The Silver Moon of Summer

by Leila Howland

  7 • Peter Pasque

  “How was camp?” Marigold asked Lily when they picked her up in the afternoon. After a morning spent swimming at the town beach and browsing at the library, Marigold and Zinnie had returned to Aunt Sunny’s for lunch, where Marigold had made them turkey sandwiches. In part to keep time from standing still as she waited to see Peter—the moment was only minutes away now—she’d been silently brainstorming all day about how she could get chosen to represent Eliza Pruet. She kept repeating the words “hardworking,” “spirited,” and “civic-minded” in her head, hoping an idea would come to her.

  “Did you go anywhere cool?” Zinnie asked Lily.

  “We went to the marsh and observed some amphibians,” Lily said. “And then we made drawings about their life cycles. Did you think of an idea for your blog yet?”

  “Coast-to-coast summer adventures,” Zinnie said. “I can write about summer in Cape Cod—”

  “Like I suggested,” Marigold said.

  “Yes, and then when we get back to L.A., I can write about how California summers are different.”

  Marigold smiled. Zinnie always took her advice on clothes, hair, and movies, but she never seemed to ask her opinion about what mattered to her most: her writing. Maybe now that Marigold had been accepted at the Performing Arts Magnet high school Zinnie would come to her for more writing advice.

  “I’m going to start by writing about the bats,” Zinnie said.

  “I told you bats were a good idea,” Lily said as they headed over to see Peter.

  Marigold tried not to break out into a run—she was just bursting inside to find him. She’d been patient about seeing him all day. Marigold knew from the past two summers that this was the time that sailing practice ended, and she smiled as she saw the small sailboats coming into the harbor and heard the team’s voices carrying over the water. She picked up the pace and said a silent prayer that Lindsey wasn’t Peter’s girlfriend anymore.

  “That roof doesn’t look so bad,” Zinnie said as they approached the familiar building.

  “That’s because Tony and his crew did a patch-up job to get us through the spring,” Mack said.

  The sisters turned around to see that Jean and Mack, Peter’s parents, had come out to greet them.

  “Oh hi,” Marigold said.

  “Hello, California girls!” Jean said, and gave them a hug.

  “Sorry you had such a rough winter,” Zinnie said.

  “Don’t you worry,” Mack said. “We have a plan to get everything back into shape. Are you girls excited for the tricentennial?”

  “Yes!” said Lily.

  “If you need any help, just let me know,” Marigold said.

  “Here comes Peter,” Lily said, pointing toward the docks.

  Marigold thought he was as handsome as ever. He was going to be a sophomore in high school, and he looked it. He was taller than last year and was broader, too. And when he smiled right at her, she thought her heart might melt even faster than a scoop of Edith’s ice cream in the sun. Even better, Lindsey wasn’t anywhere in sight.

  “We actually have some big news to share,” Jean said. “That’s why we came out to meet Peter.”

  “Big news?” Zinnie asked. “Is it something likely to bring adventure to Pruet?”

  “I’d say so,” Mack said.

  But Marigold was tuning out the conversation as Peter approached.

  “How are you?” Marigold asked as she stared into Peter’s blue eyes. She couldn’t imagine any news more important than knowing that Peter liked her, too. When he smiled back at her, she could tell he did. It was what her mom called her “gut instinct.”

  “I’m good,” Peter said, blushing so much that his freckles almost disappeared. “How are you?”

  “Great,” Marigold answered.

  “We have some news, son,” Mack said to Peter as he placed a hand on his shoulder.

  “I have some news too,” Lily said.

  “You go first,” Mack said.

  “I’m going to be a scientist,” Lily said.

  “That’s great, Lily,” Peter said.

  “Yes,” Lily said. “Except that I don’t know if I’ll have time for boyfriends. Sorry.”

  “I understand,” Peter said. He winked at Marigold, who smiled back. She always loved how kind Peter was to Lily.

  “I can’t wait any longer. Let’s go get some ice cream,” Lily said.

  “Good idea,” Marigold said. As Peter took a step closer to her, she realized that he smelled like the sea in the best way.

