Willow House Chapter 28

For chapter one click here

The Horses Aren’t Busy Tonight, So . . .

     

    

      “Oh my gosh, Ella! That was the most amazing day ever!”

     “Yeah,” is all I manage to say. I’m still kind of in shock and haven’t been talking much.

     Daleni and I are curled up on our sleeping bags under my open bedroom window. The curtains are pushed all the way back so that we can watch the stars as we listen to the crickets. And yes, if you’re wondering, the air conditioning is on, but my door is shut, and I’ve placed a rolled up bath towel across the bottom to keep my mom’s money from flying out into the warm, night air.

     “I wish you had told me everything from the beginning,” she says. “I’m still a little mad.”

     “I’m so sorry, Daleni! There were so many weird things happening. I didn’t even know how to explain it all.”

     “I get it, but let’s pinky swear to always tell each other the truth.”

     She holds out her pinky, and I curl mine around hers. “I swear,” I say.

     I lay back on my pillow, glad that the whole mess is behind me.

     “Que pases buenas noches, Ella.”

     “Good night to you too, Daleni.”

     I roll away from her onto my side. I start thinking back on the day, all the crazy things that happened, and how happy I am with the way it all turned out. I’m feeling like the luckiest girl in the world. There are still a few mysteries to be solved, but they can wait. I still have most of the summer ahead of me.

     “What is that noise?” Daleni asks. She’s up and on her knees, peering out the window. I pull myself up beside her in a flash. 

     “Is that what I think it is?” she whispers.

     “Dios mío!” I say.

      A black, Cinderella carriage is coming down my street.

     “Come on!” I shout.

     I take her hand, kick the bath towel out of the way, and together we practically fly down the stairs. We pause before opening the front door. We need to take a moment. She nods her head. I nod my head. I open the door.

     The carriage has pulled to the curb, directly in front of my house. This time the fairytale feeling doesn’t bother me. Four of the tallest, blackest horses I’ve ever seen are standing in front of it. They have long flowing manes and long flowing tails. They stamp their feet and toss their heads, ready to get on with it.

     “Come along, girls!” Mrs. H. shouts from the driver’s seat.

     “Go on, Sweetheart,” my mom says from behind us. “Mrs. Hallovich wanted this to be a surprise.”

     I run to my mom and throw my arms around her. Dad is standing at the foot of the stairs with Tommy in his arms. Tommy reaches for me.

     “Can Tommy come too?” I ask.

     “That’s the plan,” Mom says.

     Mom and Dad watch from the front porch as the three of us scurry down the walkway to our ride. 

      Mrs. H. hops down from the driver’s seat and opens the carriage door. “Up you go, ladies,” she says. Then, “not so fast, Mister!” she adds. I think for a moment that she doesn’t want Tommy to go. It’ll break his little heart. It’ll break my little heart. “You’re riding up front with me. I need help controlling these horses.”

     “Vroom-vroom,” Tommy says.

     She and Tommy climb up into the driver’s seat and Mrs. H. turns to peek at us through the front window. “Comfy?” She asks.

     “This is great!” I say.

     Mrs. H. chuckles. We hear Tommy making more vroom-vroom noises as we take off. Daleni and I sit next to each other in the seat that faces forward like a couple of princesses in pajamas. The horses are trotting down the road like they own the place. Daleni leans away from me and puts her head out of her side window. I do the same on the other side. The night air blows in my face. A million stars are out. This is the life.

     Before I know it, we’re coming to a stop. I know exactly where we are.

     “I’ll go to the door,” I say to Mrs. H.

     “No need. Here she comes.”

     Mandy is walking down her front porch steps wearing her pajamas too. “Have fun, Sweetheart!” her mom is calling to her. 

     “Did you plan this with her mom too?” I ask Mrs.H. 

     “We had a little chat, yes.”

     “Hey, Mandy!” Daleni says.

     “Hey, Daleni! Hey, Ella!” Mandy plops down in the seat across from us. She’s excited too. “I can’t believe this. This is amazing!” 

     Mandy sticks her head out of her window like us and then we’re traveling down the road, harnesses jangling, hooves clip-clopping, having no idea where we’re going, but happy to be on our way.

