22

THE WHISPERING PINES SOCIAL ROOM IS FULL of round tables, each one draped in dark green crushed velvet so plush it looks like grass. Clear glass vases are wrapped in a wide red ribbon, and the rims are dripping with moss. Red roses and twigs rise up in various heights, looking both spooky and beautiful. Sticking out from under each vase is a single sequined glove, reminding me of the witch’s shoes poking out from under Dorothy’s house in The Wizard of Oz. I have to admit, Mom did a great job.

Mom walks over holding bags of glass jewels. “Amanda, thank you so much for giving Mabel a ride.”

“My pleasure.” Amanda looks around the room. “These tables are amazing.”

Mom waves a hand and pretends to be embarrassed, then turns to me and Jasper. “I could sure use some help, if you two are free.”

She holds out three Ziploc baggies filled with small, medium, and large rhinestones. “I need a handful of each of these tossed around the base of the vases, varying the placement and size so not too much of the same are grouped together. Think dew drops on blades of grass.”

Jasper salutes and gets to work. Mom laughs, then she pauses and looks me over. “Where’s the rest of your costume?”

“Oh, I must have left it in Amanda’s car.”

Part of me wishes Mom would wrap her arms around me and ask me what happened, but instead she says, “I worked hard on those, you know. We’ll talk later, okay? I really need to focus right now. KTEN News is doing a feel-good piece on this performance. Pattie donated all the supplies, so I have to mention that in the interview somehow. But my centerpieces will be front and center!” Mom clutches her hands and laughs. “Get it? Centerpiece. Front and center.” She frowns at my lack of response but then wanders off to work on another table.

“Nice,” I grumble. As I begin to sprinkle the gems, I notice Jasper staring at me. “What?”

“I get it. That’s why you were arguing with Ashley. You two were supposed to match or something, right? Anne of Green Gables doesn’t seem like you, because it’s not.”

“I said I didn’t really want to talk about it anymore. You heard your mom, right? There’s no way I’m going to be able to raise enough money to get Grampa back home. And my friendship with Ashley is over. You’ll be happy to know you were right. Some things can’t be fixed.”

Jasper straightens. “I don’t think you can fix things by sneaking around and not acting like yourself. And since you brought it up, you know who does seem happy? Your grampa.” He takes his baggie and storms off.

I can’t imagine how tonight could go any worse. Across the room, Mom straightens a tablecloth then pulls out her pocket tape measure, and I wish I could set up my life like Mom stages one of her tables—with everything working out just like I’d planned.

I’m tossing rhinestones when a woman with an orange blazer and a cat-ear headband sits down at the table I’m bedazzling. She nods to my baggie of gems. “Is your mom responsible for these tables? I’m guessing you must be related since you’re helping out.” She points to Mom’s centerpiece. “They’re amazing. We have a segment called ‘Local Wonders,’ and I’m thinking of doing a piece on your mom for our evening show. I’m Ginger Raines from KTEN news.”

She reaches out her hand and I shake it. Maybe it’s hearing her use the word wonder, but the more I think, the more an idea slowly opens like a blooming rose. Jasper might be right about the costume, but he’s wrong about Grampa.

“You know she’s got a shot at winning the National Expo competition tomorrow,” I say.

“National, huh? I didn’t even know there was such a thing as tablescaping until a few days ago,” Ginger says.

“It’s a big deal. This is the first year it’s been held in Oklahoma, and there’s some sort of contest to appear on a new show hosted by Arletta Paisley. I’m sure she’d love to talk to you about it.” I scatter another handful of rhinestones.

“Arletta Paisley?” Ginger asks. “You mean Top Table?” I nod, and she heads off in Mom’s direction.

Mom is focused on the KTEN reporter, Grampa is nowhere to be seen, and Jasper is helping restock the refreshments and actively ignoring me. No one notices when I take Mom’s empty rolling suitcase. Creepy music starts up, drowning out the rumble of the wheels across the linoleum.

Grampa’s room is quiet and dark. I don’t need the lights on to see Dr. Jon on his windowsill roost. If that tiny wooden horse was worth twenty-two thousand dollars, then Dr. Jon has to be worth twice as much. He’s sure twice as big. I lay mom’s suitcase flat on the floor, gently place Dr. Jon inside, and leave a quick note in his place.

Hope your feathers aren’t too ruffled but don’t suspect fowl play. I just felt cooped up and needed to stretch my wings.

Hugs & Pecks,

Dr. Jon

On the walk to the elevator my heart is hammering so hard I’m surprised it’s not louder than the racket coming from the social room. Leaving the note doesn’t make taking Dr. Jon right, but maybe Grampa won’t worry too much. I can’t risk his saying no if I’d asked first.

