Girls Only! (6 page)

They sat down together and poured cold milk over their frosted cereal. Livvy chattered all the while about school and meeting Jenna Song . . . and skating. “It’s amazing what I found out today.”

“What’s that, honey?” Her dad was giving her his undivided attention for a change.

“Colorado Springs is only a short distance from here,” she explained. “Maybe I could find a new skating coach there.”

His face wrinkled into a frown. “What about transportation?”

“Maybe I could catch a ride with other skaters, or . . .” She wanted to say that maybe
he
could take her sometimes.

“Well, right now we don’t have the money for a skating coach,” he said. “Not here or in Colorado Springs.”

“But . . . we had enough money before Mom died. Didn’t we?”

Suddenly, he fell silent, and his eyes no longer made contact with hers.

She could’ve kicked herself. Right in the middle of a great conversation, she’d made a dumb mistake!

“I’m sorry, Dad. I didn’t mean to say anything about Mom. I didn’t—”

“Skating lessons are out of the question.” His words were ice, and she dreaded the sound of them.

Now was not the time to bring up Jenna’s supper invitation. Not ballet lessons, either. Livvy excused herself from the table and raced upstairs to shower and dress for school. She felt worse than ever. Actually, almost sick.

Her cockatiel tried to cheer her up, though. “Happy, happy Livvy,” Coco chanted.

“Hush, bird.” She slipped into her bathrobe.

His little white head cocked over to one side, his beady eyes blinking innocently. “Happy Livvy. Ha . . . ha . . . ha.”

She couldn’t stop the burst of air. It flew right past her lips. “I’m
not
even close to feeling happy, and you’re one nosy parrot. That’s no lie!”

“No lie . . . no lie.”

Glancing at the clock, Livvy knew she’d have to rush to get ready. “I’ll talk to
you
later.”

“Livvy later . . .
caw!
”

In the shower, she scrubbed her body and shampooed her hair. All the while, she fretted over her slip-up at breakfast.
How long before I can talk about Mom in front of Dad?
she fumed.

She dressed faster than ever because she didn’t want to be late for school. Not on the second day! Not on
any day, come to think of it. Mrs. Smith had warned her homeroom about tardiness. Talk about strict.

Livvy did not want to write a 500-word essay! No matter what.

Jenna was waiting for her at their locker. “Well, can you come for dinner Saturday night?”

“I didn’t ask my dad yet,” Livvy confessed. “He was in a horrible mood this morning.”

“Does he have to be in a good mood to decide about eating?”

She stared at Jenna, feeling uneasy. “Well, uh . . . it’s kinda complicated.” Livvy glanced around. “Can we talk at lunch?”

“Okay with me.” Jenna turned to go. “See ya later.”

Livvy pushed her skate bag back into the corner of the open locker. Then, standing up, she gazed down the crowded hallway. She felt terribly embarrassed and searched for Jenna, but her friend was nowhere in sight.

She stacked up her books in the lower section of the locker. And kept her math book and notebook out for first hour. “Thank goodness for homeroom,” she mumbled to herself. At least she’d have time to calm down before her first class.

“Talking to yourself?”

Livvy turned to see Suzy lugging several books and her three-ring binder. She looked almost too small to be a seventh grader. “Oh, hi again.”

Suzy squinted down the hall. “Hot Pink’s kinda upset, looks like.”

“How do you know?”

“I think she was praying . . . outside.”

Livvy wasn’t sure she’d heard right. “You sure?”

“Well, I saw her lips moving, and her eyes were definitely closed.” Suzy twirled her combination lock, then pushed down on it.

Livvy leaned against her locker. “What’s wrong with praying? It’s a free country, isn’t it?”

Suzy shrugged. “Just better watch out. She might try to get you on God’s side, too.”

Livvy wondered why Suzy was saying this. Jenna was one of the coolest girls around. And one of the best gymnasts on her team. Not to mention a really good friend.

“Lots of people pray,” Livvy defended her friend. “Including me.” She didn’t feel like saying more. The truth was, it had been a very long time since she’d felt like praying.

Suzy taped another gum wrapper to the inside of her locker door. “Just don’t expect Diane to go for any of that church stuff. From what Diane says, Jenna’s dad is a pastor here in town somewhere.”

“That’s true, but how does Diane know so much about Jenna?”

