by Clare Hutton
Seeing Rachel, Ruby gave a bark and tried to charge forward. A friendly laugh spread through the audience. Natalia gripped Ruby’s leash tightly. “No, Ruby,” she whispered. “Sit.” Miraculously, Ruby did.
Finally, the dogs’ (and Natalia’s) big moment came. “Do you have the rings?” the minister asked. Mike gestured to Natalia to come closer, and she led the dogs toward him. Ruby jumped up, putting her paws on his chest, and the audience laughed softly again, a happy, gentle sound. “Down, Ruby!” Natalia whispered, and, once again, Ruby listened.
I may be a natural dog trainer, Natalia thought. She imagined herself, years in the future, surrounded by perfectly trained dogs. They’d do tricks she taught them, and obey her every whim. People would pay her hundreds of dollars, since she’d be the only one who could make their difficult dogs cooperate.
It seemed like a pretty awesome future, Natalia thought, watching Mike take the rings from the dogs’ collars and rumple their ears affectionately. But first she’d have to make it through middle school.
The rest of the wedding was equally beautiful. Uncle Brian had done wonders with the food. There was dancing, and toasts with champagne, and everyone seemed incredibly happy. Natalia overheard several people saying they would come back to Seaview House, or asking her mother or Aunt Amy for business cards in case they wanted to schedule a future event. Seaview House’s first wedding (first wedding as a B and B, that was, since the family had been getting married there for generations) was a huge success.
But all the excitement of the day drained straight out of Natalia that evening when she was sitting at her own family’s kitchen table, her mom and dad and Abuelita sitting across from her with serious, concerned faces.
She had Zoe beside her, though, and that was a comfort. As she thought this, Zoe leaned toward her, nudging their shoulders together.
“What’s going on, Natalia?” her dad asked.
“I’ve been having trouble in math,” Natalia confessed, looking down at the table instead of at her dad. “I got so busy that I just couldn’t keep up. I didn’t understand the assignments and I was so tired I forgot to do them sometimes.”
“It was partly my fault,” Zoe said protectively. “Emma and I were supposed to help with the dog walking, and we kept putting it all on Natalia.”
“No, I promised you guys would do stuff without checking with you first,” Natalia said, looking up. Her problems weren’t Zoe and Emma’s fault. “That wasn’t fair.”
“You should have come to us,” Natalia and Zoe’s mom told them sternly. “It’s our job to help you. We could have helped you organize your time and gotten you tutoring in math before things got to this point.”
“I know,” Natalia said, hanging her head again.
Her mom sighed. “I’m afraid you’re going to have to quit The Wizard of Oz. I’m sorry, but Ms. Patel’s after-school tutoring is at the same time as rehearsals.”
“That’s terrible,” Zoe said, glaring at her mom. “Natalia loves theater club. And it won’t be as fun without her.”
Natalia felt a little sad—and embarrassed at the idea of having to quit—but she was surprised not to feel worse. She had ached inside at how badly she had blown the audition. “It’s okay,” she told Zoe. “I’ll start fresh with the next show and I’ll work really hard. Maybe I’ll get a better part.”
“In any case, I’ll be glad when all those dogs check out,” their dad said. “They took up way too much time that you needed for other things.”
Her mom nodded. “I think having pets at the B and B is an experiment that failed.”
“Oh no!” Natalia burst out. Everyone looked surprised at her objection. “Didn’t you hear people saying at the wedding how excited they were to find a pet-friendly inn?” she said. “If Seaview House is going to be successful, that could be a big draw.”
Her mom looked touched. “I appreciate that you want to help out, Natalia,” she said. “But it can’t come at the expense of your schoolwork.”
“I can help,” Zoe said. “Really help, not just sort of help, like I did this time. And I bet Emma will feel the same way.”
Abuelita, who had been listening quietly, spoke up. “I’d be happy to help, too,” she said. Natalia’s mom started to object, but Abuelita shook her head at her. “No arguments,” she said. “I’m still strong, even if I am getting old. And a good walk in the afternoon will be excellent exercise.”