     After a couple more minutes we’re slowing down and pulling over in front of another house. The front porch light is on. Melanie and her dad are on the porch swing expecting us. In less than a minute she’s climbing up in back and she gives me a high five and sits across from me. If I’m being honest (and I always try to be honest), things are looking better for Melanie and me.

     “Hi, guys!” she says.

     “Hi, Melanie!” we all say back. 

    The carriage starts to move. 

     “Let’s put our heads back out of the windows!” Mandy says. 

     So we do. Four windows, four heads hanging out, one Mrs. Hallovich, one Tommy, four black stallions, and a billion stars.

     We ride through the night. We pass Roy’s, where we’ve all bought candy.  Even Mrs. Hallovich, who bought her candy there about 100 years ago.

     Much later, Mrs. Hallovich returns the M&Ms to their homes. Daleni and I are back in my room and she’s already asleep beside me. I still can’t believe Mrs. H. is really Grandma Hallovich. I don’t know what we’re going to come up with to tell my parents. There’s no way they’ll believe everything that’s happened. Adults can be funny about things like that. Don’t you think?

     I’m so wired up, I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep until Tuesday. I reach under my bed to pull out my diary. I grab a pen and I’m just about to start writing about everything that’s happened when I change my mind. I put the diary back. I pull out the midnight blue journal, with silver stars, that belonged to my great-great-great grandpa William. A good story is hard to keep in when it just wants to get out and live. I start writing: 

     I’m way too old for a babysitter . . .

The End

I hope you've enjoyed the book. Thanks for reading!

Willow House Chapter 27

To start at chapter one click here

 A Few Answers to a Few Questions

     

      Mom picks Tommy up at 4:00, when he’s done napping. Mrs. Hallovich ushers the rest of us outside, where she gives my friends a grand tour of the yard, the carriage house, and the greenhouse. We don’t go down to the pond. 

     After the tour, we set up the croquet game. Melanie loves it.

     “Not too bad for a game made for 80-year-old grandmas, is it?,” I ask, as I step on my yellow ball placed right next to hers, and send her green one flying into the next county.

     She rolls her eyes at me. 

     Then, she goes to chase after her ball.

     Just before 6:00, we stop to help Mrs. Hallovich put things away. Mandy’s dad arrives shortly after that to pick up her and Melanie.

     As Daleni, Mrs. H., and I are waving goodbye, Mrs. H. heaves a big sigh and says, “I bet you girls have a lot of questions.”

     That’s the understatement of the century.

     The three of us move to the iron table under the giant willow tree.

     Mrs. Hallovich starts. “I never, in a million years, thought that my daughter presented any kind of danger to you or your brother, Ella. I didn’t realize that she had become so . . . so present. I’m very sorry.” She pats my hand.

     “Then, that really was your daughter Gertrude?”

     Mrs. H. nods. 

     “So, she didn’t die like you said?”

     “Yes, Ella. She died when she was seventeen.”

     “Then . . . she’s a ghost?”

     "Something like that.”

     Daleni speaks up. “Is that why she wouldn’t let Ella or Tommy touch her?”

     “Yes.” Mrs. H. nods. “She has a physical presence, but it’s not quite the same as ours. You would have recognized something was different.”

     “Why did she take Tommy?” I ask.

     “I think she was terribly tired of being alone.”

     “But she has you! She’s not alone.”

     “It’s not quite the same, Dear. Trudy is on a different plane than us. Do you know what I mean by that?”

      Daleni and I both nod because we’ve spent a lot of time watching the sci-fi channel. It means she’s not all the way part of this world.

     “How did she get there?” I ask.

     “That’s the million dollar question!” she says. “All of those willows that Sam planted around the pond, were enchanted. I don’t know much about how it all works, but the magic they carried was the same magic that has kept Sam looking so young when everyone else aged. They created a kind of fountain of youth. Sam had planted them to give that gift to my father and his family.”

     I hate to ask my next question because I hear it’s not polite to ask a lady about her age. I’m pretty sure that this situation is different though. “Are you really 130 years old?”

     Mrs. H. nods. “131 actually. But, I stopped swimming in that terrible pond years ago.

     “Did your parents stay young?” I asked.

     “Well, the magic doesn’t reverse your age, only preserves you where you are. So, no, they didn’t stay young. Besides that, my parents simply didn’t swim. You see, you have to spend time in the water. I never understood why, but Sam had a strict rule that the children were not allowed to swim in the pond. I thought maybe it was because the pond was too deep, or too cold. I didn’t truly know about the enchantment until Gertrude got sick.” She paused.

