The Friendship Bracelet

by Arlene Stewart

  Cookies, cookies. Milk-chocolate-chip cookies, butterscotch, or dark chocolate? Milk chocolate chip, butterscotch, or dark chocolate?

  It was a hard choice for Mu Mu.

  She remembered what her Grandma Cam always told her, “Never serve a new dish to company without trying it out first.” But she’d promised Zoe she would bring something to the next meeting of THREADS, which was in a little more than two hours.

  This is no time to be timid, she thought. I’ll make a cookie combo. Yeah! Put all three kinds of chips in them and just go for it!

  The sprawling kitchen next to the enormous family room, with its soaring, double-height ceiling, was quiet. Her mom was working at her office in town, and her dad was on his way to Los Angeles on another business trip. Best of all, Chris, her dopey brother, had shipped off to sleepaway camp for a whole month. Heaven!

  The oven door echoed in the space that was so big Chris always talked about hanging a basketball hoop off the balcony. Actually, Mu Mu always thought that was a cool idea, because with its light-wood floors, the family room did resemble a gym. Her dad put up the hoop in the backyard instead, right in front of the skateboard ramp he had built.

  When the cookies come out of the oven, they had a chunky, chewy, gooey look that checked a few boxes for Mu Mu on her noble quest. She was a patient cook, and when the cookies had completely cooled, she slipped them into a container and then climbed up the winding staircase to the wide balcony that ran outside the bedrooms.

  Rays of sunlight were making her room positively glow. Every time she saw the bright-pink walls, she had to smile and knew she made the right choice. But, for the first time, it occurred to her: What would Olivia’s color chart say this means, “sweet and soft”? Like cotton candy, maybe?

  Time was short. There were only a few minutes to inspect her braces and get her long, straight hair up into braids. Austen said he would swing by on his way to Zoe’s house in the village and pick her up, so that was good. Her mom still didn’t know about Carl, and so far Mu Mu hadn’t had a problem keeping it that way. Her mom wasn’t big on secrets, but this one was different.

  She opened her desk drawer and reached for a small, braided jewelry bowl in the back. Inside was the pink-and-green neckband she had made with the name CARL. Mu Mu held the band gently, remembering how she had tried it on the little pup the week before he was supposed to come home with them. We loved the name Carl too. Funny that Zoe kept that.

  Her backpack was hanging on the doorknob. It was too hard to throw away the band but also too hard to keep it. Reaching for the bag, she told herself, I know, I’ll take it to Zoe’s. It will only fit Carl for a little while anyway.

  Slinging the backpack over her shoulder, she headed downstairs for the cookies and then out to the front, where the lawn guys were blowing the clippings and leaves from the long, winding driveway.

  “Hey, Mike. Hey, Joe. How are you?” she shouted with a wave and hurried over to them with a small bag of her cookies.

  Their faces lit up.

  “Wow! Chocolate chip, thanks, Mu Mu. Hey, there’s your ride,” said Mike as Austen’s brother Ryan stopped his pickup truck at the curb.

  “Hi, Ryan. Hi, Austen,” she said, opening the back door and hopping in. “Thanks for the lift. Who would like a triple-chip cookie?”

  Austen and his brother laughed. “Sounds great,” said Austen. “Was this recipe in your book?”

  “Sort of,” said Mu Mu, chewing away. “Hey, you know these are good.”

  “Yeah, they are,” agreed Austen. “Hope you brought a lot.” Before Mu Mu could answer, his phone buzzed with a text. He looked down and then clicked it off.

  “Hey, Gus, who’s Elin? Another one of your girlfriends?” Ryan started to tease him. “Mu Mu, what do girls see in this guy?”

  Mu Mu laughed but quickly turned her attention to what was outside the window. Her body tensed up. She knew it was just around the bend, right past the reservoir. Oh no, there it is. “Golden’s Bridge Goldens.”

  With a silent sigh, she thought, Wonder how long it will be before I pass that sign and not be totally bummed out.

  Chapter 31

  Olivia had no choice but to get over the Ethan episode. Seriously. She only hoped he was wrong about her embarrassing Miss Ruth Ann. That was something she would never ever want to do.

