Fabulous Five 006 - The Parent Game (8 page)

Organ music swelled from the pipes and filled the church
with beautiful sounds. Jana looked down the long aisle to the back of the
church where her mother was coming through the door with Grandpa Drake. She
wore a sea-green silk chiffon dress and was holding the most beautiful bouquet
of flowers Jana had ever seen. She looks like a goddess, thought Jana.

Her mother walked with her arm through Grandpa Drake's as
they paced slowly, in time to the music, toward the altar where Jana was
standing. Jana looked across at Pink, who was dressed in a black tuxedo, his
face beaming with a glow that was almost angelic. Jana had wondered if he would
show up at the church in a fancy bowling shirt, but she had been afraid to ask
her mother about it.

When they reached the altar, Pink stepped forward and took
her mother's arm, and Grandpa Drake went to sit with Grandma Drake in the first
row. Jana smiled at them and then looked to the row behind them. It was filled
with Melanie, who was crying softly, Christie, Beth, and Katie. In between them
sat a walrus, a bunny in a tennis outfit, a panda bear, and a Sheena doll. On
the end, next to the aisle, sat Rex with Little Pink on his lap. Behind them
sat Randy, looking as handsome as he could possibly be and smiling his
1,000-watt smile at her. Jana smiled back, feeling instantly shy.

The minister started to speak and Jana turned. She listened
to his words and tried to imagine what Randy and she would look like standing
in front of him. She would have on the most beautiful wedding gown in the
world. It would sweep to the floor and would be made of milky-white lace
covered with glittering sequins. A long veil would partially hide her face, and
she would be carrying a huge bouquet of flowers. They would both say, "I
do," and Randy would lift her veil, look into her eyes, and kiss her ever
so tenderly. Tears were running down her cheeks.

"Jana, it's time for you to get out of the bathroom and
give one of us a chance," her mother said through the door. "Pink and
I have to get ready, too, you know."

Jana sighed as she untangled her curling-iron cord from the
cord of Pink's electric razor. She had been having a hard time finding her
things now that his dryer, hairbrush, razor, toothbrush, and other stuff added
to the clutter on top of an already cluttered counter. Jana did appreciate the
five-dollar increase in her allowance, and she did appreciate being able to
stay out a half hour later on Fridays and Saturdays, but she didn't appreciate
the pressure of having to hurry out of the bathroom.

Other than having to squeeze Pink's things in, everything
had gone pretty well since the wedding. Pink had set his favorite trophies on
top of the television and stored the rest of them in their space in the
basement of the apartment building.

Jana hummed to herself as she brushed her hair. The Family
Living project had ended two days before, and it was going to be nice not to
have to carry that darn dinosaur around, especially since Randy had asked her
to go to a movie on Friday and she could stay out later now. She thought maybe
he was feeling a little guilty about going to the movie with Taffy, even though
he had said it wasn't a real date.

She and her friends had all gotten good grades on the
project, and Shane said he was glad to take Rex back because Igor hadn't been
sleeping well without him. Randy and Taffy had gotten good grades, too, but
Taffy still wasn't speaking to Jana. It was just like the good old days at Mark
Twain Elementary when they didn't speak most of the time.

Jana turned off the water and dried her hands. "Okay, I'm
finished," she said as she opened the door. "Mom, can't we get
another bathroom? With three of us there's never enough time."

"There would be if one of us wouldn't spend so much
time on her hair, young lady."

"Well, you taught me to be neat," she said with a
smirk.

Her mother wrinkled her nose at Jana in response and went
into the bathroom.

Jana's mind was on the beautiful wedding and the reception
afterward as she dressed, and she was hanging up her robe in the closet when
she noticed the boot box on the shelf. She would have to tell her father about
the wedding when she sent him his Christmas card. Then she hummed to herself as
she made her bed and turned to leave for school. She was almost out of her room
when she stopped and went back to the bed. Picking up Little Pink, she gave him
a hug and sat him in the position of honor next to Honeybear.