     “What happened?”

     “Sam thought the willows would save her when the doctors were failing. He checked her out of the sanitarium and brought her home. He carried her out into the water of the pond. She died in his arms.”

     “So, the magic couldn’t save her?”

     “No, Dear. But, it did something. It made her unable to pass over to where we all need to go when when we die.”

     “Couldn’t Sam do something?”

     “He didn’t want to do anything. He wanted to keep Gertrude close to us.”

     “It was Sam who rescued Tommy, wasn’t it?”

     “Yes,” Mrs. Hallovich said. “That was Sam.”

      I think about that for a moment. “What now?” I finally ask.

     “I’m not sure. Sam and I have some things to discuss.”

     I have a few more questions and then I need to go home and sleep for a couple of days because I’m pretty sure my brain is starting to smoke. “Is it Sam who’s been cleaning up the place?”

     Mrs. Hallovich laughed. “That’s partly correct. You see, Sam was so delighted when you and your brother arrived that, yes, he put his green thumb to work and began doing things to bring the lawn and gardens back to their former glory.”

     “What’s the other part?” I ask.

     “The house itself. Sam only helped. He couldn’t have done it all alone. I believe that the whole house is enchanted, and in some way has been very happy to have you home.”

     Daleni and I look at each other. Wow.

     Mrs. H. continues. “Your presence here may also be what pulled Trudy further onto this plane.” She looks down at her lap. “I hope that wherever she is now, she’s happy, and that I will be with her again someday.”

     I take a deep breath. Here comes, for me, the real million dollar question. “Mrs. Hallovich?” I have trouble getting the words out. “I guess you’re my . . . “ I look to Daleni for help and she gives me a little nod. She knows what I’m afraid to ask out loud, but Mrs. H. saves me. 

     “Yes, my dear. I am your great-great grandmother.”

     Tears fill all six of our eyes. Then, the three of us jump when we hear a car horn blast from the curb. My mom is here to pick Daleni and me up. Daleni is spending the night at my house tonight.

     “What do I tell my parents? Do they know about all of this?” I ask as we head around to the front of the house.

     Mrs. Hallovich stops me and places her hands on my shoulders. “They don’t know anything yet. We’ll have to put our heads together and come up with as much of the truth as we can without scaring them. For now, just tell them about the tea party.”

Willow House Chapter 26

To begin at chapter one click here

 The Tea Party

    

      Daleni and I are sitting in the parlor waiting for the M&Ms, who should be here any minute. Tommy is napping in the study, across the entry, where I can see him. Mrs. H. went upstairs to change out of her wet clothes and “put herself back together”. She didn’t say much when we were walking back to the house. I let her carry Tommy because she looked like she needed that. She also kind of looked like my mom does when she has a migraine coming on.

     Daleni and I aren’t saying much either. I can’t believe the things that have happened since this morning, when my biggest issue was deciding which shoes to wear with my sophisticated, green and white dress. At least I’ve gotten a little used to the crazy events at Willow House. Daleni is probably freaking out. I look over at her. She looks at me. She looks okay. She doesn’t look like she just saw a ghost, which is actually what probably just happened.

     She’s the first one to speak, “Ella, are you okay?”

     “Yeah. Are you?”

     “Yeah.”

     The jangle of an old-fashioned telephone, interrupts us. It’s that brass doorbell. Daleni and I both stand to answer it. Mrs. H. calls down from upstairs, “I’ll be down in a minute, girls. You can escort your friends to the dining room.”

     I open the front door and I’m happy to see that Mandy and Melanie have also put effort into their fashion choices of the day. Mandy has on a bright yellow sun dress and Melanie’s is bright orange. They look like very pretty M&Ms. The four of us spend a few seconds complimenting each other on our dresses, but then the beautiful entryway snags their attention. I step out of the way so that they can have a better look.

     “This is amazing,” Mandy whispers like she’s in church.

     Melanie is nodding her head. “This is really beautiful, Ella.”

     “Thanks,” I say. I’m thinking thoughts I’m not quite ready to say out loud. They have to do with a new feeling that I belong here. This house belongs to my family. Great-Grandpa Frank is Mrs. Hallovich’s son - Henry.

