Chapter List

Marigold Lane was always beautifully decorated this time of year, and Jessica loved every second of it. The annual Flower Festival was the major event of late summer, and the people on the west shore of the lake were fortunate because they were so close to the exhibits in Collins Park.

Fairweather Street connected Marigold Lane, the plaza and the fountain at the center of the park, and it was home to the festival parade and most of the businesses on West Shore. Every few feet starting at the art gallery on the corner and all the way around the plaza walk and down Fairweather Street to the park, white wooden arches stood over the street decorated with roses, lilies, orchids, ivy, wildflowers, daisies and sunflowers. In the morning sunlight, they looked just as beautiful to Jessica as the day they were put up. Especially the sunflowers because they were her favorite.

Even though she was in a hurry, Jessica couldn’t help lingering under the leafy flowers along the shady sidewalk. Most of the shops hadn’t opened yet, and other than the sounds of dozens of birds it was peaceful and quiet. A few of the shop employees were out in front of their stores sweeping and arranging furniture, signs or exhibits and getting ready for the day.

She stopped for a moment to look at the colorful display in the window at Ducky’s Spice Shop.

There’s a thousand little bottles on that display, Jessica thought. The spices were arranged on an enormous lazy Susan with eight shelves that slowly spun around and around. The scent of cinnamon cake caught Jessica’s attention and she ran next door to Waffo. Sure enough, the first tray of today’s baking was done. She stared in the big front window at the blueberry muffins, chocolate brownies, double waffles and stack after stack of cookies: snaps, tassies, shortbread, fig bars, sandies and of course, Waffo’s famous triple-chips. Jessica was sure she had eaten at least a hundred batches of triples since her mother brought them home for the first time. She made a note to stop by after band.

She looked both ways and trotted quickly across the street and hurried past the tackle shop, then stopped and ran back.

“Ooh!” Jessica almost shouted, planting her arms and nose against the glass. There in the window was the new oversize steel fishing net!

“I gotta tell Dad!” Jessica had spied the new line of nets in a sporting goods catalog almost six months earlier and she and her dad both agreed they could really use one to replace the smaller net Tadashi had been using for years. She looked up but the store wouldn’t be open until an hour after band practice started, and reaching into her pockets only made her realize she left her phone at home. Jessica spun around twice trying to think of what to do, then stopped.

Okay she thought. I’ll tell Dad about the super cool new nets tonight but I gotta remember to remember.

Then she dashed towards the music store.

Continue to Chapter Six

Chapter List

Jessica looked quickly towards the huge tree. Standing next to it was a girl about her age!

“Tawny-chan!”

To anyone who didn’t know them, they would have looked like sisters. Tawny Naralee had blond hair and blue eyes just like Jessica. The only noticeable difference between the “twins,” as Tawny’s mother referred to them, was Tawny’s glasses.

Jessica dashed up the hill and Tawny ran to meet her. The two girls hugged joyously and laughed as if they hadn’t seen each other in ages, even though they had spent most of the summer together. The day after junior high graduation, they agreed to take the same water and boating safety course together on Van Horn Island with nearly 100 other kids. Jessica knew it would be a cinch. She and Tawny had both spent almost every waking moment on or in the water since grade school. Naturally, both girls graduated from the course with certificates and memberships in the Tree Shores Junior Lifeguards.

The rest of summer vacation they spent fishing, swimming, shopping and having long talks all about what they were going to accomplish in high school. Tawny couldn’t wait to get her first elective so she could take a theater class. Jessica had joined the marching band the moment she was able.

“Get all the classes you wanted?” Jessica asked. “You said your mom would have the schedule today.” Tawny nodded with a cheerful smile.

“I got everything except they made me take history.” Tawny made a face. “I hate memorizing dates and names and people who wear wigs.” She stopped and took a small bag out of her jeans pocket. Jessica smiled.

“Didja make one? You promised.” Tawny said. Jessica reached in to her jacket pocket and pulled out a small flat gold box.

“You first,” Jessica said. Tawny opened the little bag and took out a colorful bracelet made of tightly wound fabric. “Ooh,” Jessica exhaled. “It’s so pretty! I knew you would use the rainbow thread. You talked about it all the way home from Checker’s that one day. Looky! Mine is all different shades of yellow and gold with just a little bit of green.” Jessica took her bracelet out of the box and Tawny gasped.

“It looks like it’s made of silk!” Tawny exclaimed. Jessica nodded.

“My mom helped me pick out the best fabric at Checkers,” Jessica replied. “It’s my new school colors and I wanted yours to be prettiest.” Jessica and Tawny exchanged the friendship bracelets and each girl carefully put her bracelet on her wrist. Tawny sniffled.

“I’m going to miss you so much, Jessie,” Tawny said as she looked up. She blinked through her tears a few times, then put her hand up to her face.

“You said you weren’t going to cry,” Jessica blinked away her first tears.

“You’re my best friend in the whole world and I don’t know anyone at Rockfield.”

“It’s so stupid we have to go to different schools,” Jessica said as she took Tawny’s hands to encourage her. “But you’ll make lots of friends and we can see each other every day after, except when I have band.”

“I want to come see you play,” Tawny said, sniffling again.

“And I wanna see you act in a play,” Jessica said, smiling. Both girls giggled like they always did.

“Friends forever, Jessie.”

Jessica nodded and her eyes sparkled. “Friends forever.”

The girls hugged again. It was the first day of high school for both of them. Tawny had her first theater club meeting and Jessica had summer marching band rehearsals. Classes were due to start in two weeks.

Both girls stopped after walking in opposite directions only a few yards. Tawny waved and Jessica waved back. She watched Tawny turn and run back towards their neighborhood. Rockfield High School was on the east side of the lake past the stadium, so Tawny’s mom would have to drive her there.

Jessica looked down at the colorful bracelet on her wrist. She was happy she would have it with her to remind her of how much she loved to spend time with her best friend. She would never ever forget this summer.

She continued up the winding sidewalk towards Fairweather Street. She had to get to Wolf’s Music. Her saxophone was all fixed and she couldn’t wait to try out the new neckstrap her mother had embroidered for her!

Then it was on to Tree Shores High School, her new adventure.

Continue to Chapter Five