I make it downstairs and am greeted by the smiling woman working the front desk and operating the doors.

“Hi, I just need to get something from my mom’s trunk.” I motion to the rolling suitcase. “I’ll be right back.”

“Sure, hon,” she says, opens the doors, and goes back to reading a magazine.

Mom never locks her car. I pop the trunk, take Dr. Jon out of the suitcase, and shove him under the extra Bubble Wrap she keeps there just in case.

I walk through the first set of doors, rolling Mom’s empty suitcase behind me and am buzzed in. By the time I get to the social room again, it’s even more crowded. I wind my way through all the other family members and residents, slide the suitcase back where I found it, and sidle right up to Mom.

She leans down. “Where’ve you been?”

“Bathroom,” I whisper. “Where’s Grampa?”

“Getting made up for the show, I guess.” Mom laughs and points. “Speak of the devil.” The hallway is teeming with residents, some zombie walking, some rolling in wheelchairs or using canes and walkers, but all wearing torn clothes and grayish-green face makeup. When I finally spot Grampa, it isn’t his gruesome face paint that takes my breath away. He’s walking! Seeing Grampa come shuffling in looking closer to his old self feels like whatever had a squeezing hold on my heart lets go for a second, and I take a good, deep breath for the first time since seeing those business cards in Mom’s bag.

I almost run over to tell him how this is definitely a step in the right direction, but I freeze when I see those gold-striped Adidas sneakers. Toni hooks her arm through his and he gives his new lopsided smile to her.

Grampa would never move on without me. Would he?

The audience starts laughing and clapping. And I do too, but each time my hands meet I’m less sure that I’ve done the right thing. Especially when I see Jasper smiling and standing next to his mom.

The residents come to the front of the room, some sit in chairs, some stand. They relax their necks and drop their heads. As the music begins, they start moving their shoulders to the beat. There’s a howling wolf in the background, and when the singing starts, they lift their heads quickly and hiss.

Mr. Curtis’s family is screaming with laughter—partly because he’s brushed his hair so it’s standing on end, but he’s also taken his front teeth out. All the performers place their hands on their knees and sort of walk them up their legs until the lyrics say something about stopping hearts, then they grab their chest. They swing their arms from side to side with the music and make horrible faces while trying not to crack up. Even grouchy Mrs. Wingfield is laughing.

When Michael Jackson sings about screaming, they all whip their head toward the audience and actually scream—a few people in the crowd do too. As the song ends, Grampa and his new friends hold their hands up in claws and bare their teeth like vampires.

The whole room goes wild, clapping and whistling, and the residents bow as they get a standing ovation. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen Grampa have so much fun. He’s laughing and smiling more than when we found that wheat penny worth almost two thousand dollars stuck to the bottom of an old tennis shoe.

We spend the rest of the evening meeting the families of Grampa’s friends, including Toni’s son and grandchildren. Even though I know Grampa must want to go home, he sure isn’t acting like it.

There are so many introductions, I don’t get a moment alone with Grampa. Before we leave, Mom does something I’ve never seen her do before—she gives Grampa a kiss on the cheek. Even though I’m a little mad at both of them, I walk over to his side and give him a small squeeze.

Taking Dr. Jon is wrong, but what I have planned could change everything back to the way it was, back to normal, in one fell swoop, or in this case, one fowl swoop. So, I keep my mouth shut and make it through the rest of the night without telling him that I borrowed his most prized possession. I also give him three more hugs.

There’s no way to avoid Jasper as we leave. Mom chats with his mom while he and I shuffle around and avoid eye contact. Amanda waves as we get into the elevator.

“Thanks again for giving Mabel a lift.” Mom nudges me.

“Yeah, thank you,” I say. “Bye, Jasper.”

The doors close before he has a chance to say anything back.

When we get home, I help Mom unload the car, careful to get everything she used for her centerpieces from the trunk so she won’t poke around there. Once I bring in the last load, Mom stretches and then wraps me in a hug. “Thanks for all your help tonight. I couldn’t do any of this without you. I think I’ll take a quick shower.” She gives me a kiss on the cheek and walks down the hall. She’s forgotten all about the dance and my problems, and any chance I might tell her a single thing evaporates.

As soon as I hear the water turn on, I quietly sneak out, get Dr. Jon, and lug him up the stairs and into my room. My heart is slamming against my ribs, and my bangs are sweat-stuck to my forehead as I wrap Dr. Jon in a towel from my hamper and tuck him under my bed. He barely fits.

My gramma thought Dr. Jon was magical, and even though I know it’s silly, I sure hope she was right.