     The girls follow Daleni and me into the dining room. Their eyes grow big and they gasp, and I know I won’t have any trouble convincing them to have the tea party inside. I’m about to offer them a seat when Mrs. H. enters. She’s dry and looks fresh as a daisy.

     “Welcome to Willow House, girls!”

     I make all of the appropriate introductions. Mrs. H. is putting on a brave face like nothing happened, and I can see that the M&Ms are comfortable. In fact, they seem excited to be here. Mrs. H. tells us all to have a seat while she gets a few more things from the kitchen. 

     We’re barely settled in our chairs when she returns with a china, tea service: a fancy teapot, sugar bowl, and cream pitcher, all with a beautiful weeping willow design. They match the five cups and saucers that are already sitting at our places. 

     I’m a little worried because I’ve never really liked tea. I’m going to drink it though, because that’s the polite thing to do. Mrs. H. goes around the table filling each of our cups then sits at the head of the table.

     “Go ahead, girls. It’s not too hot.”

     We all pick up our cups. I notice we all extend our pinky. It must be an instinct from prehistoric times. We take a small sip. It’s delicious! 

     Our faces all light up. I think maybe the other girls were afraid they weren’t going to like it either.

     Mrs. H. is nodding. “It’s my mother’s recipe. It’s made with oranges and lemons straight out of the greenhouse. This was the only tea I could stand the taste of when I was young.”

     After that, it’s a real party: a well controlled and polite free-for-all with our pinkies extended. I’m not sure you’re supposed to stuff yourself at a tea party, but there’s no way to stop eating all the yummy things she made for us. There are finger sandwiches, and fancy breads, and fruits, and vegetables, and dips, and pastries, and of course, potato chips. Most of the platters, as well as our plates, are empty when she says, “I have one last thing for you girls.”

     When she leaves the room we all groan and complain and laugh. How can we squeeze in one more bite?

     Mrs. H. returns in a couple of minutes with a pile of pink boxes. Each one of us receives two; a smaller box on top of a bigger one, tied together with a pale yellow ribbon. 

     “Go ahead and open them,” she says.

     Inside the top box is a beautiful, little jar of the strawberry jam she had been working on when Daleni and I arrived. Inside the bottom box. . . a fancy cake that looks like a beautiful girl in a ball gown. The doll part is stuck down into the vanilla cake part and each of the dolls has on a different colored dress with ruffles of icing and candy pearls.

     “I thought you girls might be too full to eat them, so I made them to take home.”

     “Eat them?!” I say. “How can we eat these?”

     “They are so beautiful, Mrs. Hallovich!” says Melanie.

     “Thank you!” says Mandy

     “I can’t wait to show my mom!” says Daleni.

     “Enjoy them!” Mrs. Hallovich says. “But please do eat them! I don’t want to hear about my cakes growing any green, fuzzy stuff.” She laughs.

Not Mrs. Hallovich's pattern, but a teacup nonetheless.

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Willow House Chapter 25

To begin at chapter one click here

Like Dominoes

     

     We run as fast as we can back down to the kitchen. Mrs. H. is about to carry a silver tray to the dining room. She turns so quickly that dainty, rose-shaped, butter cookies nearly slide to the floor.

     “Whatever is the matter, girls?” 

     “Trudy has Tommy!” I yell.

     Mrs. Hallovich’s laser green eyes pop out. (Not clear out, but you know what I mean). “How do you know Trudy?” she asks, and then “What do you mean she has Tommy?” She takes a calming breath and kneels in front of me. “Ella, please tell me what is going on.”

     “Trudy has been babysitting us this week. She met us at the door when we got here. She took Tommy around back to play.” I’m speaking as calmly as I can. I know panicking won’t get us anywhere and so does Mrs. Hallovich.

     She stands. “Follow me, girls!”

     We speed out through the back door and around the fountain. This may seem like a weird time to mention this, but I notice how beautiful the fountain is. The swan is spewing water high up into the air from its beak, and the sunlight is making it all sparkle like magic. I’m telling you because it reminds me of the fairytale scene in front of the greenhouse. Right before things got really bad.  

     Sure enough, a cold wind begins to blow as we scramble into the clearing. A cloud passes over the sun. Mrs. H. hustles us toward the pond. As we reach the line of willows, they begin their terrifying dance. I grip Daleni’s hand. Mrs. H.  tries to hold back the thrashing branches and keep the worst of it from striking us. 

