New Beginnings (4 page)

Chapter Six

A
fter my study skills class, I see Josh in the hall, putting books in his locker.

“Hey, Jules, just two more classes then we're done. How's your day going?”

“It started great. The science teacher said I could adopt Chewie.”

“Chewie?”

“Chewie's a rabbit,” I say. “And you have to help me convince Mom and Dad we can adopt her.”

“You mean like take it home and keep it as a family pet forever?”

“Yeah, cool, right? Mom and Dad said we could get a pet once we settled in.”

“Yeah, but a rabbit? I wanted a dog.”

“They are more likely to agree to a rabbit,” I say. “Rabbits are easier to take care of and cheaper, too. You should see her. She's adorable. Then in a few months we'll start working on Mom and Dad about getting a puppy. They'd never agree to a puppy now, with the store opening in two weeks. Puppies are a lot of work.”

“True,” Josh says, slamming his locker shut. “But you better think of a new name for your rabbit, something that sounds tame and sweet and well behaved. Believe me, ‘Chewie' is not it. Do you really think Mom will allow any animal in the house with that name?”

“No,” I sigh. “You're right.”

Josh checks his watch and his schedule, then says, “Hey, David told me about a group of kids called Vet Volunteers—they help a veterinarian down the street from us.”

“Yeah, Sunita told me about them, too. There's only one problem. You know that red-haired girl who freaked out on the bus this morning?”

Josh nods.

“Well, that's Maggie. And Dr. Mac, the veterinarian, is her grandmother. Plus, wait till you hear what happened in the hallway when I saw her again. I'm sure Maggie hates me now.”

“What happened?”

I tell him about the tutoring mix-up. “Maggie took it the wrong way, and I'm sure she thinks I was trying to insult her.”

Josh shakes his head.

“Josh, you've got to help me smooth things over.”

He looks me right in the eye. “Look, Jules, why don't you try being friendly for a change? Maybe even smile now and then?” he says. “I can't go on fixing all your problems. You messed up, Jules, so you fix it. I'm going to class.”

Josh disappears down the hall.

Fix it with Maggie? Sure. How am I supposed to do that?

I walk to my next class, and that's when I see Maggie in the hall, talking to Mr. Hart, my science teacher. He's got his hands on his hips and is shaking his head. Maggie is holding the shoe box I bumped into on the bus. My math class is just beyond them, so there is no way around. Why is this happening to me again?

I try to walk as far away from them as possible. I practically rub my shoulder against the opposite wall full of lockers to stay clear. I avoid all eye contact. I stare at my feet and put one foot in front of the other. Maybe they won't even know I'm there. But as I get closer I can hear them. Maggie says something about her project, though I can't quite hear what. Just as I'm about to pass them, my shirt snags on a locker, holding me in place. I tug myself clear, but it tears a hole in the sleeve and scratches my arm underneath. Ouch.

“Look, Maggie,” Mr. Hart says. “The rest of the class managed to turn in their models on time. I already gave you an extension over spring break. So you turn it in today or you get an F.”

“I told you what happened,” Maggie said. “It wasn't my fault.” She sounds desperate.

I should just keep going.

Or maybe I could fix this after all. I take a deep breath and walk closer. “It's true,” I say.

Mr. Hart and Maggie stare at me. Maggie's eyes grow big and a little wild. She slowly shakes her head back and forth as if that could make me disappear.

I smile, acting friendly like Josh suggested, so Maggie can see I'm trying to help her. They don't say anything, so I start again. “Mr. Hart, really, it's true. I saw her project on the bus this morning. It looked great. But then I bumped into her, and her project got kind of crushed. It was my fault. I'm really sorry.”

There, that should fix it. I hold my hand over my torn shirt and try to smile even though my arm hurts.

Mr. Hart lifts the towel, uncovering Maggie's model. The inside of the box is smeared with black paint. It's a mess of colored spheres, tape, and tangled fishing line.