A sly smile crossed Suzy’s lips. “That girl knows everything about everyone. And don’t say I didn’t warn you.” With that, the bell rang. Suzy darted into the stream of students.

Livvy remembered the weird phone call. “Wait!” she called after Suzy. But it was too late. Suzy had been gulped up by the homeroom rush.

Livvy dragged her feet to Room 123. She wished she’d stayed home in Chicago . . . with Grandma!

Dreams on Ice

Chapter Eleven

Lunch hour turned out far different than Livvy expected. No time to talk personally with Jenna. Not even five minutes’ worth.

First off, Mrs. Newton came over and hung out at Livvy’s table. Suzy showed up quickly. So did Jenna, wearing an enormous grin. Especially after Livvy informed her friend that Mrs. Newton was head of cheerleading.

Diane Larson didn’t waste any time coming over, either. She squeezed in next to Suzy, her clear blue eyes merry with anticipation. “Who’s gonna judge cheerleading tryouts?” she asked.

Mrs. Newton grinned. “You’re lookin’ at her.”

Diane nodded. “Okay with me.” She tapped her perfectly manicured fingernails on the table top.

“How many spots are open for just the seventh grade?” Suzy asked, glancing at Diane.

“Counting pompon girls, six.” Mrs. Newton seemed excited. “We’re getting new outfits this year for
all
the grades. The Cloth Mill is giving the school a discount on some expensive fabric.”

Diane spoke up. “What’re the patterns like?”

Suzy laughed. “Don’t worry, the skirts are probably plenty cute, if that’s what you’re asking.”

Mrs. Newton was nodding her head. “Pleated skirts, as always. But the tops are totally different this year.”

Diane’s face gleamed. “Like how?”

Moving her fingers, Mrs. Newton pretended to zip her lips. “My secret is sealed.”

“Aw, please?” Diane begged.

Playfully, Jenna jabbed Livvy as they looked on.

“What’re the school colors?” Livvy asked.

“Same as the Denver Broncos. Orange and navy blue.” Mrs. Newton was obviously proud about that. “I’m a big fan of Alpine Lake Middle School,” she informed Livvy and Jenna. “Betcha can’t tell.”

Livvy laughed. “Oh, we can tell, all right.”

Mrs. Newton gave high fives to each girl before excusing herself.

“Isn’t she something?” Livvy said when the woman had gone.

Jenna agreed. “Sure makes being the two new kids on the block a whole lot easier.”

Diane’s cheerful face turned to a scowl. “Don’t go getting your hopes up about cheerleading.”

Livvy shot back. “You haven’t seen Jenna perform, have you? She’d make a fabulous cheerleader. She’s one of the
best
gymnasts ever.”

“I’ve heard,” Diane replied, her eyes flashing with disdain. “Just don’t hold your breath. Either of you!”

Livvy nudged Jenna’s sleeve, trying to get her to leave the table.

“Don’t bother to leave,” Diane sneered. “We’re outta here.”

But Suzy wasn’t going anywhere. “Speak for yourself, Larson,” she hissed back. “I’m hanging with the new kids.”

Definitely flustered, Diane batted her eyes. She shook her head and left in a huff.

Livvy and Jenna sat in the very back of the bus after school. In order to claim the coveted seats, they’d dashed out to the bus stop before any upperclassmen ever arrived.

“This is so cool,” Jenna said, folding her arms and leaning back.

“We should do this more often,” Livvy agreed as the bus pulled away from the curb. She looked ahead to Diane and several other girls in less-desirable seats halfway up, closer to the front.

She whispered to her friend about a couple of cute boys. “It’s super being able to talk without Diane nosing around.”

“Maybe, but I think she’s having a rough time,” Jenna said softly.

“Huh?”

“Diane needs us more than you think.” Jenna’s eyes were shining.

Livvy had no idea what she meant. “Are you for real?”

“Just watch her. She’s wobbly.”

Livvy observed Diane sitting with Suzy Buchanan. “Like unsure of herself?”

Jenna whispered, “No, just plain wobbly.”

Livvy sighed. “You say the weirdest things.”

“I do?” Jenna was laughing now. “Well, maybe there’s a good reason.”

“Like what?” Livvy was eager to know. Any info about Diane Larson would be helpful.

But Jenna only grinned.

“I’m waiting,” said Livvy. And for the first time since she’d met Jenna face-to-face, her former pen pal seemed very mysterious.

“Waiting for what?”

“For you to tell me why you think Diane is more needy than nasty?”

