Sink or Swim (12 page)

“Why don’t you just blow off baby-sitting for that one day?” Egg said. “You can swim in Pool Day, win a ribbon, and be back to baby-sit after that.”

“I can’t,” Madison said.

“It’s too bad you’ll miss it,” Hart said. “It only happens once every summer. And we’ll all be there.”

Madison shrugged. “I know….”

Drew walked back with his super-size milk shake and squeezed past Egg and Fiona to get back to the place he’d been sitting before. Of course, Madison was still sitting there. When he pushed through, he lost his balance.

Splooooooch.

In the blink of an eye, Madison was drenched in pink milk shake.

She sat stunned.

“I can’t believe I did that,” Drew said frantically. He grabbed a handful of paper napkins and pressed them onto Madison. They stuck to her blouse.

“It’s not just sticky—” Madison said, standing up. “It’s cold, too. Oh, gross.”

“You look good,” Egg said.

Madison hit him, which sent a spray of strawberry milk shake flying in all directions.

“Incoming!” Dan joked, ducking behind the table.

Everyone started to laugh.

“It isn’t funny!” Madison said, crawling over Fiona to get away from the table. She hustled as fast as she could to get to the bathroom at the back of Freeze Palace.

She had to run away.

Luckily, no one was inside the bathroom. Madison stared at her splattered reflection in the bathroom mirror. She was covered in shake. Her ruffles were ruined. She turned on the faucet. This would take some time to clean up.

As she stood watching the water run until it was warm, Madison began to shake a little. Then the tears came.

“Maddie!”

Aimee opened the bathroom door and scuttled inside with Fiona.

“Maddie, are you all right?”

Madison bowed her head to keep her BFFs from seeing her cry. But she couldn’t hide it for very long.

Fiona stroked Madison’s hair and helped her mop off some of the pink shake. “That was such a dumb thing Drew did,” she said.

“Yeah, I can’t believe he spilled the whole thing. He’s really embarrassed,” Aimee said.

Madison wrung out the wet shirt into the sink and wiped her eyes.

“It’s not the shake, really,” she sobbed. “I just…I can’t…” Madison started to cry harder.

“What’s wrong, Maddie?” Aimee asked.

Fiona gave her a hug. “Tell us what’s the matter.”

“I hate summer,” Madison said. “First of all, my mom is gone to another planet practically and I’m with Dad but it’s not the same and my baby-sitting job is okay like ten percent of the time but the other part is just awful because Eliot cries and whines and won’t let me change his stupid diaper and then he falls at the pool today and I know his mother blames me for what happened and then I hear from you guys about Pool Day and I can’t go because of my job that I hate now and everything just stinks—” She had to stop to take a breath. “You wouldn’t understand,” she finished.

Aimee shook her head. “Of course we would!” she said. “We’re your best friends.”

“I didn’t know your job was so hard,” Fiona said. “You never told us.”

“You’re never around!” Madison snapped. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to yell, but all you ever talk about anymore is boys and lying around in the sun.”

Aimee and Fiona were silent.

Madison continued. “I don’t want to be mean about it. I never should have taken the baby-sitting job. It’s too hard, and I can’t do it.”

“Maddie,” Fiona said gently. “You can do it. I know you can. You
are
.”

By now, the pink shake was coming out of Madison’s peasant shirt. The three friends had all been wringing and wiping together.

“I didn’t know how you felt,” Aimee said. “I wish you told us.”

“Me, too,” Fiona said.

“I thought I could figure everything out by myself. I mean, I asked my parents and even Stephanie for advice. But it’s not the same as you. I should have known that,” Madison said.

“Nothing is the same as your BFFs,” Aimee said.

“I’ve actually been sort of jealous of you this summer,” Fiona admitted.

Madison’s eyes bugged wide. “Jealous? Of what?”

“Well, I know I made a big deal about the book-a-thon and all that. And it is a big deal. But your job is so much cooler. You’re doing something so important. And little Eliot will look up to you,” Fiona said.

“Wow,” Madison said. “You really think that?”

“She’s right,” Aimee said. “I have a job at my dad’s store, but I’m not helping some little kid like you.”