     “Cover your faces, girls!” she cries.

     It’s like the trees themselves are trying to keep us away from the pond. All we can do is squint down at our feet and power on.

     When we emerge on the other side it isn’t like the last time. Things don’t calm down. We have to scramble closer to the churning water to get out of reach of the willow branches that are trying to grab us and pull us back.

     “There they are!” Mrs. H. shouts.

     Out on the choppy water is a small rowboat carrying two people: a girl with long dark hair and my baby brother.

     “Tommy!” I scream. 

     I feel Daleni’s hand still clutching mine. I shake it off and tear at my sandals. I’ve got to go get my brother! I don’t know how to swim, but that’s not an issue. I can do it.

     “Stop! Ella, stop!” Daleni yells. 

     I look over my shoulder to her. She’s pointing out into the pond. How the heck did Mrs. H. get out there so fast? I see a head, arms frantically splashing through the water, nearly to the boat! Then, I see a second person. (Mrs Hallovich?!) not quite half-way out, swimming like she’s being chased by a shark. There are two people in the water! Who the heck is the other person? The first person reaches the little rowboat. It’s a man. He pulls himself up out of the water and climbs into the boat. From here, it looks like my dad, but how is that possible? The man takes control of the oars and rows toward Mrs. Hallovich. The water calms.

     I can’t believe this is happening. It looks like Tommy is going to be okay, and I’m so relieved that I plop down on the sandy shoreline and pull my knees up to my chin. Daleni sits beside me. I can feel her hand on my shoulder. All we can do is watch the drama on the pond play out. I won’t feel all the way better until I have Tommy in my arms.

     Within seconds, the man helps Mrs. H. aboard the little rowboat that’s barely big enough to hold all four of them. She pulls Tommy onto her lap and gathers Trudy to her as well. The man turns the four of them back toward Daleni and me, and we stand to wait by the water’s edge.

     When the boat reaches the shore, Mrs. Hallovich helps Tommy out and sets him on the sand. He runs into my arms. I never want to let go. I get a better look at the man. It’s not my dad. He looks a little like him though, only younger.

     “Thank you.” I say to him. How can those words ever mean enough?

     He gives me a small salute. His eyes are the color of honey. I salute him back.

     “I’ll be with you girls in a minute.” Mrs. H. says.

     We step away. She wants a bit of privacy.

     She stands close to the boat, talking to Trudy and the man. There seems to be a bit of an argument going on. Eventually, Trudy climbs out of the boat and steps toward her mother. Since Trudy doesn’t let anyone touch her, I’m surprised when she takes one more step into Mrs. Hallovich’s arms. They stand there holding each other for a minute until the man calls Trudy back.

     Trudy and Mrs. Hallovich watch each other as the boat sails away from shore. Mrs. Hallovich turns and walks up the beach toward us.

     “I’m so sorry, Ella.”

     I nod, but I’m sorry for her too. She’s been crying. Her nose is red and swollen like mine when I cry. My mind is spinning with questions, but I know that this isn’t the time.

     We watch the boat as it slips away across the pond. You’re going to have trouble believing this next part, but I’m not lying. Trudy and the man have just reached the other side when it starts. The whole earth starts trembling. The wind kicks up so much that Mrs. H. puts her arms around all of us to keep us from being blown away. The water churns, and the willows around the pond start crashing down like dominoes. Then, they’re sucked down into the water, like a giant hand is pulling them in by their roots. It’s over as fast as it started. The trees are gone. The boat is gone. Even Trudy has disappeared. 

     The man, who I’m thinking is Sam, stands alone. He gives us another small salute and turns toward the barn. The pond is naked and smooth as a mirror, reflecting only the sky.

     The four of us stand on the shore. No one makes a peep until Tommy, in Mrs. Hallovich’s arms, looks up into her face and asks, “today?”

     Mrs. H. and I look at each other. So that’s what he’s been trying to say.

     “Yes, Tommy. That was Trudy. Everything’s going to be okay.”

     After a long time, Mrs. Hallovich puts her hand on my shoulder and gives it a squeeze. She takes a deep breath and lets it out. Looking out at the naked pond she says, “Who’s ready for tea?” 

