I still felt bad about the way I’d acted that afternoon. We had shared something special that day, and I felt like we’d bonded in a way I couldn’t explain. I hated this new awkwardness that had come between us.

  I’d looked for him in the audience tonight, but the stage lights were too bright to see much past the first few rows. I wondered what he’d thought of my solo, and I couldn’t help but hope that he liked my dress as much as Jason did.

  Jason! It seemed like it took great effort to remember to think a
bout him whenever Luke was near. I scolded myself and then turned my focus on Jason. He was holding my hand as we walked up to the house, and I realized that it was beginning to feel natural now, but I still couldn’t drop the nagging worry about what Luke would think when he saw us this way.

  Jason rang the doorbell, and after a few seconds, Luke’s mom answered the door. She seemed to be about ten years older than my mom, but she still had an air of youth about her. Her hair was dark, like Luke’s, and her warm, brown eyes conveyed kindness. She had a welcoming aura about her, and I liked her instantly.

  “Hello, Jason, it’s nice to see you. Who’s your friend?”

  “This is Eliza Moore. She’s been here once before, but I didn’t get the chance to introduce you that night,” Jason explained.

  Sister Matthews smiled at me, and the wrinkles around her eyes and mouth were evidence that it was an expression she wore often. “It’s nice to meet you, Eliza. The kids are all in the game room if you want to head up there.”

  I smiled in return. “It’s nice to meet you too, and thanks for letting us hang out at your house—it’s beautiful!” I was surprised by my own words; normally I was shy in the presence of adults I didn’t know well, but something about her made me feel right at home.

  “Thank you! We really enjoy it here.” She leaned in and added in a whisper, “But don’t look too closely at anything because I haven’t dusted in a week!” Jason and I laughed. “Have fun, you two.” She winked at me and then walked down the hall toward the kitchen, which was emanating the rich smell of chocolate chip cookies. My mouth watered as I realized that in my rush this evening I’d forgotten to eat dinner. I hoped that some of those cookies would make their way up to the game room.

  “Hey, guys!” Danny yelled as we entered the room.

  People were everywhere. Some kids were playing pool, Ping-Pong, or air hockey, and others had spread out on the extra large sectional sofa. At least half of the kids were still dressed up from the concert, and I was glad that I wouldn’t stand out in my dress.