  Her dressing room at Get Ups was piled high with shorts and tops. A little while ago, Olivia’s mom gave her one of her credit cards and said in a very serious voice, “Ask them to call me if there are any problems. But I know Marcie, so everything should be OK. Try the things on in the shop, but then try them on again at home, and don’t cut off the tags until you’re absolutely sure.”

  As Olivia pulled on a pink-and-blue polka-dot top with a lace insert, she made a promise to do something nice for Miss Ruth Ann. Maybe stop at Katonah Cupcakes on her way back? Or at Stems and Vines, her favorite flower shop? She had seen some very sweet, tiny roses displayed outside there that morning, and she had the last of her birthday money tucked in her backpack.

  Suddenly, she heard a lot of giggling and the sound of approaching footsteps.

  Someone yanked back the curtain.

  Olivia gasped.

  “Oh, sorry!” said the salesperson, her arm loaded with clothes. “This way, miss,” she said, turning to her customer, who was Elin Pierson, with her faithful buddy Kennedy Washington. Today Elin was wearing a big boho headband with actual feathers dangling from it. Olivia thought, Maybe she’s a Native American? Probably not.

  Elin rolled her eyes at Kennedy, and they marched into the dressing room next door.

  Distracted, Olivia closed the curtain and reached for a short, yellow skirt with a print of butterflies edged with a pink ruffle. Olivia’s mom had seen it in the shop window and thought it would look good on her.

  But then Olivia froze. She couldn’t concentrate. All she could think of was Elin making fun of her. At the very moment she decided to bail, a phone rang.

  “Oh, hi, Austen,” Elin nearly shouted. “Sorry I didn’t answer your texts. I’m busy now. Can you call me back later? How about at four? I should be free then. OK, bye.”

  Olivia heard more giggling, picked up the clothes, and rushed to the front counter. That’s it. I’m out of here, she said to herself. She was about to buy nothing at all when a text from Zoe came through: Tennis @ 3?

  OK, Olivia texted back.

  She looked at the pile of clothes and raised her chin. I’m not going to get run out of here, she thought. Especially by someone wearing a feathered headdress, like Elin.

  “I’ll take this pink top, this blue one, and the white, and these white shorts and the skirt with the ruffle too,” she told the young woman at the register and then fished out her mother’s credit card.

  “Come again,” called out the assistant as Olivia left the shop.

  Halfway down the block, in front of Stems and Vines, she stopped. There were two bouquets of the tiny, red roses left on the display stand. She picked them up and headed inside. She had enough money to buy one for Miss Ruth Ann and one for her mom. Then she dashed back up the street to Katonah Crafts. She didn’t want to be late for her tennis with Zoe.

  • • •

  The courts were busy when they rode up. “Do you mind waiting?” her friend asked.

  “Nope,” said Olivia, sitting down at a nearby picnic table. “Wish I had some more of those triple-chip cookies Mu Mu made yesterday.”

  “Yeah! Who knew she was so good at baking?” said Zoe. “Hey, but we got a lot done besides eating cookies. That was a smart idea of yours to photograph all the bracelets. Guess we didn’t think about how we were actually going to show the samples to the patients.”

  “Well, I realized that we would need five identical sets, and who has time to make all those?”

  “Maybe Ethan?” joked Zoe. “Oh, look, the
y’ve finished,” she said, pointing to two young boys walking off a court. “Let’s go!”

  After a couple of quick games, the girls decided to take a break and headed for some boulders under the shade of a tall oak tree.

  Zoe took a big sip of water from her bottle. “So, Olivia, is Ethan always so moody?” she asked.

  “Yup,” laughed Olivia. “Seems like he’s getting moodier.”

  “Oh, look. There he is.”

  “Ethan?” said Olivia, swiveling around.

  “No, Austen. He said he would try to meet us here before four o’clock,” said Zoe, standing up and waving.

  “Four?” murmured Olivia, remembering Elin’s loud conversation in Get Ups, the one she couldn’t help overhearing.

  “Yeah, well, it’s a little before,” said Zoe, looking at her phone.

  Olivia couldn’t believe it. Was Austen actually going to call Elin in front of them? Well, let him, she thought. I’m not leaving!

