To Have and to Hold (9 page)

She punched him right back—only harder.

“
Ouch
!” Egg cried.

“Your dad has a cool webpage,” Hart said.

“He put a lot of new stuff up since you last showed it to me at the animal clinic,” Dan said.

Madison cringed. Why were her friends looking at her dad’s webpage? Why couldn’t they flip back to NASCAR?

The boys clicked on “Sign Our Guestbook.” A page with blanks to be filled in appeared. Egg typed in everybody’s name. Then he asked the group, “What should I type for a message?”

“This is really dumb, Egg,” Madison said. She wanted to melt into the floor.

“I know! Type in ‘Congrats, Mr. Finn,’” Dan suggested.

Egg tapped out the words on the keyboard. He added: “From all of Maddie’s friends.”

“That looks cool,” Chet said.

Everyone agreed. Egg hit
SEND
.

“What did you do that for?” Madison asked, sulking a little.

“I don’t know,” Egg said. “Because it was there.”

The other guys laughed. Madison bent over and hit the
OFF
key on the computer.

“Hey!” Egg cried. “What did you do that for?”

“We’re done here, right?” Hart said.

“Let’s go get some of those free smoothies from Mr. Gillespie,” Chet suggested.

“Yum,” Dan said, eager to have something to eat. Sometimes friends referred to Dan as the “garbage disposal” at school. He would eat anyone’s lunch leftovers, anytime.

“I’ll go find Aimee and the others,” Madison said, turning away from the boys. She wanted out of there—fast!

Luckily, the smoothies smoothed over any crabby moments, and the later afternoon delivered less embarrassment. At around three o’clock, the rain finally stopped. Egg convinced everyone to head down to Lake Dora to go swimming, even though the sky still looked cloudy.

“Oh, I can’t go,” Madison said.

Egg teased her. “Why not?” he complained. “You can’t just ditch us. Come on. You’re not mad about that webpage thing, are you?”

“No. I have to finish getting ready for Texas,” Madison said. “Sorry.”

“When are you leaving, again?” Dan asked.

“Tomorrow,” Madison said.

“I can’t believe you’re going so far away,” Fiona said, looking a little sad.

“Give me a break,” Chet cracked to his twin sister. “You’re such a drama queen. She’s only going for a wedding.”

“But the trip is five days,” Aimee corrected him. “And that is a long time.”

“It’ll go fast,” Egg said.

“I’ll miss you,” Fiona said, reaching out to embrace Madison.

“Me, too,” Aimee said.

Madison hugged her friends right back. “Me, three,” she said.

“Gag me,” Chet moaned.

Egg patted Madison on the back. “See you around, Maddie,” he said. “Say hi to your dad for me. For real.”

“Yeah,” Dan chimed in.

“Have a good trip, Finnster,” Hart said with a wave of his hand.

“I will,” Madison said, unable to take her eyes off Hart’s tousled hair. For a split second, she had an overwhelming urge to throw her arms around him and give him a hug.

But she resisted.

Aimee handed Madison a blue-and-yellow envelope with little flowers along the edges.

“Take this for the plane ride,” she said.

“What is it?” Madison asked.

Fiona beamed. “It’s a surprise,” she said. “From both of us. But you can’t read it until you get on the plane. Promise?”

“Promise.”

Madison glanced up at the wall clock over the store register. Mom would be coming by the store in a few minutes to take her home.

“I’d better go,” Madison said.

She raced out of the store and onto the slick streets outside. There, she stood by the glass doors of the Cyber Café waiting for Mom and fingering the blue-and-yellow envelope in her pocket.

She inhaled deeply, breathing in the smell of rain and grass; she craned her neck and gazed up at the lightening sky.

In one day, she would be in Texas, Madison thought.

Wow.

She reached out for the side of the building to keep from falling over. There was no Hart to grab her arm right now. Madison was on her own for the weekend—and for longer than that, she feared.

In three days, Dad would be married all over again.

If anything had ever felt as scary as the Big D, this was it.

Flying


The last time I was on a plane was when I traveled with Mom on one of her business trips for Budge Films. She was making a movie and we went to this jungle. That was different. The bugs were HUGE. Right now I feel a little like I’m flying into another jungle. Why am I so nervous about this wedding?


Dad is sitting across from me right now and we’re in this airport lounge/waiting room. Stephanie already flew to Texas a few days ago on her own so Dad keeps calling her on his cell. It is a little annoying b/c I wish he’d pay a little more attention to me, but I get it since it is his wedding and he’s thinking about her 24/7. He let me buy all these magazines at the newsstand so I forgive him.


Not so good: I cheated BIG TIME and read Aimee and Fiona’s plane letter before getting on the plane. Bad Maddie! But they don’t have to know, right? I was dying to read it. The envelope was all crunched from being in my pocket. I have to write back to them now. Plus I have to write to Bigwheels too. I’ve been so busy that I have hardly checked my e-mail in the last day. I wonder if she wrote to me first? She probably thinks I dropped off the face of the Earth.


Someone just came on the speaker to announce the pre-boarding of our flight to Houston. We already checked our luggage. I squeezed as much as I could into my suitcase so all I have to carry on the plane with me is secret wedding collage stuff (in case I want to work on it), the magazines, and my laptop of course that fits in my orange bag.


I miss Mom and Phinnie already. Mom made me pancakes with smiley faces this morning. She still doesn’t seem upset about Dad getting married. How is that possible? Didn’t she love him a lot once? If I was married to someone for so long and then they married another person, I would be way upset. At least I think I would be.