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Willow House Chapter 24

To begin at chapter one click here

 Discoveries Come Easier With a Best Friend

     

     Saturday morning arrives. I’m nervous and excited all at once, because I want the girls to see how awesome Mrs. Hallovich is. I spend hours trying to decide what to wear. I feel ridiculous about it. I’m not usually such a fashionista, but I want everything to be perfect. Eventually, I settle on my best dress. The top of it is dark green and the skirt has white and dark green stripes - very sophisticated.

     Daleni arrives at my house at noon. I open the front door to find her standing there in a white dress with a pattern of yellow and pink flowers. 

     “You look beautiful!” we say to each other at the same time.

     The invitation says tea is at 2:30, but we want to go to Willow House early to see if Mrs. H. needs any help. Also, I wanted Daleni to come over early because there’s a few gaps between what I told her happened last week and what really happened. I fill her in as best as I can, including the fact that I’m not so sure I believe all of Trudy’s explanations.

     “Oh, Ella,” she says. “I wish you had told me everything that was really going on. You didn’t have to go through all that by yourself.”

     “I didn’t lie.” I try to defend myself.

     “But you didn’t tell me the whole truth. It’s kind of the same.”

     I promise her I’ll tell her everything from now on. Life is so much better when you have a best friend to help you deal with stuff.

     A bit later, Mom drops the two of us, along with Tommy, off at the curb in front of Willow House and tells us to have a great time.

    “This sure doesn’t look like a gaping mouth that wants to eat us,” Daleni says as we walk up to the porch.

     “Not anymore,” I reply.

     All the shrubbery has been either cut back or replaced with new. The porch is bright and sunny with hanging baskets and pots of flowers.

     Trudy meets us at the front door before I have a chance to demonstrate to Daleni the neat, old-fashioned doorbell (which, by the way, is now very shiny and brassy).

     “Aunt Winnie is in the kitchen. I’ll take Tommy around back.” She brushes past me and motions for Tommy to follow her. I take Tommy’s hand and help him back down the front porch steps. I lean down to kiss his sweet, little face that smells a lot like a strawberry pop-tart.

     “I’ll be right here if you need me,” I call to his back as he toddles away behind Trudy. How can she take care of him if she won’t even hold his hand? I’m not sure what to make of everything I’m feeling.

     I climb back up the porch steps and open the front door for Daleni. I spread my arms like Mrs. H. did that very first day. “Welcome to Willow House!” I say. But then my arms drop to my sides and my mouth falls open. This is hardly the same house I entered just two weeks ago. On the landing, the stained-glass window glows. The huge weeping willow’s emerald and amber, glass leaves catch the rays of the sun and weep them all down the deep, red carpet on the stairs. The wood and all the spindles of the banister gleam. The chandelier has apparently been sandblasted, and the crystals on the edges of the iron leaves throw tiny prisms of rainbows up the walls and across the floor. Mrs. Hallovich has outdone herself.

     I try to play it off like I’m not surprised by all this glorious-ness but Daleni has seen my reaction. Then, I remember that I told her everything, and I don’t have to hide my feelings. “Unbelievable,” is all I can think to say. 

     “I didn’t see what you saw the first day, but this is amazing.”

     I nod and point. “The kitchen is this way.”

     When we enter, Mrs. H. is standing at the counter. The black cauldron is beside her and red goo is splashed over the counter and across her apron. I have to tell you, it looks like she’s cooking a kid. My eyes fly to Daleni, but she doesn’t look bothered.

    “Well hello, girls! You’re early.”

     “We thought we’d see if you needed any help,” I say. “Sorry.”

     “Oh fiddle, Dear! No reason to be sorry.” She comes around the counter, wiping more of the red goo onto an apron that’s protecting a very pretty summer dress. Seeing this makes me really glad I spent so much time in the mirror this morning. “You must be Daleni!” she says, holding out her hand. 

      Daleni shakes it, then smiles at the red smear that has been transferred to her palm.

      “Goodness! I’m so sorry!” Mrs. Hallovich scoots Daleni over to the sink. “I’ve been making strawberry jam. I was hoping to send you each home with a little jar as a token of appreciation for spending one of your precious summer Saturdays with an old woman.” She laughs. She seems a little nervous. “It’s so nice that we can finally meet. Ella has told me so much about you.”

