Forget Me Not (From the Files of Madison Finn, 21) (18 page)

Madison powered down her laptop and shoved everything back into her orange bag. She pulled out the yellow windbreaker that was shoved in a side pocket, too.

Bracing herself against the drizzle, Madison headed toward the Gillespie house. Maybe this would work out better. She’d be able to finish her homework with Aimee,
and
she’d see her beloved Phin. She and Aimee could walk their dogs together after dinner the way they had always used to do when they were younger.

It wasn’t raining very hard, so Madison looked up at the sky and stuck out her tongue, thirsty for a few droplets. She thought about what Gramma Helen would have said in a situation like this. She’d probably have said that this was one of those times where, “when life gives you lemons you need to make a big old pitcher of lemonade.”

And what was there
really
to be glum about anyway?

Madison made a new friend that day: Madhur.

She was on her way over to her best friend Aimee’s house.

And she was about to participate in a very special conference at her school.

Madison climbed up the steps to Aimee’s house and knocked three times.

Doug Gillespie answered the door with a grunt and swung it open so Madison could step inside. Aimee twirled out of the shadows, dancing, as she always did.

“I am so psyched! Mom told me you were coming!” Aimee cried, lunging forward to give Madison a hug. Then Phin scooted out from around a corner and jumped right onto Madison’s legs.

“Rowwooororooooo!”

Madison grinned.

“Lemonade,” she said quietly to herself. “Definitely lemonade.”

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Author Laura Dower has a lot in common with Madison Finn: They’re both only children and they both love dogs, the color orange, and books! Laura has written more than ninety kids’ books to date, including twenty-five in the series From the Files of Madison Finn. Her other books include the new Palace Puppies series and
For Girls Only
, a guide to girl stuff. When she’s not writing, Laura loves to garden, sing (loudly), and volunteer as a scout leader for her daughter and two sons. She and her family live in New York. Want to be keypals? Drop her a note at
www.lauradower.com.

All rights reserved, including without limitation the right to reproduce this ebook or any portion thereof in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Text copyright © 2005 by Laura Dower

Cover design by Connie Gabbert

978-1-4804-2322-0

This edition published in 2014 by Open Road Integrated Media, Inc.

345 Hudson Street

New York, NY 10014

www.openroadmedia.com