  “What about your news?” Zinnie asked Mack and Jean.

  Mack started to speak, but Jean cut him off with a nudge.

  “You know what?” Jean said. “I think our news can wait until dinner. Let these kids have some ice cream. I don’t know if we could get their attention anyway.”

  Marigold smiled and bowed her head. She knew they were talking about Peter and her. It was embarrassing, but a kind of embarrassing that she didn’t mind.

  “Good thinking,” Mack said. “We’ll wait.”

  “Let’s all have dinner together tomorrow night,” Marigold said. Her heart was beating double time standing so close to Peter.

  “Come to Aunt Sunny’s!” Lily said. “We can play hide-and-seek. And she always has so much food.”

  “Or we can have a picnic at the lighthouse!” Marigold suggested. Watching the sunset from the lighthouse porch would certainly be romantic.

  “We’ll give her a call,” Jean said. “Go get your ice cream, and we’ll see you in a bit.”

  “Okay,” Marigold said. Zinnie and Lily ran ahead, both of them dying to get to Edith’s. Peter and Marigold exchanged a smile. His teeth were a little crooked, but Marigold liked that. Everyone in L.A. had perfect teeth.

  “So, are you ready to have a fun summ-ah?” Peter asked.

  Marigold nodded. “So, um, is Lindsey still on the team?”

  “She and her family are sailing to Greenland,” Peter said. “For the whole summer.”

  “Great!” Marigold said. “I mean, that sounds like a cool experience. Lucky her.”

  “Yeah,” Peter said, smiling at her. “It’s cool. But for me, I wouldn’t miss summer in Pruet for the world.”

  Then Marigold almost gasped as Peter took her hand. If this was how the summer in Pruet was starting, the next two weeks were shaping up to be the best ever.

  8 • New Girl with a Notebook

  The smell of waffle cones hit Zinnie at least ten paces before she stepped onto the porch of Edith’s Ice Cream Shop. Lily ran ahead of Zinnie to greet Edith’s dog, Mocha Chip, who was happily lounging in the sun next to a big bowl of water. His tail thwacked the porch as Lily kneeled down to hug him.

  “Your ears are still so soft,” Lily said as she nuzzled the dog’s neck. “And you still smell like sunshine and”—she leaned in for a good sniff—“chocolate.”

  “You sure he smells like chocolate?” Peter asked, grinning sweetly at Lily. “I saw him rooting around in the gah-bage out back this morning before practice.”

  He and Marigold had finally caught up to them and—oh my gosh—Zinnie noticed that they were holding hands, like they were on a date or something! Marigold’s cheeks were pink, and she was smiling so big that it looked like it might hurt, except there were no signs of pain in her eyes, only sparkles of pure delight. Zinnie knew that Marigold wanted Peter to be her boyfriend, but Zinnie didn’t think it was going to happen right away, on their very first full day in Pruet. Zinnie wasn’t sure why, but she felt a little pang inside her chest. Was Marigold going to want to spend any time with her at all this summer?

  She didn’t really want to admit this, but she was worried about Marigold going to the Performing Arts Magnet next year. It would be the first time since preschool that she wasn’t in the same school as Marigold. And while they didn’t spend that much time together during the day at school, it was nice just knowing she was there. One quick glance at her sister on the playgr
ound, and she knew that no matter what happened, she wasn’t alone. Marigold sometimes had a funny way of showing it, but Zinnie knew that she was looking out for her.

  She hadn’t realized it until that moment, but she was going to really miss going to school with Marigold. Performing Arts Magnet was on the other side of town, and Marigold was going to be leaving early in the morning to get there. She’d probably be in plays after school, or she’d have auditions, and Zinnie would be lucky to have any time at all with her sister during the week. No longer would they walk to school together in the mornings, or trade snacks at recess, or sit together in the library during study hall—which only happened about once a month, but still, it meant something to Zinnie. They’d spent more time together than usual this year because of Marigold’s falling out with Pilar and the Cuties. Those girls had been so mean to her sister. It had been hard to watch.

