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Emma
Emma did not want to go “camping” at Mary Sue Puddy’s house, and she was furious that her mother was making her. She’d done just fine ignoring Isabelle all week. She didn’t need a forced friendship with Mary Sue to help her avoid Isabelle, and she told her mother as much.
Her mother wouldn’t listen.
Instead, her mother drove her deep into the woods and then down a long, bumpy gravel driveway.
“Mom, I might die out here.”
Her mother laughed. “I doubt it.”
“No really. A black bear is going to get me. Or maybe a sasquatch.”
She laughed again, sounding annoyingly joyful. “I think the mosquitoes might be a bigger threat.”
“That’s not funny.”
“Did you bring your bug dope?”
“No.”
“Then you’re right. It’s not funny.” She stopped in front of a giant ugly farmhouse.
Emma decided to try one more time. “Mom, please don’t make me do this! Please, please, please!”
Her mother leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “I won’t make you do it again. I think you might have fun. If you don’t, then I’ll apologize later.”
Emma mustered her strongest glare, hoping her wrath would persuade her mother to reason.
It didn’t.
Mary Sue came running out of the house trailed by her siblings, multiple dogs, and a chicken.
Emma groaned, put on a fake smile, and climbed out of the car. “Hey, Mary Sue.”
“Thanks for coming!” Mary Sue grabbed her hand and started pulling her. “Come on, I want you to meet the goats!”
Emma heard her mother get out of the car and greet Mary Sue’s mother, and her heart ached to be back with her mother, but she was being pulled toward a goat barn.
Mary Sue ripped the old wooden door open so hard that Emma was surprised it didn’t fall off. Mary Sue pulled her inside and pointed.
Oh, wow. They were pretty cute. “They’re so small!”
“Yep! They’re Nigerian Dwarf Goats! They’re from West Africa! Well, these goats aren’t from West Africa. They’re from Damariscotta, but the breed is from West Africa. Originally. They’re wicked soft! Go ahead and pet them!” She reached over the wooden rail and ran her hand down one of the goat’s backs. “This is Rubis!”
Tentatively, Emma reached over the rail and touched the goat, who nuzzled her head into her hand like a dog. Emma gasped. “She is soft!” Then she felt stupid. “She is a girl, right?”
“Of course she’s a girl!”
“Oh. Well, Rubis sounds kind of like a boy name.”
“Nope. Rubis is ruby in French.”
“Oh. Do you speak French?”
“We’re learning! Est-ce que tu parles français?”
“Uh ... what?”
Mary Sue giggled and pointed. “That one there is Batwoman, and that one is Sweet Pepper, and that one is Ruth, and that there is Bigfoot.”
Ah, so there was a Bigfoot on the premises. Emma looked at her. “You sure do get excited about your goats.”
Mary Sue tittered. “I love them! They’re my pets! And they feed me!”
Emma reeled back. “You eat them?”
Mary Sue laughed and elbowed her in the ribs. “No, silly. They are dairy goats. They feed me milk and cheese. You want some?”
Emma looked at the goats nervously. “Want some what?”
“Fresh milk!”
Despite her reservations, Emma was enjoying Mary Sue’s unbridled joy. She didn’t know anyone who enjoyed life this much. “Um, no thank you.”
Mary Sue looked disappointed. “You sure?”
She wasn’t sure about anything. “I’m sure.”
One of Mary Sue’s brothers had climbed over the railing.
“Victor! Get out of there!”
Victor ignored her.
Mary Sue rolled her eyes.
Emma heard the crunching gravel that meant her mother was pulling away, but only a slight panic fluttered through her. She felt much better about the evening ahead. “Do you have the tent set up yet?”
Mary Sue’s face lit up. “Yes! Want to see it?”
Emma laughed. “Sure!”
Mary Sue grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the barn. Victor scrambled back over the rail to follow them.
“Are all your brothers and sisters camping with us too?”
Mary Sue leaned into her. “Oh, no way! Don’t worry!”
“No, that’s not what I meant. It would be okay if they did. I like little kids. I was just wondering.”
“I like little kids too,” Mary Sue said quickly. “But no, they’re not camping with us. There wouldn’t be room.”
A tent came into view, and it was huge. Emma thought that there would be plenty of room, but she didn’t say anything.
“Shoes off!” Mary Sue ordered when they reached the tent. She bent to unzip the flap, and Emma slipped her flip-flops off.
Mary Sue dove into the tent, and Emma followed with a little less confidence.
“Wow! This is cool!” It reminded her of the forts she and her mother used to build in their living room.
Mary Sue scrunched up her face. “Haven’t you ever been camping before?”
Emma shook her head. “No, I haven’t. Don’t even really know how to camp.” Normally, she would feel stupid admitting something like this, but she was feeling very safe with Mary Sue.
Mary Sue grinned. “No worries! I’ll teach you everything you need to know.”
They heard crunching gravel again, and Mary Sue climbed back out of the tent.
With some reluctance, Emma followed her, and what she saw next brought tears to her eyes. A giant, shiny SUV had just pulled into the Puddys’ driveway.
“Is that ...?”
“Yes,” Mary Sue said sadly. She looked at Emma. “I’m sorry. My mother made me.”
Isabelle had arrived, and Emma didn’t feel so safe anymore.