“I'm disappointed in you, Maggie. First you tell me you need more time. Then you tell me that a dachshund boarding at your grandmother's clinic chewed up your solar system model . . .”

Oh no. Maggie must have come up with some other excuse, and now I blew it.

Mr. Hart looks back and forth between us. “And now,” he says, “you're getting your new friend to cover for you? You really need to take responsibility for your own work, Maggie MacKenzie.”

My smile is frozen on my face. Maggie is going to think I'm smiling because I'm happy she's in trouble. And Mr. Hart is going to think I'm dishonest and not let me adopt Chewie.

Josh never should have told me to “fix it by being friendly.” Now look what's happened. I'm just not a smile-and-fix-it kind of girl.

“And what's this?” Mr. Hart asks, holding up a purple-painted Nerf ball.

“That one is, um, Pluto,” Maggie says.

“You did not do your research, Maggie. Nor were you paying attention in class—or else you'd know that Pluto is no longer a planet.”

Maggie's shoulders droop.

“So which is it, Maggie?” Mr. Hart says. “Did the dog eat your planets?” He looks at me. I have to get out of here before this gets any worse. “Or are you going to blame it on your new friend?”

“Both,” Maggie says, looking right at me, “and she is
not
my friend!” She walks to the garbage can and dumps in what remains of her solar system model.

“I'm sorry,” I say as I head to my class. “I'm really sorry.”

“Get away from me,” Maggie says. “And stay away!”

So I go. I go as fast as I can without actually running. I'm late to yet another class, and I definitely did not “fix it.” My chance of ever becoming a Vet Volunteer is over. Especially if Maggie MacKenzie has any say.

Chapter Seven

W
hen we get home, Josh heads inside, and I check the alley behind the store to see if the gray-and-white-striped tabby cat is there. He's not.

I sit on the back step, waiting, then call, “Here, Tabby, Tabby,” but there is no trace of him.

I put fresh water from the outside spigot in the water bowl. I hope that his torn ear is healing and that he's all right. With the tabby nowhere in sight, I head upstairs.

I drop my backpack on the couch next to Josh's. Sophie is at the kitchen table, drawing. She shows Josh and me her pictures full of butterflies, smiling kids, and flowers. I wish I was still in elementary school. Everything was a lot less complicated back then.

“How was school?” Mom asks.

“So far so good,” says Josh.

“Me too,” Sophie says. “We have a super tall slide on our playground. And I played with a girl named Jasmine.”

I wonder if that's Sunita's little sister.

Josh pipes in with, “A kid named David Hutchinson showed me around school. He lives right down the street and he invited me over to his house over the weekend.”

“He did?” I ask.

Josh nods.

How does he do it? How can Josh make friends on just his first day?

“How about you, Jules?” Mom asks.

I can't tell her all the awful stuff. “It was okay,” I say. I'm not going to mention Maggie. “A girl named Sunita showed me around. Sophie, does Jasmine have a twin brother and a cat named Mittens?”

Sophie shrugs. “I don't know. Why?”

“Because Sunita has a little sister named Jasmine.”

I look at Josh to see if he's going to help me out and bring up the subject of Chewie. He's not. In fact, he looks like he's enjoying watching me struggle for words. I take a deep breath and continue. “I have a really cool science teacher, Mr. Hart. He has lots of animals in his classroom.” I wait for Mom to look up so I can see how she's feeling—so I can see if I should tell her more.

“That's great,” Mom says, busy with the salad she's making. Now's not a good time to ask her about Chewie. How am I going to get her permission?

“I knew you would both do just fine,” Mom says, this time looking up. “Do you have any homework?”

“Not much,” Josh says.

“Yeah, me neither,” I say.

“Good,” says Mom. “Your dad would like you both to meet some of our neighbors with him before dinner, to say hi and introduce the store. It'll be good for business.”

“Okay,” Josh says. “I'll tell him we're home.”