“It’s so hard.” Madison sniffled. “He cries all the time. And nothing I say or do makes a difference.”

“I bet it does,” Fiona said. “You just haven’t seen it yet.”

Aimee had her purse in hand. She pulled out a comb. “Here, Maddie. Let me fix your hair again. And put on some of my strawberry-kiwi lip gloss.”

“Thanks,” Madison said.

“And I would much rather be with you than Egg,” Fiona said.

Madison raised an eyebrow. “Oh, yeah?”

Aimee giggled.

“Okay,” Fiona said. “Maybe I’d rather be with Egg. But that’s only because I’ve been waiting for someone to like me like this forever….”

Madison smiled. “It’s okay, Fiona. I understand. I’m cool. I’ll find someone to like eventually.”

“Do you feel any better now?” Aimee asked.

Madison took a deep breath and stared back at her reflection. “Much better. I feel much better.”

“Do you like Hart?” Aimee asked out of the blue.

Madison felt her whole body tighten. “Huh?” she asked.

“I know it’s dumb, but the other day I heard him at the pool talking to Egg and Drew, and he was talking about you,” Aimee said. “And I was just wondering, if you like him, too, then maybe…”

Fiona shrugged. “Wow, that’s interesting.”

Madison’s heart was racing so fast, she thought she might pass out right there on the bathroom floor. Without knowing it, Aimee had just said the one thing that was a surefire way to cheer Madison up. It was something she’d wanted to hear for as far back as she could remember.

Hart had been talking about her.

Even though this was a huge opportunity to reveal all, Madison continued to deny her crush. She felt uncomfortable about giving away her biggest secret. She would continue to keep it safe inside her files and e-mails to Bigwheels only.

“Sorry. That was a dumb thing to say. Hart is nice, but…” Aimee said. “Ivy Daly has her eye on him, anyhow.”

“Yeah, well,” Madison said, desperate to change the subject for fear that her true feelings would start leaking out. “Um…should we be going back now?”

“Can I buy you an ice cream?” Fiona asked Madison.

“Yum! Let’s get a big one and split it,” Aimee said.

“Nah,” Madison said. “Let me buy you an ice cream. The one good thing about baby-sitting is that I’ve made some money for my savings account. So it’s my treat, okay?”

“Okay, I’ll take an ice cream,” Fiona said.

“Yeah, why not?” Aimee said. “You’re rich.”

Madison laughed. “Yeah, right.”

At the counter, Madison ordered a few cones, and then the trio returned to the table with the boys. Of course, Drew apologized a hundred times for spilling the shake. And of course, Madison forgave him a hundred times.

Eight o’clock rolled around soon, and Dad came by the Freeze Palace to pick up Madison. He walked her home slowly, the two of them enjoying the last bits of blue and yellow and pink light in the sky.

Madison got ready for bed as soon as she arrived home. Tomorrow was a big day. She crawled into bed with Phin and her laptop and booted up her files.

Pool Day

Rude Awakening:
Friends are like fortune cookies. The best part is on the inside.

Aimee and Fiona were SO great in the bathroom @ Freeze Palace. I didn’t expect to lose it like that. I guess I’ve been keeping a lot hidden from them. Why do I do that?

But what they said about Hart … oooh! I don’t want to jinx myself by talking about it.

When I got back, Mom called like she’s been trying to do every night. I miss her so much when she travels. I don’t think she knows how much. I hate it when she isn’t available to take care of me. I need her so much sometimes. It’s hard to admit that.

I can’t believe I got so upset tonight about stupid Pool Day! But in some ways, this summer has been like being in the deep end of the pool.

But I won’t sink, will I?

“M
ADDIE?” THERE WAS STATIC
on the phone line, so Madison didn’t recognize the voice at first.

“Mom?” she said into the receiver.

It was seven-thirty in the morning in Far Hills, which meant that it was nearly midnight in Australia.

“I know today is the day of the swimming races, and I wanted to wish you good luck,” Mom said.

“But I’m not racing, Mom,” Madison said. “Don’t you remember? Eliot is going, and I’m watching him race.”

“Exactly. I called because I
did
remember,” Mom said. “I just wanted to say that I have a feeling today will turn out to be a special day for both of you.”

