36

A New Wonderland

On the drive to our new Wonderland, there were beaches with clear blue water and green forests lining both sides of the highway. It was as beautiful as anything Imaginary Zoe ever experienced.

Finally we reached our farm. I recognized the black wrought-iron gate with the lotus flower design from the pictures I’d seen. I glanced back at Jade and was happy to see that even she was smiling.

As soon as we were out of the car, everyone except for me headed inside to check out the house. But there was something else I needed to do first. Weeks ago, I’d sent away for more baobab seeds. I patted the seed packet I’d put in my jeans pocket and took off to explore.

According to Daddy, Hawaii, being a tropical island, might be a good place for the baobabs to grow. And from what I’d read online, I’d learned he was right, because Hawaii already had a few. I knew I needed to start them in small pots before I transferred them outside, and now that I’d actually read the directions, this time it wasn’t going to take forever for them to sprout. But what I was looking for was the perfect spot to grow them, and before long, I found it. The grass was high and green and the red earth was moist. It reminded me of the land in the picture of the baobabs in Madagascar. Only one thing was different: the sky was so much bluer. This was the place, I decided, where I would grow them. The baobabs would certainly like it here. I patted the seeds again. Today, I’d soak them in water, and tomorrow, I’d find some pots and plant them. I couldn’t wait to tell Quincy. He and Kendra were planning to visit this coming summer, and I hoped the baobabs would be big enough by that time for him to help me transplant them to their special place.

Walking back toward the house, I thought about being like a seed and how some, like the baobab seeds, took longer than usual to germinate and sprout. It felt like I’d finally sprouted too.

Now not just my feet and bones were growing—in other ways that seemed to be invisible, I was changing day by day. I wasn’t so shy anymore, and because of Adam and Mrs. Warner, I knew I wasn’t ugly and that I was even nice. I was actually looking forward to making friends. And I was happy that Harper and I were getting close again and, because of Ben Rakotomalala, I was getting more interested in all kinds of science stuff—not just plants but outer space too.

And like a baobab, I am slightly unusual. I’m a Reindeer in Hawaii. My name finally made sense— a slightly unusual name for a slightly unusual girl. “Zoe G. Reindeer,” I said out loud, then put my lips together to try and whistle. For the first time, a sound came out. I couldn’t believe it. I pursed my lips and blew again. As sweetly as birdsong, a whistle flew out of me. I was more than surprised. I was astonished.

Later that night, I stood outside alone on the outdoor patio that wraps around the house, called the lanai. I gazed out toward the ocean where the light from the Moon glistened and thought about the promise I’d made to Ben to make good use of my imagination. I didn’t know exactly how, but deep inside I knew that I would keep that promise.

But for right now, real seemed like it was more than a million times better than anything my imagination could come up with.

Right now, real was amazing.

Inside, I heard the whole Reindeer family laughing loudly about something, even Jade.

Zoe G. Reindeer headed in to join them, whistling a tune.