I'd rather not go meet a bunch of strangers after the bad day I've had. But since Mom and Dad both lost their jobs in Pittsburgh, I've wanted to help out however I can. We have to make the store work. Plus, if I say no, it'll make Dad unhappy. If I volunteer to help, maybe it'll put him in a good mood so I can talk to him about adopting Chewie. “I'll go, too,” I say, and run after Josh.

“What about me?” Sophie says.

But Mom tells her, “Next time.”

I catch up with Josh before he enters the store. “Don't forget,” I say. “You have to help me convince Mom and Dad about Chewie. They have to send a signed permission note.”

“You need help—that's for sure!” Josh says. “Step one: Did you think of a better name than Chewie?”

“No,” I say. “Not yet.”

Dad's on the phone when we enter the store. He smiles, waves, and holds up one finger, motioning that he'll be just a minute.

While Dad's on the phone, Josh and I sit on one of the empty displays and whisper ideas for less-destructive-sounding bunny names. “How about Leo?” Josh says.

“It's a girl,” I say.

“Um, Jules, I think a girl rabbit is a bad idea. What if she gets outside? Won't we end up with a bunch of little baby rabbits hopping all over the place?”

“I'd make sure she stays safe inside the house. And anyway, I have a coupon to get her spayed.”

“At Dr. Mac's?” Josh asks.

“Yes, but I was thinking maybe I could take her to the shelter instead of to Dr. Mac.”

“I thought you were going to fix that whole Maggie situation?”

“I tried,” I whisper. “It didn't work out.”

By the time Dad gets off the phone, our final name choices are on a list tucked into my pocket for safekeeping: Cinnamon, Cuddles, Mrs. Dandelion, Auntie Whiskers, and Hip-Hop. Josh thinks Cuddles is our best chance. I prefer Auntie Whiskers or Mrs. Dandelion. Still, Cuddles sounds the tamest. Who wouldn't fall in love with a sweet bunny named Cuddles?

“Okay,” Dad says, finally hanging up the phone. “Time to be neighborly. I've got a list of the local merchants I'd like to give flyers to today about our grand opening. We'll start together so you'll get the idea, then I think we'll need to divvy up the list in order to reach everyone. I promised your mother we'd be back in time for dinner. Are you ready to meet and greet?”

Josh and I nod. Dad hands us each a folder full of flyers and grabs a canvas bag full of yardsticks with “
WRENCHES & ROSES
” and the store phone number and address printed on them.

Ready or not, here we go.

The copy shop is the first place we stop. Dad's a pro. He made the flyers there, so he already knows the owners.

“Hello,” he says. “I'm back. I want you to meet my kids.” He introduces us, tells them about the grand-opening sale, and asks if he can leave a few flyers and some 15-percent-off coupons on their bulletin board.

For forty-five minutes, the three of us drop in together at the craft store, a women's clothing store, and a Laundromat. Dad introduces us again and again, and asks each neighbor if they need him to carry any particular items in our new store.

“We're here to help,” Dad says. “Just let me know what you need.” He gives everyone his business card, a flyer, and a free yardstick. Dad is super good at being friendly. Josh smiles, answers questions, and tells everybody how much he likes Ambler. I just stand there, listening and nodding, and trying to smile without looking too fake.

“Great job, you two,” Dad says as we leave the deli.

“I think you get the idea,” he says. “Just be friendly, introduce yourself, and tell them briefly about Wrenches and Roses. Give them a free yardstick no matter what. Got it?”

Josh and I nod.

“Okay,” Dad says. “Josh, see if you can hit these three shops on the other side of the street. Jules, how about you drop in on the bakery and the yoga studio—”

“Wait,” I say, “aren't Josh and I going together?”

“No,” Dad says, smiling and handing me a couple of yardsticks. “Not enough time. Divide and conquer—you can do it, Jules. Let's all meet in front of the sporting goods store one block down—in fifteen minutes, okay?”