Natalia smiled at her grandmother. “Thanks, Abuelita,” she said. She looked at Zoe, too, and at her parents. “And thank you, all. Next time, I’ll do better.”
She felt like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. All this time, Natalia had been so afraid of asking for help. She had felt like she had to be responsible, and that things would fall apart if she let anyone know there were problems.
But now everyone knew she needed help. And it was going to be fine. She would catch up in math, and she wouldn’t have to tell any more lies. And next time, she would know her lines for her audition.
And maybe she would be an expert dog trainer one day, too. At the very least, it seemed likely there would be cute dogs to play with at Seaview House again soon.
“Oh, Auntie Em!” Zoe said, gazing around the stage. “There’s no place like home!”
The audience burst into applause, and the curtain fell. Natalia was clapping so hard her hands hurt.
The Stephenson-Martinez family took up a whole row in the auditorium. Everyone was there: Emma and Natalia, Mateo and Tomás, Uncle Brian and Aunt Amy, Natalia and Zoe’s mom and dad, Grandma Stephenson and Abuelita, and even Uncle Dean and Aunt Bonnie. They were all dressed up and cheering for Zoe.
The curtain went up again, and Zoe and the rest of the cast came out and bowed. Caitlin was wearing her sparkly Glinda costume and looking pleased with herself. The apple trees—they had cast another Second Apple Tree—seemed hot and sweaty from wearing their bulky tree outfits, but they were laughing. Darcy had been a really good Wicked Witch, Natalia admitted to herself. Probably just as good as Natalia could have been.
And Zoe had been terrific. Natalia’s twin, who was usually on the edges of things, observing so carefully but keeping herself a little apart, had shone onstage. Looking at her sister’s happy face as she bowed again and again, Natalia clapped even harder.
Afterward, following celebratory ice cream cones at Sweet Jane’s with the whole family, Emma, Zoe, and Natalia decided to walk home together. It was still warm enough for the night walk to be comfortable, but Natalia tucked her hands into her jacket pockets. She could feel that winter was coming.
“I almost forgot my lines in the scene where I meet the Scarecrow,” Zoe was saying. “Did you notice?”
Emma shook her head. “I thought you were great.”
“Are you fishing for compliments, evil twin?” Natalia asked. Under the streetlights, their shadows looked huge and dark.
Zoe made a face. “I’m pretty sure you’re the evil twin,” she said. “Lying. Getting bad grades. Cavorting with that naughty puppy Ruby.”
Natalia shrugged. “That was weeks ago,” she said. “I’m pretty much caught up in math now, and I haven’t told any lies for ages.”
“A model citizen,” Emma agreed.
With a sudden rush of affection, Natalia wrapped her arms around her sister and her cousin. “Thank you. Really,” she said. “I never could have done it without you. I need you guys. Both of you.”
“Well, duh,” Zoe answered. “You can’t manage without us.”
“Zoe!” Emma said reprovingly.
Zoe grinned. “And we need you, too, of course,” she said quickly. “The Three Musketeers. Two of them evil twins.”
“I miss the naughty puppy, though,” Natalia said thoughtfully. “But a couple with a schnauzer booked a room at Seaview House for two weeks from now, so that’ll be fun. Or maybe we could expand the business. There’s got to be a lot of people in Waverly who need dog walkers.”
“I don’t
know …” Emma said, frowning.
“Aw, come on,” Natalia went on. “Soccer season is ending. The play is over. How are you guys going to fill up your time now?”
“I’m not worried,” Zoe said drily. “You’re definitely going to get us involved in some kind of scheme before long. I can sense it.”
Natalia felt full of love. Her two favorite people in the whole world, walking beside her. “Well, yeah,” she said. “Probably. After all, together we can do anything.”
Zoe and Emma are hosting an advice segment on their school’s morning news show. Friendship drama? Sibling rivalry? School trouble? Zoe and Emma know just what to do! But when some of their advice starts to backfire, Zoe needs new answers—and fast!
