27

WE STROLL AROUND LOOKING AT ALL THE OTHER tables, including one with an enormous American flag sprouting from Uncle Sam’s top hat along with red, white, and royal blue silk roses. Grampa looks at me, nods toward the table, and says, “It’s a little over the top—over the top hat, that is.” Then he tries to waggle his eyebrows. Mom and I look at each other and roll our eyes at the same time. Grampa, Amanda, and Jasper laugh.

A man in a brown suit takes the stage and taps the mic. Mom’s eyes widen and she leans down to whisper, “That’s Bud Ludlow, king of the showstopper.” I try my best to look impressed. Mom wears the tightest of smiles and manages a few claps for each announcement.

Bud clears his throat and takes a long pause. “For this year’s Best in Show winner we have a very special prize. It’s my honor to introduce our guest judge, Arletta Paisley.” The same woman I spotted yesterday takes the stage. Her hair hasn’t moved an inch, but this time she wears a heavily embroidered shirt and skinny jeans with boots. The crowd is clapping and whistling and taking photos. Mom gives me a wide-eyed look that cracks me up.

Arletta waves and smiles before speaking. “I’ve been blown away by some of the dining environments I’ve seen this weekend. There’s nothing quite like sitting down for dinner at a table that’s been set by a visionary, and I think every single one of the designers here are true artists. But there was one table that took my breath away. Lorna Diamond, I was truly inspired by your interpretation of our theme, and it’s my pleasure to give you the first-place ribbon for the Expert Division, the Best in Show trophy, and a spot as one of the first contestants on my new show, Top Table.”

Mom’s shoulders droop, but she claps just as hard as anyone else.

Once the applause dies down, Arletta goes on. “We have a few more announcements to make. Bud tells me this award was introduced last year. The Crowd Pleaser goes to the table with the most votes from the Expo attendees. Jane Cunningham, who I hear is a new up-and-comer, took the theme and created a truly inspired table. She may be our second-place winner, but she came in first with the crowd. Table thirteen achieved something special—a look that is both old and new, and purposeful while still being spontaneous. Jane, you’ll be taking home a ribbon and a trophy too, and I truly hope you’ll consider applying for Top Table next season.”

Jasper blows a loud whistle with his fingers in his mouth, and his mom blushes while Mom and I hug and hop around a bit. Grampa stands from his wheelchair and wraps up Mom in a big hug too. And we all huddle together and clap for Mom when she takes the stage, shakes hands with Bud and Arletta, and accepts her trophy and red ribbon.

After all the announcements, Mom poses for a few photos, one standing beside her table with all the judges. Then it’s up to us to pack up, but with all of us working together it takes no time at all.

As we approach the double set of automatic doors, Grampa activates the brakes. Mom stumbles into the back of his wheelchair. He’s staring into the lobby and raises a shaky finger to point at a man with a poof of blond bangs and a wide, bright smile.

Ray Reno, Collector’s Menagerie’s appraising superstar, is in the lobby.

Grampa looks up at me and lifts Dr. Jon a little. “What do you say, Mae-mae, should we go ask him?”

I nod, unable to speak. Grampa hands Dr. Jon to me and uses the armrests to push himself up. Grampa and I haven’t held hands since I was little, but I hitch Dr. Jon up on my hip so that we can now.

Ray seems to know immediately why we’re there. He smiles and stretches his hand out toward Grampa. “Ray Reno. You two fans of the show?”

I nod, and Grampa says, “We watch every Monday evening together.”

Ray smiles and nods toward Dr. Jon. “Want me to take a look?”

“We’d be honored,” Grampa says, and gently nudges me. I hold Dr. Jon out. Ray takes him, and motions to a few chairs lining the windows of the convention center. “Let’s have a seat.”

I can’t believe I’m sitting by Ray Reno.

“What do we have here?” Ray mumbles as he turns Dr. Jon this way and that.

Grampa doesn’t say anything, so I do. “He’s my Grampa’s. He’s a wooden rooster. Not a chicken. And he was discovered in Florida in a shop called Second Chances about twelve years ago. That’s all I know. And he’s special.” For once, Mom doesn’t scoff, but I realize without the historical whimsy, the actual facts of Dr. Jon aren’t nearly as impressive.

Ray starts talking, and at first, I’m only watching his mouth move instead of listening. When I tune in, he says, “Many folk artists favored farm animals, and quite a few famous sculptors came out of Pennsylvania. I’d say Wilhelm Schimmel is one of the most famous of America’s folk carvers. And this definitely has echoes of his style.” Ray lifts Dr. Jon and inspects the base. I know already there are no markings. “Schimmel’s work is hard to identify because it’s well known that he didn’t leave any type of signature. We mostly have to rely on family stories and formal verification.”

Grampa pats my hand. As soon as Ray said the word echo I knew, and Grampa must too. An echo means to repeat or imitate the original. It’s a nice way to call Dr. Jon a fake. And even though I feel like I might cave in and cry again right there, I prepare for the details because I know that’s what is coming next.

When Ray looks at me his brow furrows. I take a deep breath before he says, “It’s a very inspired imitation of Schimmel’s style and extremely popular with collectors. I’d say he’d fetch two to three hundred dollars at auction.” Ray pats Dr. Jon’s head and he flashes his brilliantly white teeth. “And I do agree with you. He’s special.”