     Daleni rinses her hands and wipes them on the tea towel Mrs. H. offers her. “I’ve heard a lot about you too.” She says it like she’s heard only good stuff and Mrs. H. gives me a wink.

     “Ella, why don’t you two go up to the playroom while I get things finished down here. I didn’t have time to look for that trunk of doll clothes, but I pulled down the attic steps in case you’d like to look for them yourselves.”

     Daleni and I give each other a look. She knows what happened to me in the playroom and her face looks terrified. I’m not too keen on going up to the playroom myself, but I have been wanting to peek in the attic.     

     I’m not sure what to do, but Mrs. Hallovich saves the moment. “Or you can wait for the others down here. Maybe you’d like to go into the dining room and see if everything is in order for our tea.”

     Oh no! I just figured we’d be having tea under the willow tree. I promised the girls we would be outside all day. I’m trying to figure out how to suggest moving the party out there, until we actually enter the dining room. Holy crumpets! Daleni and I both gasp! It’s like Mrs. H. took everything in the house that sparkled and set it on the table. There’s fancy crystal glasses, and china plates and cups. There’s shining silverware, and a gigantic crystal vase in the center with fresh flowers, in all colors, bursting out of the top. Mrs. H. has gone to so much trouble and made this so spectacular, how can I suggest moving it?

     “Wow,” I say, barely above a whisper.

     “Wow,.” Daleni whispers back. She turns her head to look at me. “Don’t worry, Ella. Mandy and Melanie are gonna love this. We’ll go outside after tea.”

     She always knows what I’m thinking. Apparently, I’m just everyone’s open book, and since I’m standing here with words clogged up in my throat again, she continues.              

     “Maybe if we go upstairs now, we can bring stuff down, and we won’t have to take the M&Ms up later.”

     “Are you sure you want to go up there?”

     “I don’t want to at all, but let’s get it over with.” 

     She will be my best friend forever.

     

     The attic steps have been pulled down just like Mrs. H. said. Daleni and I give each other a nod of encouragement. I go up first.

     There’s no need to flip a light switch. Plenty of sunshine pours in the windows. It is and isn’t what I imagined. Just like you would expect, there are boxes, and trunks, and old furniture, and things leaning up against the walls. But it’s all clean and bright, not dusty, and no cobwebs or bat poop that I can see. It’s also bigger than I imagined, with a lot of empty floor space. This would be a super cool place to hang out.

     “What is it again that we’re looking for?” Daleni asks.

     “There’s supposed to be a trunk of clothes for that teenage doll I told you about.”

     She nods her head. “Cool!” 

     “You look over there,” I say, pointing to a pile of small trunks and suitcases, “and I”ll look through these.” I kneel down to a stack of wooden crates. “Let me know if you find anything else interesting!” I call over to her.

     It’s only a minute until I make an incredible discovery: a stack of postcards from all kinds of exotic places: Peru, Ecuador, Scotland, New Orleans. I turn them over one by one and look at the signature. They’re all from Sam! I knew Mrs. H. wasn’t making the story up, but having a piece of it in my hands is different. It’s like Lep just came to life in front of me.

     “Ella!” Daleni calls to me. “What’s this portrait of your dad doing up here?”

     I look up quickly. What’s she talking about? She’s holding up a painting.

      “That’s not my dad. It’s Great Grandpa Frank when he was young.”

      Daleni is staring at me. I’m about to ask her if I have a booger on my face, when it sinks in. What the heck is a portrait of my great-grandpa doing in Willow House? I rush over to look at it closer. I take it into my hands. There’s a brass nameplate on the frame. Henry Francis Hallovich it says. I’m processing this. He dropped his first name, shortened Francis to Frank and Hallovich to . . . Hall. My great grandpa was Frank Hall! That means . . . But, before I can finish that thought . . .

     “Uh . . . Ella.” 

     “Yeah?”

     She doesn’t respond, so I look to where she’s pointing. The portrait of Grandpa Frank had been leaning in front of another one.

     “Isn’t that Trudy?”

     It’s her alright. That isn’t just a family resemblance. That’s Trudy. The brass nameplate reads Gertrude Elizabeth Hallovich.

     Daleni and I look into each other’s frightened eyes, and we have the exact same thought at the exact same time.

     “Tommy!” we both scream.

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