  Austen pedaled over and propped his bike up against the tree. Then he brushed off his tank top and cargo pants. Olivia noticed he was still wearing the Mega Diamond XXOO friendship bracelet around his ankle.

  “Did you bike all the way into town from your house?” asked Zoe.

  “I wish,” said Austen. “Ryan bashed my bike up last week showing off for his girlfriend, and I just got it back from Lou’s Bike Repair, you know, on the way out of town? Ryan’s picking me up later. Can I meet him at your house?”

  “Sure, that’s cool,” said Zoe, standing up. “But I have to go. Remember, Press and I are taking Carl to the vet for his checkup at four thirty. I can’t be late.”

  “OK,” asked Austen. “Hey, Olivia, want to play me?” He pointed to the courts.

  “Sure,” she said, getting to her feet.

  “Can I borrow your racket, Zoe? I’ll drop it off after.”

  Zoe tossed it to him and rode off.

  “OK, Ollie, let’s see what you’ve got,” said Austen, trotting to the court.

  “Try to keep up with me, Gus,” Olivia laughed.

  The next hour flew by, and finally, totally wiped out, they collapsed on the side of the court.

  They both stretched out their legs and sat in silence for a few moments. “Look, your legs are almost as long as mine,” said Austen, pointing.

  “Well, maybe in addition to beating you at tennis, I’ll be taller than you too,” Olivia laughed.

  “Really? You think so?” said Austen, grinning. “Sorry I’m so grungy,” he added, looking down at his cargo shorts. “I’ve been working at the community garden.”

  “Wow,” said Olivia. That’s a pretty cool thing to do, she thought.

  “Maybe you would like to come see it? It’s just off Pawley Road, you know, by the old train stop?”

  Olivia was thrilled. Maybe her mom could drive her sometime? Sometime soon?

  Before she could answer, Austen’s phone rang.

  “OK, Ryan, I’ll be right there,” he said, standing up. He reached down and gave her his hand, saying, “My brother is at Zoe’s. I’ve got to go.”

  “I’ll go too.” Olivia picked up her bike and followed him down the trail leading out of the park. She had to smile. Four o’clock had come and gone with no Elin phone call.

  When they reached her house, she hopped off her bike and waved good-bye. Austen waved back. She noticed the big smile he gave her. What she didn’t notice was Elin and Kennedy standing at the corner of Bedford Road, staring at them. And they were definitely not smiling.

  Chapter 32

  “OK, Team Unicorn, I want you to bring up the rear, right behind Team Dolphin. And, teams, stay together. But let’s keep an eye out for pinecones so we can make wreaths later. Everybody got their bags?”

  Ashley, the counselor, and Parker, the CIT, were organizing the eleven/twelve girls for a nature walk. Mr. Kapoor, the sixth grade science teacher from Alexander Hamilton Middle School, had volunteered to take them on a trek through Carey’s Woods, a large woodland preserve that abutted Monroe Park.

  Most of the girls were excited and set off chattering happily, but Olivia noticed that Elin and Kennedy seemed extra-bored and were lagging behind them.

  That’s too bad, she thought, because it’s an incredible day. When she looked up and saw the golden-yellow sunlight bursting through the leaves and the limbs of the trees, she couldn’t help thinking of a favorite poem of her father’s: “I think that I shall never see, A poem as lovely as a tree.” Gazing at the upward-reaching branches, she realized exactly what the poet Joyce Kilmer meant by a tree that “lifts her leafy arms to pray.”

  The deep shade of the forest refreshed the campers as they tramped on. A well-worn path led them past trees that were marked with plaques where Mr. Kapoor stopped and filled them in on the various characteristics.

  Olivia had never been this far into the woods, and she noticed there was a lot of debris on the sides of the path, especially some immense trees that had fallen with their huge root balls exposed. From the back of the group, she asked Mr. Kapoor why they were there.

  “Great question,” said the teacher. “Anyone here know the answer? Anyone? Anyone?”

  Nobody spoke up until Mu Mu shouted out, “Leftovers from Hurricane Sandy?”

  “Yes, that’s right!” he replied with a smile. “And because this is a woodland, and not a park in a residential area, most of these fallen trees will stay here and eventually decay.”

  Olivia gave Mu Mu a fist bump, and the group made its way to the next spot.