Read Emma’s story!
Things We Absolutely HAVE To Do:
Well, that will be easy, Emma thought, wiggling her feet under the airline seat in front of her. By the time she and her parents finally got to Waverly, Uncle Luis would be flipping burgers on the grill while her mom’s twin sister, Aunt Alison, and all the cousins arranged salads and desserts on the big outdoor trestle table.
Last year, her family had gotten there the evening before the annual family barbecue, and Emma and her two favorite cousins, twins Natalia and Zoe, had made up their own brownie recipe. They mixed in not just walnuts and chocolate chips, but dried pineapple, coconut, raisins, peanuts, and marshmallows. It had been Natalia’s idea—Zoe had been skeptical, and Emma had thought maybe they should play it safe and follow the real recipe—but Natalia had insisted, and she’d been right. The brownies had been delicious. Emma’s mouth watered at the memory.
Back home in Seattle, the water was too cold to swim in the ocean. Emma swam in indoor swimming pools, competing in relays and races. It was fun, and she was good at it. She liked the smell of chlorine and the stretch of her muscles. Swimming in the warm, sun-splashed water of the Chesapeake Bay with Natalia and Zoe was even better, though.
At night after the barbecue, everyone—even the grown-ups—would light sparklers out in the front yard of Zoe and Natalia’s house, writing their names in light. It was tradition, and their family cared about tradition.
Some evening this week, when the weather was just right, they would build a fire of driftwood on the beach and toast marshmallows to make s’mores. Natalia liked hers so dark they were almost black, and Zoe preferred hers untoasted, but Emma would turn hers patiently until they were a perfect, even golden brown all the way around.
Over Christmas, Grandma had started all three of them making scarves. Emma had chosen blue and white; Zoe, black and purple; and Natalia, red and turquoise. Emma had tried to finish the scarf on her own after she and her parents had gone back home, but the yarn had gotten tangled and she’d dropped too many stitches. Finally, she’d given up in frustration. It was too hard, and not as much fun by herself.
A pang went through Emma’s chest at the thought of her grandmother. Back in the spring, Grandma Stephenson had fallen on the stairs of Seaview House, her big, wonderful Victorian home, and broken her hip. She was okay—everyone said she was going to be just fine—but she had left Seaview House and moved in with Zoe and Natalia’s family, where their other grandma, Uncle Luis’s mom, Abuelita, already lived.
Emma’s mom had told her the living situation was only temporary, but it had been going on for months now. What if Grandma wasn’t really okay? No, her mom wouldn’t have said Grandma was going to be fine unless it was true.
But the beautiful house where generations of Emma’s family had lived was shuttered and silent. Emma’s mom said that Seaview House would be too big for Grandma Stephenson to take care of by herself even when she was fully recovered.
At the thought of Seaview House empty, Emma felt her throat go tight, and she swallowed back the feeling before it turned into tears. It would be silly to cry over a house when the important thing was that Grandma was okay. Determined not to think about Seaview House, she turned back to her list.
Emma hesitated, her pencil resting on the paper, not sure about whether to leave knitting on the list. They could knit just as well in the living room of Natalia and Zoe’s house as they had in the parlor at Seaview House, of course. But maybe Grandma didn’t feel like doing projects anymore since she’d been hurt. Should she scratch that one out?
Even if Grandma hadn’t changed, knitting wasn’t really a summer thing, and Natalia and Zoe might have already finished their scarves with Grandma while Emma wasn’t there. Emma pushed away the fleeting thought, Not fair. She knew she couldn’t expect everyone in Waverly to just wait for her to come back before doing anything fun together.
Next to her, Emma’s dad gave a little snore, and she glanced up as he slouched farther down against the airplane window, his glasses perched crookedly on his nose and his mouth open. Emma’s mom looked up from her laptop screen at the same time and caught Emma’s eye just as her dad snorted. They both giggled.