“Okay,” Josh says, heading across the street with his list and yardsticks.

“Okay,” I say. I pause and take a deep breath. I do not want to disappoint Dad. This is a family business and I can do this.

I'm still telling myself,
I can do this, I can do this
as I push open the door of the yoga studio.

New age music is playing quietly in the background, and the door squeaks closed behind me. There's a yoga class going on beyond the curtain in the next room. I don't want to interrupt the class, but a slim woman in a purple tank top and black yoga pants gets up from her mat in the back of the room and asks if she can help me.

“Are you interested in joining our class?” she whispers.

“Oh no. I'm so sorry to interrupt. I just wanted to introduce myself.”

The woman smiles and raises her eyebrows.
I can do this, I can do this.

I smile back at her. “I'm Jules and my mom and dad bought the hardware store. It's a family business—Wrenches and Roses. We have garden stuff, too.” I'm not sure what to say next, so I reach for the flyers. “We're having an opening sale. Here's a flyer and a discount coupon if there is anything you or your yoga studio needs.”

“Thanks,” she says, tucking the flyer and coupon under the counter.

“Oh, I almost forgot,” I say, juggling the remaining flyers and coupons. “Here's a free . . .” Oh no, I drop the two yardsticks and they go clattering to the floor. “Sorry, sorry. A free yardstick,” I say, picking them up and giving her one.

“Thank you. And bye now,” she says in a quiet but firm voice.

I tiptoe toward the door, gripping the last yardstick so I don't drop it. I try to open the door quietly, but it has a loud squeak. I think about telling her that our store carries a great spray that stops squeaks, but I leave before I make any more noise.

Three buildings down, the bakery is full of customers and lots of noise, thank goodness. It smells great, too. I wish I'd brought some money. I'd buy a fresh baguette for dinner to surprise Mom. I stand there, breathing in the great aroma of freshly baked bread. That and the warmth relaxes me.

I can do this,
I tell myself again when a man behind the counter asks what I need. I introduce myself and tell him about Wrenches & Roses and give him the flyer, coupon, and yardstick.

“Thank you, my dear,” he says. “I'm glad someone is opening the hardware store again. Bread stick?” He offers me one covered in sesame seeds.

“Oh, no thank you,” I say.

He frowns. “No one turns down Mario's bread sticks. It hurts my feelings.”

“It looks great, and smells even better,” I say. “I just didn't bring any money.”

“For you, Jules, a free bread stick,” he says with a big smile. He hands it to me over the counter. “You gave me a lovely measuring stick, after all. Besides, I insist.”

“Okay, thanks!” I say.

“Take a bite. How is it?”

“Perfect,” I say, chewing. Now I'm smiling, too. I guess I can meet people after all. “You know,” I say between bites, pointing at the torn window screen behind Mario and the upper window, which is propped open with a wooden spoon, “Wrenches and Roses sells screening, and my dad knows how to repair everything. He sells all the hardware and can tell you how to fix stuff.”

“You are a good salesperson,” Mario says. “Your family business will do well.”

“I hope so,” I say. “Thanks. And come by the store anytime.”

“I will,” Mario says. “I will.”

Wow, that went so much better than the yoga studio. I can't wait to tell Dad and Josh.

When I get to the sporting goods store one block down, Dad is waiting outside, and Josh is just coming out of the door.

“How'd it go?” Dad asks me.

“The yoga studio—so-so, but the bakery was great. Mario, the owner, was super nice.”

Dad puts a hand on my shoulder. “You're both really helping,” he says. “Now just one more stop on my list. It's on the way home. We can all go together. I saved the best for last—the veterinary clinic.”

The veterinary clinic? Ugh, that's got to be Maggie MacKenzie's grandmother's clinic. And Sunita told me Maggie lives there. Dad is in a great mood now and I want to keep helping, but I can't risk ruining everything with another run-in with Maggie.