My head is all woozy right now.


Rude Awakening:
I feel like I’m flying and we haven’t even gotten on the plane yet
.


Dad gently tapped Madison on the shoulder.

“That’s us, honey,” he said, grabbing his carry-on bags and garment case. “Ready?”

Madison wanted to scream, “Ready? What, are you kidding me? Of course I’m not ready, Dad! Duh! What are you
thinking
?”

But instead she stood up, too, grabbed her orange bag, and quietly followed Dad back into the main terminal, toward Gate B15. According to the flight supervisor, who spoke with a distinct Texas twang, Sky High Airlines had just commenced “general boarding for all passengers headed to the Lone Star State.” Her voice crackled over the loudspeaker.

Madison and Dad took seats near the entrance to the gate, waiting for their seat numbers to be called.

“Dad?” Madison asked meekly.

“What is it, hon?” Dad said, struggling to balance his luggage in a neat pile on the floor next to him.

“Are you nervous?” Madison asked.

“About flying?” Dad replied. “Nah.”

“No, no, that isn’t what I mean,” Madison said. “I mean, are you nervous about
getting married
?”

“’Course,” he said matter-of-factly.

“Because I’m nervous about you getting married,” Madison admitted.

Dad paused. “Everything will be fine, Maddie,” he said, trying to reassure her.

“Tell that to all the butterflies in my stomach,” Madison said.

Dad laughed. “I’m sorry that you’re nervous,” Dad said. “What can I do to make it better?”

Madison sighed. That was really all she needed—or wanted—to hear. She wanted to know for sure that Dad cared and hadn’t forgotten her. She wanted to know that he would be there for her—especially if she was feeling crummy.

The boarding attendant called their seat numbers, and Madison followed Dad into the plane. It was only half full, so even though they technically had only two seats in a three-seat row, they were able to spread out. Madison sat next to the window. That way, she could turn slightly, blocking Dad’s view of what she was up to. She could read her plane letter and work on the collage some more.

As soon as the plane took off, Madison uncrumpled the blue-and-yellow envelope from her BFFs.

Hello, Maddie!

This is an attempt to write you the best and hopefully the longest plane letter in the history of plane letters—EVER. You better be on the plane when reading this or else! Fiona and I are soooo sad that you have to go away in the middle of the summer to someplace so far away but we know you will have a wicked good time.  Okay it’s Fiona’s turn to write now.

Hello Maddie!!!!!! Have you ever gotten a letter from two people at once? Isn’t this cool? We miss you already so you have to write to us like every single day when you are in Texas, okay? Sorry my writing is so small. Can you read it? I hope so.  Where are you sitting on the plane?  What did you wear? I bet you look awesome like you always do.

Wait I have a question 4 you: is Drew going out with that girl we met at the party? We promise to keep an eye on them while you are away because we know you secretly like him ha ha ha ha J/K.

I didn’t say that. That was totally Aimee’s idea! I know u don’t like Drew and it isn’t fair to make fun of him either. Sometimes Aim can be such a meanie. LOL. Anyway, I haven’t been on a plane in so long. It must be so cool to be flying.  Just how long is the trip to Texas? What else did you pack? I know you will look good in my sundress. You have to write and tell us AS SOON AS YOU GET THERE and go to parties.

Okay, sorry sorry sorry about that Drew comment b4—I just think it is so weird that ANYONE would date him I guess. Meanwhile, did I tell you that Ben called me up? He did, I guess he wanted to ask me to a movie or something but he had to do something with his parents instead. Lame-o. I am so bummed out. I know I was embarrassed about liking him b4 but I’m not anymore. What do you think? You have to write and tell me, okay? I miss you already, Maddie. I wish the wedding wasn’t so far away. BTW: Will there be dancing at the wedding? What dancing do they do at hoedowns?

Aimee asks the most random things, doncha think? OK since you are on a plane, we both made this list of other questions that you have to fill in about the trip—and then you can see if the answers come true after the weekend is over. Have you ever done that before? I did a going to camp letter once and put into it that I wanted to win a soccer medal and I wanted to meet a boy and I did BOTH. So I think this letter is kind of like a good luck charm. You have to write answers like what you HOPE will happen.

1. What will you see when you get off the plane?

2. Who will you meet at the party in Texas? (Like hot guys!!!!)

3. What will you wear to the wedding (including how you will fix your hair)?

4. How many e-mails will you send to Aimee and Fiona? (And this answer must be at least five. One for every day you are away. OK?)

Wait a minute Maddie, are you going to see Stephanie’s nephew at the party? What is his name again? Craig? Chris? I can’t remember!!!! Completely forgot to ask you about him. I know you were supposed to meet him a couple of times before.  I wonder if he’s cute.  Have you ever seen a picture? You didn’t say anything to us so we were wondering. I really wish I were going to the wedding too not just because it would be fun to go to Texas but so I could meet Craig and any other boys at a real wedding. Aren’t people there all mushy all the time? I’ve never been to a wedding so I have no clue but I hope so for your sake.  Oh I cannot wait to hear all about it!!!

The most important thing to remember Maddie is that WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH and WE MISS YOU SO MUCH and you shouldn’t ever stress out because we are here for you 1000 percent. We will be right here the whole time you are gone. I hope that makes you feel better. Does it make you feel better? IT BETTER!!!!!!!!