“He’s been working hard on the new menu,” her mom said. “This nap is just what he needs. He’ll be ready to ride the waves with you girls by the time we get there.”
Emma grinned. Her dad had the most ridiculous bathing suit—bright pink with wild purple and turquoise tropical flowers on it—but she liked how he came out into the water or onto the beach in his crazy bathing suit and played with them, instead of just hanging out with the other grown-ups. Last summer, he’d helped them and Zoe and Natalia’s little brothers build a huge sand castle with a pebble-covered drawbridge and turrets reaching up to the sky.
She felt a sudden surge of affection for her parents. She liked their tight little unit of three: her mother, her father, and herself.
But sometimes she couldn’t help envying Zoe and Natalia for having not just their parents and each other, but also their little brothers (even if Tomás and Mateo were bratty sometimes), and Grandma Stephenson, and Abuelita, and living near Uncle Dean and Aunt Bonnie, whose own kids were mostly away at college and brand-new jobs. They had tons of family, right in their town. Right in their house.
They—the whole of her mom’s side of the family, except for Emma and her parents—all lived in Waverly, a small town on the Chesapeake Bay, where the family had lived for generations. Natalia and Zoe went to the school where Emma’s mom and their mom (Aunt Alison) had gone, along with their brother (Uncle Dean). The school was right down the street from Seaview House, where her mom’s grandparents, and more generations before that, had lived.
It must be nice to belong somewhere so much that everyone knew you and you knew every inch of the whole town. Emma lived in Seattle now, but two years ago they’d lived in San Francisco, before her mom got a job at a different law firm. Natalia and Zoe had lived in the same house their whole lives.
Emma’s mom went back to her computer screen, squinting at a long, boring-looking work document. And Emma picked up her pencil and looked down at her list again.
She and Natalia had started a story last summer—all about a girl named Violet who had a talking dog that only Violet could understand and the trouble he’d gotten her into. They had laughed a lot writing it, and Zoe had drawn really funny pictures of steam coming out of Violet’s ears because she was so angry and of her innocent-faced dog looking as if he had no idea what had happened or why everything was such a mess.
Did Natalia still have the story? They hadn’t had time to work on it over Christmas. A little ball of anxiety expanded in Emma’s chest. There was never enough time. In just a week, she’d be on a plane heading back to Seattle again.
The pilot’s voice came over the intercom, interrupting her thoughts. “We’re now approaching our final descent into Baltimore. Please return your seatbacks to their upright position and secure tray tables to the seatback in front of you.”
There was a ton more she’d meant to write, but she was out of time again. Quickly, Emma scribbled the most important thing.
There were so many more things she could have listed, so many things she wanted to fit into th
e one week they’d have with the rest of the family. But they’d make time for the pact.
She latched the tray table and put her seat upright as her mom shut down her laptop. Next to her, her dad yawned himself awake.
“How’re you doing, kiddo?” he asked. “Excited to get to the house and see everybody?”
“Yeah,” said Emma. She folded her list and stuffed it into the pocket of her backpack. “I just wish we could stay longer this time.” She saw her parents exchange a look and added, “I know we can’t. It would be fun to be with Natalia and Zoe for longer, though.”
She understood why they could only come to Waverly for a few days over Christmas and for a week in the summer. Her dad was the head chef at Harvest Moon, a restaurant specializing in comfort food in Seattle, and her mom was an environmental lawyer who worked to protect the wetlands. They didn’t get much time off, and Waverly was far away from Seattle. Her parents had gone over it with her a million times when she was younger and didn’t understand why she couldn’t see her cousins more often.
“There’s a lot of stuff I want to do when we’re there,” she tried to explain, “and I know I won’t see Natalia and Zoe again till Christmas. I try to cram everything in, but there’s never quite enough time.”
Emma’s dad patted her back, and her mom reached out and tucked a strand of Emma’s long hair behind her ear. “We never get quite enough time with the people we love,” she said sympathetically, “but try not to worry about deadlines and fitting everything you want to do in. Just concentrate on spending time with your cousins and having fun.”