  They came to a large open area with a huge, thick carpet of green leaves covering the woodland floor on one side of the path. “Now, campers, I would like you all to stand well back from this,” Mr. Kapoor warned them while waving his arm. “Observe carefully Toxicodendron radicans, or what is its common name?”

  “Poison ivy,” Mu Mu and Olivia said together.

  “That’s right, poison ivy. It can grow along the ground or on trees. Pay particular attention now. If you look over there at those thick vines twining up the oak tree… Yes, the nasty-looking ones with the reddish hairs. They can all cause a severe poison ivy outbreak.”

  Mu Mu nudged Olivia and rolled her eyes toward Elin and Kennedy.

  “Campers, remember what your counselor told you?” asked Mr. Kapoor.

  “Leaves of three, let it be,” they all shouted.

  At that precise moment, Olivia and Mu Mu cried, “Ooh!” Before they could stop themselves, they fell forward right into the dense bed of poison ivy.

  All of their exposed skin, their hands, faces, arms, and legs, had made direct contact with the plants.

  “Girls! Girls! Get out of there at once!” shouted the teacher.

  Olivia and Mu Mu struggled to their feet as Mr. Kapoor snapped out, “Everyone, back to the camp right away! Stay on the path. You two walk in front of me. Quickly.”

  Olivia looked over at Mu Mu. Her face was drained of color. “Are you OK? Did you get hurt?” she asked.

  Mu Mu shook her head and walked even faster.

  “Do you two live nearby?” Mr. Kapoor asked as they hurried along the path. “You must shower immediately. Use plenty of soap to try to get every last bit of the urushiol oil off. That’s what causes the rash. Wash your hair, your clothes, and your shoes. Don’t touch any surface directly before showering. Use a paper towel if necessary. And stay away from pets. You could wipe the oil onto their fur.”

  “Call my mother,” Olivia shouted to Parker when they hit the camp. “Tell her what happened.”

  “You have to come home with me,” said Olivia to Mu Mu. Together, they raced toward the bike rack. “Hop on the back. We have no choice.”

  Mu Mu put her arms around Olivia’s waist and the two sped off. When they turned onto Edgemont Road, they saw Olivia’s mom standing on the front porch. She’d already bee
n on the Internet and was prepared for them.

  “Sullivan is out back,” she said. “Just throw down your bike. The showers are on. Olivia, you go in mine. Mu Mu, you use the hall bath. There are bags on the floor for your clothes and, Mu Mu, I have put out some of Olivia’s things for you to wear. Don’t worry. You can probably wash off all the oil.”

  Chapter 33

  In twelve to forty-eight hours, a reaction usually develops.

  That was what the pharmacist told Olivia’s mom later that afternoon when she was stocking up on lotion, gauze pads, oatmeal bath products, and anything else that might help.

  Mu Mu’s mom was taking more of a wait-and-see attitude. After she picked up Mu Mu from Olivia’s, they swung by the supermarket. Her mom ran in and got lots of ingredients for more chocolate-chip cookies. Mrs. Lin was realistic. She worried Mu Mu would go batty if she was confined to the house and couldn’t cook.

  Meanwhile, both girls stayed in contact.

  “This is already such a pain!” moaned Mu Mu over the phone later that night. “My Grandma Cam keeps making me drink chicken broth!”

  Olivia laughed. “My mom wants to know if you have enough craft supplies to keep busy. She’ll bring you whatever you want.”

  Mu Mu looked at her desk, where skeins of flosses were already laid out. “Thanks. That’s nice of her, but I’m cool. I think I’ll make a Dream Catcher bracelet. I saw one on a girl in Dr. Justin’s office and found the instructions online. If it works out, I’ll make one for you.”

  “Sounds super,” said Olivia, wondering what she could do for Mu Mu in return.

  “But you know, Olivia, I can’t help thinking that Elin and Kennedy pushed us,” Mu Mu added. “They were right behind us.”

  “OMG! No! Even Elin wouldn’t go that far!” cried Olivia, unwilling to admit out loud what she was already thinking.

  Mu Mu paused and then said, “Come on. How else did we both wind up in the poison ivy at the same time? Mom has a call in to Ashley. I’ll let you know how that goes.”