Mom steps forward and rests a hand on my shoulder. “Thank you,” she says to Ray. Grampa finally talks. “Ray, it’s been a pleasure.” He stands and shakes Ray’s hand again. I lean my head on Mom’s shoulder and try my hardest not to cry in front of Ray Reno.

We turn to walk off and Ray says, “Hold on a sec there.” He stands and points to my backpack. “That spider pin on your bag, would you mind if I have a closer look at that?”

“Sure,” I say. The latch is tricky, so it takes me a minute to unhook the pin. I place the little spider on Ray’s palm. He holds it close and turns it over, then he whistles. “I’m not a jewelry expert, but I’d get this beauty appraised.” He points to the green stone. “That little fleck of black there is an impurity, and that flaw in the stone normally indicates you’ve got a real gem, not a fake. I think it’s a genuine emerald. The setting is very Edwardian. Maybe even platinum. And the detailing, the onyx eyes and the little pearls along the legs… Extraordinary.” He passes my pin back. “I can’t tell you what it’s worth exactly, but I might not carry it around on my backpack if I were you.” Ray laughs and shakes hands with Grampa again before walking outside.

Grampa looks over at me and smiles. “Another day full of treasures,” he says, the same way he would anytime we wrapped up a hunt. We walk out together. Mom helps Grampa into Jasper’s minivan. I climb in and hug him around the neck. “I’m sorry I took your heart find.”

He pats my back and says, “Don’t be silly. You and your mom, those are the only heart finds I need. Love you, Mae-mae.”

“Love you too, Grampa.” I hug his neck again and Mom surprises us both when she clambers in and wraps her arms around the two of us. I whisper, “I think Gramma was right about Dr. Jon.” I feel Grampa laugh and Mom nodding.

Mom thanks Amanda again. I turn to Jasper. “Was this your idea?”

He shrugs and smiles.

“Thank you,” I say.

“No problem. I’ll see you in a few hours to trick-or-treat with McKenna, right?”

I nod.

This time I stay awake for the drive home. Mom explains that Grampa thinks selling his house is the best option. “So, over the next few months I’ll need your help to pack up his collections and take what he wants to keep and move it to the storage unit you two think I don’t know about.” Mom looks over at me and smiles. “But I’d also like you to help me pick out a few things for his room at Whispering Pines. I thought you’d like that idea.”

“I do,” I say.

We get home, and Mom grabs her trophy and ribbon. “Go ahead and leave the rest. I’ll unpack it later. I know you want to go meet your friends to trick-or-treat.”

Jasper didn’t really let me apologize properly. So, I text him a picture I found of a woman in a formal ball gown wearing a beauty queen sash that says “apology.” This is my formal apology for being a jerk.

I run to my room ready to wear the costume I’d planned. Mom gave me clear fishing twine to attach a few more plush cats and dogs to an umbrella, and I already have a raincoat and boots. My phone buzzes as I work. I pick it up and see that it’s Jasper. Meet in an hour. Need me to bring your apron and hat? You left them in the van.

I remember how easily I let Ashley talk me out of what I wanted, and I get an idea. I run into the living room. “Mom, can you help me? I only have an hour. I need some pink paint, elastic, a magnifying glass, and your trench coat.” The good thing about Mom’s tablescaping is she has almost any supply I can dream up.

Mom nods, comes back with all I’d asked for, and we get to work. After about forty-five minutes we’re done. Mom helps me position the elastic around my face so that the nose we made from a painted cardboard toilet paper tube covers my real one. She shakes her head. “Well, you do look awful cute.”

“I need one more thing.” I take off toward my room but pause in the hallway. “Thanks, Mom.”

She laughs and says, “Anytime.”

The little butterfly pin that I fished out for Ashley sits in my Amberina basket. I grab it and a piece of paper, and write, “Some things change and that’s okay.”

I hug Mom on my way out. The walk to Ashley’s house feels a little strange, and by the time I’m on her porch knocking at the door my heart is pounding. She answers dressed in the RockStarz costume.

“I wanted to tell you I’m sorry that I yelled at you and called you a coward.” I hand her the pin. As she reads the card, she bites her bottom lip and I think she might cry. But she doesn’t.

“I’m sorry too. But you were right, I should’ve found a way to talk to you about it.” She looks me up and down and laughs. “I really like your costume.”

“Thanks.” I nod and we just stand there for a bit looking at each other. “Okay, then.” I take a deep breath and say, “Bye, Ashley.”

“Bye, Mabel.” Ashley waves and I head toward the bus stop.

McKenna is the first person I see when I round Magnolia Drive. She’s wearing a poster board with a small 6 in one corner and a huge C in the middle. Under the C are the numbers 12.011. She runs toward me as soon as she sees me and holds her arms out “I’d hug you, but my costume won’t cooperate. I’m Carbon,” McKenna says. “The element. It’s the basis of all life. And, added bonus, no hair spray. What are you?” Jasper walks up behind her and gives me a quick hug. He’s dressed as Percy Jackson again.

“Guess,” I say, and hold up the magnifying glass.

McKenna shrugs but Jasper gives me a huge smile. “She’s herself—a cunning ham.”

“Bingo,” I say. He reaches out and straightens the cardboard snout Mom helped me make. As we take off together, I realize I might not have saved Grampa’s house, but I did find a few treasures of my own.