“Thanks, Mom,” Madison said. It was so good to hear her voice.

“I can’t wait to see you,” Mom said. “I’ll be home on Saturday.”

“I can’t wait, either,” Madison said.

They said their good-byes quickly. The clock was ticking, and Madison had to hurry to meet Mrs. Reed for the day. They were meeting at Lake Dora instead of the Reed house.

“Rowrroororooroo!”

Phinnie jumped up on his hind legs and begged for a Toasty-O. He caught one in midair. Madison rubbed the remaining sleep out of her eyes and took a big swig of orange juice.

Soon enough, she and Dad were on their way.

The pool area at Lake Dora was decorated in honor of Pool Day. There were streamers and balloons and loudspeakers and posters and kids
everywhere.
The Pool Day theme was “Tropicana,” so the staff had put up fake palm trees and little paper umbrellas. The snack shop staff, decked out in leis, served pineapple and mango snow cones.

With all of the people rushing around, it was hard at first to see Mrs. Reed, Becka, and Eliot. Lucky for Madison, someone else saw her first.

“Maddie!” Eliot cried from across the pool area. She grinned at him and rushed to say her good morning to Mrs. Reed.

“I’m leaving for the doctor with Becka in about a half-hour,” Mrs. Reed explained. “Don’t forget. Eliot’s competing in the kickboard kiddie swim later on. I think I’ll be back for it.”

“Okay,” Madison said.

“I put Eliot’s horsey in the bag. It just needs to be reinflated. I also put in an extra set of clothes and sneakers,” Mrs. Reed said.

“Sure thing,” Madison said.

Eliot tugged on Madison’s hand. “Pool, pool,” he chanted. He liked watching everyone around the pool set up for the various swims and competitions. The area was more crowded than Madison had ever seen it. That kept Eliot distracted. Madison didn’t have to deal with any of his fussy tears—yet.

Lake Dora staff members sent families to wait and mingle in areas
outside
the main pool deck. All of the chairs had been removed and placed on the beach by Lake Dora. Madison spotted Aimee and Fiona there and waved them over.

“Hey,” Fiona said, running up to Eliot. “Are you swimming today?”

Eliot nodded. “Kickbad thwimming.”

“They have this kickboard swim for the little kids,” Madison translated.

“Wow,” Aimee said. “That must be fun. How old are you, Eliot?”

Eliot looked up at Madison and held out his fingers. “How many birthdays?”

Madison whispered into his ear. “I’m two half,” he said proudly, holding up three bent fingers.

“You’re so big,” Aimee said, smiling.

Unfortunately, Madison’s BFFs couldn’t hang around for long. Fiona was meeting her swim group by the other side of the pool area, and Aimee had volunteered to organize and help pass out the winners’ ribbons.

“See you later on,” Madison said.

Aimee and Fiona waved to Eliot. “Bye-bye!”

Eliot grabbed Madison’s leg. She couldn’t really move when he did that, but Madison didn’t mind.

“YOUR ATTENTION, PLEASE,” a voice bellowed over the loudspeaker. “THE MAIN POOL EVENTS ARE POSTED AT THE LAKE DORA SOUTH AND NORTH ENTRANCES. PLEASE REMAIN OUTSIDE THE PERIMETER OF THE POOL DURING THESE EVENTS. BLEACHERS HAVE BEEN SET UP FOR GUESTS.”

Madison directed Eliot over toward the bleachers so they could sit down and play until his big event happened. On the walk over, she bumped into Hart, Egg, and Drew. They were all wearing tropical colored T-shirts in orange and yellow.

“Nice T-shirts,” Madison quipped.

“Finnster,” Hart said. “What’s up?”

Madison felt giddy when he said hello. All she could think about was what Aimee had said the night before.

“Not much,” Madison replied. “Eliot is here. He’s feeling much better since yesterday’s spill.”

“How’s it going, Eliot?” Hart asked.

“Hi!” Eliot cried. He giggled automatically.

“Hey, Maddie, your boyfriend looks cute today,” Egg said, laughing.

“You know, if you’re trying to be funny, Egg,” Madison said, “try getting a new joke.”