The one thing, two things, that Flo the wedding planner refused to handle were the bachelor and bachelorette parties—the traditional parties for the groom and the bride, given by their friends.

Aunt Mary decided that she wanted an old-fashioned slumber party at her beach house. That was when Amelia Bedelia’s father said, “The best way to escape the bridal brigade is to go to sea.”

“To see what?” asked Amelia Bedelia.

“To see how many huge fish we can catch,” said her father.

Amelia Bedelia’s father planned a deep-sea fishing trip for the guys on the same night as the bachelorette slumber party. Captain Will was going to take them out on the Reel Busy.

Amelia Bedelia and her mother were sad to see them go, but also delighted to get rid of them for a night. They got busy in the kitchen making all of Aunt Mary’s favorite dishes, such as macaroni and cheese, lasagna, and chicken pot pie. For dessert, Amelia Bedelia’s mother arranged for a pastry chef to bring different wedding cakes and icings to sample. Aunt Mary wanted everyone to taste each cake and icing and vote on the most delicious combinations so that she could tell Flo what kind of cake to order.

“Eating cakes and grading them is the kind of homework I like,” said Amelia Bedelia.

Everyone sat around the living room sampling cake and telling stories. Amelia Bedelia’s mother told Amelia Bedelia’s favorite story about her parents. How they had rented a camper for their honeymoon and spent the entire time getting themselves out of one pickle after another, including mud puddles, a beehive, and an encounter with an angry moose.

“My brand-new husband kept his sense of humor throughout the whole ordeal,” said Amelia Bedelia’s mother. “He kept laughing, and he kept me laughing. That’s when I knew I had married the right guy.”

When Aunt Mary turned on her favorite romantic movie, something about couples getting mixed up on an ocean liner and the captain marrying them, Amelia Bedelia fell asleep.

Early the next morning, Amelia Bedelia, Amelia Bedelia’s mother, Aunt Wanda, Aunt Mary, and Grandma were having French toast and fruit when Amelia Bedelia’s father, Granddad, and Jason came home. They were tired but happy.

“How was it, guys?” asked Aunt Mary.

“We caught a whopper,” said Amelia Bedelia’s father as he kissed his daughter on top of her head. “We hooked this monster fish right away.”

“Yeah,” said Jason. “We took turns fighting it. We had to strap ourselves into a chair, or we would’ve gotten pulled overboard. It took us hours to land.”

“A whopper, huh?” said Amelia Bedelia’s mother. “Where is it?”

“Wow!” said Amelia Bedelia. “Can I see it?”

“It’s on its way to Japan,” said Granddad.

“Japan!” said Amelia Bedelia.

“It was a bluefin tuna,” said her father. “Once we got it aboard the Reel Busy, Captain Will alerted a fishing boat that buys high-quality fish for sushi.”

“It was really cool,” said Jason. “Bluefin tuna are so valuable that the people who buy them can afford to put them on a plane to Tokyo! They’ll auction the tuna off in the morning.”

Amelia Bedelia and her mother burst out laughing. Grandma, Aunt Wanda, and Aunt Mary were laughing too.

“Dad,” said Amelia Bedelia. “The only whopper is that story.”

“Pretty fishy,” said her mother. “You had me going for a minute.”

“Next time catch a flying fish,” said Amelia Bedelia. “It can fly itself to Japan.” She began giggling.

“I must admit,” said Amelia Bedelia’s mother, “you three had your story down. Good job keeping your faces straight!”

Granddad, Jason, and Amelia Bedelia’s father looked at one another, then back at the ladies. They weren’t laughing. They weren’t smiling either.

“Oh, I almost forgot,” said Amelia Bedelia’s father, pulling a wad of money out of his pocket. “Here’s your share, Jason.”

Amelia Bedelia had never seen a hundred-dollar bill before.

Her father began counting quietly. “One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, and . . . ten.”

Amelia Bedelia and her mother were speechless.

“Thanks!” said Jason.

“And here’s your share, Granddad.” He began counting quietly again.

Grandma’s mouth made a perfect O.

Amelia Bedelia’s father handed the rest of the money to Amelia Bedelia’s mother. “Add this to your diamond necklace fund,” he said. “By the way, what did you ladies accomplish while we were gone?”

“We helped Aunt Mary decide which wedding cake to get,” said Amelia Bedelia.

“Don’t tell me,” said Amelia Bedelia’s father. “That’s my favorite kind of surprise.”