  Lily had started at Miss Hadley’s in kindergarten, and was now going into the second grade this fall, but it was different. First of all, the little kids had a separate playground, so Zinnie didn’t see her that much. Second of all, Zinnie and Marigold were only one year apart, so they had grown up together, almost like twins, even though they barely looked related. Lily was so much younger. Little sisters were the ones who needed looking after—they weren’t the ones who could save you if something went wrong.

  Even though Marigold warned her, Zinnie hadn’t believed that seventh grade could be so much different from sixth. But it was. For the most part, Zinnie didn’t care about cliques. Unlike Marigold, she was always able to be friends with everyone. It didn’t bother her that Emma and Bella Sanderson, who were twins, and Molly Baron had started to stick together so much and were wearing those tight necklaces that Mom said were “so terrible and so nineties.” Zinnie had been the one to comfort Molly and loan her some leggings when she wet her pants on a field trip in second grade. After Zinnie had witnessed that, it was pretty impossible to be intimidated by her, even though a lot of the other girls in her class were. Zinnie had seen what Marigold had gone through with the Cuties and hoped it wouldn’t happen in her grade. She couldn’t imagine it would. The girls in her class were just nicer.

  At least she thought so.

  Until the first day of class last September. Apparently, over the summer, everyone had made some sort of secret pact to ditch Stuffels, which were the stuffed animals that clipped on to backpacks. They’d been all the rage since third grade, and Zinnie had thought they were adorable. Zinnie had been too wrapped up in her excitement about being part of the Writers’ Workshop to notice everyone’s backpacks walking into school. But when she’d settled into her math class and Emma and Bella Sanderson had started to laugh, Zinnie had felt the color drain from her face.

  “What?” she asked, her throat dry.

  “We just can’t believe you still like Stuffels,” Emma said.

  “They’re so babyish!” Molly added.

  “Do you also wear Pull-Ups at night?” Bella asked, and flipped her hair over her shoulder.

  “No!” Zinnie said as, to her horror, most of the class broke out in giggles.

  Luckily, they had recess right after math. She ran straight over to Marigold, who was reading a fashion magazine by the swings.

  “I need to talk to you,” Zinnie said, and burst into tears.

  Marigold took her by the hand and whisked her to the oak tree behind the giant play structure. In the cool shade, Zinnie told her the story in choking sobs. Marigold nodded and listened and then gave her a hug.

  “Don’t worry,” Marigold said. “I got this.”

  Zinnie watched from behind the tree as Marigold strode over to Molly, Emma, and Bella, who were sitting in a tight circle in the Zen garden their class had created last year. Zinnie held her breath, waiting for Marigold to say something. But she didn’t speak a word. She just folded her arms and looked at them. With her broad stance and fierce gaze, Marigold was like a cowboy in the Old West. Zinnie could practically see the saloon doors swinging on their hinges and the tumbleweed rolling by. (Their dad was a big fan of Westerns, so Zinnie knew about standoffs.) She watched as Molly, Emma, and Bella seemed to shrink in their skins, their mouths hanging open and their eyes flickering with fear. After a good long stare, Marigold circled them once and then walked back to Zinnie and said, “Let me know if they mess with you again.” Then she skipped off back to read her magazine.

  “If you like your Stuffels, there’s no reason you can’t keep them on your backpack,” Marigold said on their way home from school. It was too late. Zinnie had taken them all off during recess and shoved them into the bottom of her gym bag.

  “That’s okay,” Zinnie said. “I’m over them.”

  “It’s not just because those girls were mean to you?” Marigold asked, narrowing her eyes.

  “Nope,” Zinnie said, then reconsidered. “Maybe it is. But it’s not like I like Stuffels that much. I guess I kinda just forgot they were even there.”

  “I know what you mean,” Marigold said. “Some things are worth taking a stand for.”

  “And other things are just . . . Stuffels,” Zinnie said, and they both laughed.

  “I can show you how to stencil designs on your bag tonight,” Marigold said. “That’s what I heard the high school kids are doing, and it looks pretty cool.”