“Sure, I’ll tell you . . .
sometime
” came the secretive reply.

“Like when?”

“When you tell me why you moved out here.”

So they both had a secret. Except Livvy was still trying to answer the “moving” question herself.

Grandma Hudson called right after supper and kept Dad on the phone for the longest time.

“Something wrong?” she asked as he hung up.

He was staring at her. “I guess it’s time to call a family meeting.”

“What’s up with Grandma?”

He motioned her into the living room. “You may not be too thrilled about this.” He sat at the end of the sofa. “I don’t know how I feel about it, either.”

Dad stopped talking for a moment.

“Is Grandma sick?” Livvy was still standing in the middle of the room.

“Better sit down, kiddo.” He plumped the pillow next to him. “Your grandmother’s worried about us.”

“Well, somebody oughta be,” Livvy mumbled.

Her father turned and looked at her, frowning. “Where on earth did
that
come from?”

She forced a puff of air past her lips. Now she’d have to explain herself for sure.

“I think it’s time we level with each other.” He began rolling his shirt sleeves up to the elbows. Like he was getting ready to tackle a major repair job.

She crossed her arms. “Are you actually going to hear me out?”

“Livvy . . . honey.”

Her words sounded disrespectful, and she felt ashamed. “Can we
really
talk to each other, Daddy?” Her words came more softly.

Dad nodded, offering a winning smile. “Why don’t you go first?”

So she did. She leaped right at the question and asked him why they’d come here. “I need to know,” she said, her heart in her throat. “It was such a hard thing for me—leaving our real home behind.”

His eyes shone suddenly with more than expectation. When she saw the tears, Livvy wished she’d never brought up the question.

“Back home, it seemed that your mother was everywhere I looked,” he began. “I couldn’t think, sketch, or create without seeing her face.”

A familiar ache stabbed her throat. She thought she might cry right there in front of him.

“You and I both needed a new place in the world, away from all the memories. We had to start over, Livvy.”

“Maybe you needed to, but I needed to stay. I
wanted
to stay. Mom’s buried back home. I can’t ever go and sit beside her grave and talk . . . not in this town.”

“But you do talk to her. . . .”

His words were unexpected. “How . . . how did you know?”

He put his arm around her and drew her close. “I’ve overheard some of your conversations, kiddo. Mostly in the early morning, when you think I’m out cold and don’t hear you getting ready to head for the rink.”

Sighing, she snuggled against her father. “I can’t seem to let her go. I just can’t. . . .”

“I’m not asking you to.”

She could hear his heart beating against her ear.

“It’s going to take a long time to get used to things the way they are,” he said.

She wanted to say something about that but didn’t think now was a good time to talk about skating. Or ballet.

They were silent long enough for Livvy to remember the reason why they were having this talk in the first place. “What about Grandma Hudson?” she asked, sitting up. “Let’s talk about her.”

He leaned his elbows on his knees. “She wants to come for a visit.”

“That’s okay with me.”

“Grandma wants to come here and try Alpine Lake on for size . . . maybe move in with us.”

Livvy cringed. “You’re kidding. Why?”

Dad turned and looked at her, his eyes searching hers. “She thinks you need a mother replacement.”

Leaning back, Livvy covered her face with her hands. “She’s my
grandmother!
No one can ever take Mom’s place. She oughta know that!”

“Your grandmother means well.”

“It’ll never work, you’ll see,” she complained.

“I think we should give it a chance.”

Livvy did
not
agree. But she wasn’t going to let anything come between her and Dad. Not now, after their first heart-to-heart talk ever!

Dreams on Ice

Chapter Twelve

After skating the next morning, Livvy came home to find her Dad up and dressed. “We’ve been invited for supper,” she said as casually as possible. Hoping . . . hoping.

“Where to?” He was stirring up some eggs and milk at the counter. Making a mess.

“Jenna Song’s mom invited us to their house Saturday night. Wanna go?”

He shrugged a little. “If you’d like to . . . sure.”

“You mean it?” She hugged him, then cleaned up the spills around the mixing bowl. “This is incredible!”

“Having dinner with your friends might help us fit in better around here.”

She felt light enough to float. “I’ll tell Jenna first thing.” Scurrying off to clean up and put on fresh clothes,
Livvy could hardly wait to see her friend’s expression. “This is so-o super!” she squealed to herself, taking the steps two at a time.