2

Pearl’s blood didn’t actually boil. That’s just a way of saying that she felt so angry she got hot all over.

The morning newspaper lay neatly folded on the corner of the table. Staring right at her, from the front page, was Pearl’s archenemy, Victoria Mulberry.

The photo showed Victoria’s smiling face, her braces looking like railroad tracks. Thick glasses were perched on the end of her nose, and her frizzy hair was pressed beneath a baseball cap embroidered with the words WELCOME WAGON.

It wasn’t unusual for Victoria to get her photo in the paper. She was always achieving one thing or another. She’d organized a search party when Mr. Mutt’s dog went missing. She’d picked up garbage in the park after the storm of the century. She’d even raised money to help the seniors buy pudding for pudding day. Those were nice things to do, but Pearl knew the truth. The real person behind those deeds was Victoria’s mother, Mrs. Mulberry, who’d made it her life’s work to get her daughter’s photo in the paper.

Pearl dropped her pancake sandwich and reached across the table. With sticky fingers, she unfolded the newspaper and read the following article aloud.

LOCAL GIRL WINS AWARD

The International Welcome Wagon Society has announced that Victoria Mulberry, age 10, is to become the newest member of the Red Wagon Club.

“This is a very important club,” Victoria’s mother, Martha Mulberry, said. “Only a few people are chosen each year. Victoria is a role model for kids everywhere.”

When asked why she was a role model, Victoria replied, “I don’t know,” and went back to reading her book.

“Victoria earned this honor because she gets straight A’s and she doesn’t get into trouble like a certain other girl in our town,” Mrs. Mulberry added.

The ceremony will be held at 6:00 PM Friday at Town Hall. A representative from the International Welcome Wagon Society will award Victoria with a special crown that is worn only by Red Wagon Club members. The entire town is invited to watch the ceremony. Cookies and punch will be served.

Pearl stared at the page. “ ‘She doesn’t get into trouble like a certain other girl,’ ” she repeated. “That’s so rude.”

“She probably wasn’t talking about you,” Ben said. He drank some orange juice.

“Of course she was talking about me.” Pearl had a reputation. She was the town troublemaker, and everyone knew it, even Ben. “Why are they giving her a crown? That’s crazy. Who wears a crown?”

“I don’t know. A princess?”

“Yeah, well, Victoria’s no princess.” Pearl pushed the newspaper aside, then sat back in her chair. A bad feeling washed over her, as if a gray rain cloud had settled on top of her head. “Victoria’s probably going to wear her crown all over town.”

“So what if she does?” Ben asked.

Pearl frowned. Ben clearly didn’t understand what it was like to grow up in a small town, with only a few kids in your grade. When you were labeled the local troublemaker, you couldn’t get rid of that title, no matter how hard you tried. Just once it would be nice to see her own name on the front page and not followed by the words mayhem, disaster, or trouble.

“Pearl,” Mrs. Petal called from downstairs. “Please take a pancake to your aunt Gladys before you leave.”

“Okay,” Pearl said. Then she glanced at the stove clock. “We’d better hurry or we’ll be late.”

While Pearl and her parents lived above the Dollar Store, her great-aunt Gladys lived in the apartment beneath. It wasn’t a typical damp, cold basement with spiders, cobwebs, and mice. Gladys’s place was warm, with a soft carpet, floral wallpaper, and two well-fed wiener dogs. The only thing odd was the smell.

“What is that?” Ben asked, scrunching his nose.

“Mentholated ointment,” Pearl explained. “She rubs it all over because she has arthritis.”

Aunt Gladys sat in a comfy chair, working a pair of knitting needles. The joints in her fingers were swollen and knotted. A ball of yellow yarn lay on her lap. Another waited at her feet. In fact, balls of yarn were scattered everywhere, as if a yarn factory had exploded in her living room. A soft click-clack arose from her wooden needles.

“Hi, Aunt Gladys. I brought your breakfast,” Pearl announced. She pushed some yarn aside and set the plate on a TV tray.