Mae and I walk home together. We don’t talk about April—​instead she tells me about her brother, Rocket. He likes racing, his favorite color is orange, and he’s starting a rock band. Now I know more about Isabella, too.

Mae’s coming over, so we go straight to my house.

As soon as we walk in, Mae bends down and pets Sammy. “Hi, Sammy! You’re the best dog!”

“Can we keep her?” asks Sammy.

I laugh.

Mae looks up. “What’s so funny?”

I don’t know what to say. Do I tell her about Sammy talking? What if she thinks it’s weird? What if she doesn’t want to be friends? But I don’t have to worry, because Isabella suddenly walks in and Mae forgets about me laughing. After everyone says hi, we go up to my room. Mae can’t wait to see the Wonder Wheel. I let her spin it, just for fun. There are two slices left, Poem and Dance/Spin Again.

Suddenly Sammy has an idea. “Mae can come over tomorrow and help us spin it.”

That’s a great idea. I look at Mae. “Will you?”

Mae’s confused. “Will I what?”

Oh no! I forgot. She can’t hear Sammy.

Now I have to tell her about him talking. Sammy’s not like me. He’s not worried. My insides feel swirly and gurgly. It’s not easy to talk, but I do it. After I tell her, Mae has a hundred questions. Things like, Does anyone else know? Have you always been able to talk to him? Can other people hear him? Can he talk to cats? I answer everything, and when I’m done, she tells us a story.

“I used to have a friend named Marigold. I talked to her all the time, but no one ever saw her except for me.”

“I’m glad I’m not invisible,” says Sammy. “How’d she eat?”

That makes me laugh, so I tell Mae, and soon we are all laughing, but I’m laughing the hardest, because Mae’s still here and she believes me.

 

 

Just before bed, I hand out my helping hand. Isabella’s pretty surprised. She reads it out loud. “Wear orange to the audition.”

I put my hand over my heart. “It’s true. It’ll help.”

She nods. We never lie about hand over heart.