  “Yeah,” Zinnie said. “I’d like that.”

  Now Zinnie looked at Marigold’s and Peter’s clasped hands and swallowed hard. Marigold had always been a few steps ahead, but going to a high school on the other side of town and having a boyfriend—that was leaps and bounds into the distance.

  “Zinnie, won’t you at least smell him?” Lily asked, petting Mocha Chip.

  “Sure.” Zinnie at least still had Lily. She sniffed Mocha Chip’s head and had to agree. “She’s right. This dog smells like chocolate.”

  “See!” Lily said.

  “Maybe that’s why Edith named him Mocha Chip,” Marigold said. A family of six, who, from their sunburns and messy hair, looked like they’d just spent the day on a sailboat, stepped out of the shop with their cones in hand. “Come on, guys. Let’s get in line. All this talk about chocolate is making me hungry,” Marigold said.

  They walked inside. Marigold and Peter were still holding hands, and Zinnie wondered for a moment if she and Max might hold hands once he arrived in Pruet. Once again she had goose bumps from thinking about Max. And the place was packed. Zinnie recognized some of the kids from her other summers in Pruet. She saw the twins who’d been in her talent show a few years back, and Ashley’s dad, who must be on a break from the car dealership. And then she studied the menu, which was written on a chalkboard. Wow! Edith had really gone to town. There were twice as many flavors as last year! There were the classics, like vanilla, mocha chip, peppermint stick, and chocolate. And on the other side of the chalkboard were written all the new and exciting flavors. Zinnie had barely glanced at them when Edith called out to her.

  “It’s the California kids!” Edith said, reaching over the counter to give the girls a hug. “And Peter, too! How are ya?”

  “Great!” Marigold said, still smiling a mile wide.

  “Hungry,” Lily said.

  “Happy to be back,” Zinnie said. “You sure are busy today, Edith.”

  “What do you expect?” Edith said as she wiped her hands on her apron. “I’m unveiling my new flavors today—June 21, the official first day of summer and the longest day of the year.”

  Edith went back to serving the crowd, and the girls and Peter waited patiently in line until it was their turn, each of them studying the new flavors and silently deciding which one they’d choose.

  “Lemon and blackberry bramble?” Zinnie asked when they finally got to the front. “That sounds wonderful.”

  “It is. With my new flavors, I’m using all local ingredients,” Edith said. “After all, it’s the town’s three hundredth birthday, and I thought it would be nice if my selection was from these parts.”

>   “Can I try a sample of that one, please?” Zinnie asked. “It reminds me of Aunt Sunny’s wedding cake.”

  “That’s what inspired it,” Edith said, handing her a taste on a tiny spoon. “The berries come from Dean’s Farm, just east of here.”

  “Oh look!” Marigold said, pointing at the sign. “Sunny’s Surprise Brownies is a flavor!”

  “Great idea,” Zinnie said.

  “Aunt Sunny is famous!” Lily said proudly.

  “I was wondering who was going to notice first.” Edith grinned.

  “We all have to try that one,” Marigold said, then casting a shy glance at Peter, she added, “Well, at least the three of us do. What’ll you have, Peter?”

  “Make that four cones of Sunny’s Surprise Brownies,” Peter said.

  Edith got to work preparing the cones, and Zinnie looked around to see if she recognized anyone else. She didn’t, but someone caught her eye—a girl sitting in a booth by herself. Something about her hip haircut, with one side a little shorter than the other, and her cool, ripped-on-purpose jeans, which everyone in L.A. was wearing but no one in Pruet was, made her look like she wasn’t from Cape Cod.

  Despite the hectic atmosphere, the girl was very focused as she wrote in her notebook. This piqued Zinnie’s interest. She was dying to know what she was working on. A poem? A play? A journal entry? The girl looked up for a moment and stared out the window, deep in thought. She chewed on her pen for a second, leaning back and tilting her head, as if the answer to a question were written in the sky. Then her eyebrows lifted and she got back to work.