When the bell rang dismissing school for the day, Melanie
rushed through the halls to find her friends. Cheerleading practice had been
canceled, and she was dying to go to Bumpers with the rest of The Fabulous
Five, sink into a booth, and do absolutely nothing but sip on a soft drink and
talk to her friends.

"I had three tests today," she muttered under her
breath, "and I deserve a break." Rounding a corner, she almost
smacked into Jana and Funny coming toward her deep in conversation.

"Hi, guys," Melanie said brightly. "Anybody
for Bumpers?"

"Hi, Mel," Jana and Funny said in unison. They
both returned Melanie's smile, and then Jana's face clouded. "I really
wish we could, but you wouldn't believe the number of seventh-graders who
still
haven't had their yearbook pictures made. Funny and I have a whole list of
names to call this afternoon. Mr. Neal is screaming for those pictures."

"Have a tall, cold one for us," Funny said,
licking her lips appreciatively.

"Sure. I understand," Melanie said. "See you
guys later."

When she reached her locker, she put away the books from her
afternoon classes and pulled out the ones she needed for homework. Christie's
locker was next to hers, and just as she slammed her own shut, Christie came
bouncing up and began working her combination lock.

"Hi, Melanie," she said breathlessly as she pulled
the locker door open. "Oh, rats!" she muttered, frowning. "I
forgot to bring my racket and I promised Jon a fast game of tennis before homework.
Oh, well," she added with a shrug. "Guess I'll just have to run home
and get it. See you later."

Melanie sighed and watched Christie race through the hall,
ducking around kids in her hurry to get to the exit. That makes it two down and
two to go, she thought as she looked around for Katie or Beth. Surely
they
would want to go to Bumpers with her.

All around her, girls were meeting their friends or walking
down the hall together. Alexis and Kim were giggling beside Kim's locker.
Gloria Drexler and Marcie Bee were talking to Stacy Holgrem.

"Hey, Melanie. Am I glad I found you."

Melanie whirled around, startled, but pleased to see Beth
rushing toward her. "Hi," chirped Melanie. "I was looking for
you, too."

"I hate to ask this," Beth began, "but would
you do me a huge favor?"

Melanie blinked. "Sure," she said softly. She had
a sinking feeling that the favor had nothing to do with Bumpers.

"You walk right past the public library on your way
home, right? Well, Drama Club meets today, and I really want to go. Could you
turn in this book for me? It's due today." She thrust a large book into
Melanie's hand. On the cover was the title
The Plight of the American
Indian.
"I could drop it off myself later," Beth continued, "but
then I'd be late for dinner. And with four brothers and sisters, being late for
dinner means only one thing.
Starvation
!
"

Melanie nodded and slid the library book on top of her own
books. "Have you seen Katie?" she asked, forcing a smile. "I was
hoping she'd want to go to Bumpers with me for a little while."

"I saw her a moment ago," said Beth. "She can't
go to Bumpers, though. She's got something else going on. Something to do with
Teen Court, I think." Beth shook her head as if she were struggling to
remember. "I'm not sure what, but anyway, she's busy."

Melanie leaned against her locker as Beth bounded off to go
to her Drama Club meeting. The halls were emptying quickly now, and Melanie
felt a lump growing in her throat as she realized that in another few moments
she would be standing there totally alone.

"Busy," she muttered. "Katie's busy. Jana's
busy. Christie's busy. And now even Beth is busy Everyone's too busy for
me.
"

She sighed deeply and started slowly for home. It's not just
today, she thought. It's been happening a lot lately. It's as if none of my friends
has time for me anymore.

Melanie was swept by a sudden wave of panic. It
had
been happening a lot lately. Were they mad at her? Had she done something awful
that she wasn't even aware of? Something that made them want to avoid her? Or
was it more than that? Was The Fabulous Five breaking up?

Find out in
The Fabulous Five
#7: The Kissing
Disaster,
coming next month.