her. Nicole’s classmates envied and admired her in equal measure, and she was exhausted by the endless questions about what it felt like to be famous, on TV, seen as a superhero … the list went on.
Following several nights of fitful sleep, she had shoved most of her wildfire and rescue thoughts in a mental box marked “weird” and attempted to get on with her week.
Thankfully, communication had been restored with Amy on Monday night, after they had barely spoken two words to each other all day. Arriving home in a foul mood Monday evening, Nicole had checked her email to find a barrage of funny messages from Amy. After Nicole had responded, Amy had pleaded tiredness and grumpiness at not being on national TV, and Nicole had understood and accepted the apology.
The girls had made plans to drive out to Lake Fairfax over the weekend to discuss the latest developments. Finally, Nicole had something to look forward to.
Her mom began to put in her stud earrings. “So, I have a favor to ask you, and I’d like you to think about it before giving me an answer.”
“A favor, huh?” Nicole suspected this was going to be something she wouldn’t necessarily like. She was right.
“There’s a boy in my hospital and he’s pretty sick at the moment. In fact, he’s terminally ill.”
Nicole’s bravado faltered. “I’m sorry.”
Her mom shrugged. “He’s read all about your rescuing Elise and Charlie. He was so excited when I told him you were my daughter.” With her earrings now in, Nicole’s mom rested both of her hands on Nicole’s and gave her a serious look. “It would mean a lot to him if you could go and visit him. Maybe take him a book or something?”
“Mom … please. I hate this superhero stuff. I said it on TV; everyone’s on me about it all day. I don’t want to go around bragging about it anymore.”
“I’m not asking you to brag. Just go see him.”
Nicole let out a sigh. She knew this wasn’t like her, and she could sense her mom’s impatience rising.
“Can I cut class?”
“No. You can drop in before you and Amy go off to the lake on Saturday.”
This was too much for Nicole.
“Mom …”
“I’m not going to beg you to do it, Nicole. But these kinds of visits can make a real difference. Look.”
Nicole’s mom produced a bright crayon portrait the boy had drawn. In the picture, Nicole had long hair and was wearing a cape. She smiled at the realization that he’d also spotted her freckles and had applied a few to the cartoon version of SuperNix’s nose. She felt some of her old self coming back to her, and she was moved when she saw the words Ethan, age 8 inscribed at the bottom of the picture.
“Ethan.”
“He’s a cute kid.”
Nicole laughed.
“Is it that bad at school?”
“Pretty much,” Nicole said plainly.
“I’m sorry if the TV interview made it worse. I should have never agreed to it in the first place.”
This was unprecedented. Nicole’s mom was hardly ever known to offer this kind of admission, and Nicole appreciated the enormity of it. She’d heard the low murmur of her mom talking to her dad on the phone late into the night this week, and she could tell things had been tough for her mom recently, too.
“Well, I can’t change what people are thinking, I guess. And if it helps Ethan, then that’s something positive out of all of this madness.” Nicole took the drawing and smiled again. “Can I keep this?”
Her mom stood up. “You bet. OK, I’ll see you tomorrow. You have my cell.”
Nicole waved her phone to indicate she did.
With that, her mom was gone. Hearing the door slam downstairs, Nicole rolled over to grab her laptop and logged on.
She felt a brief lurch of panic as another email from Ben Owens arrived in her inbox, joining others he’d already sent that week. Some were nudges, and the latest she’d left unopened. She suspected what he had to say would be interesting and clever, but she hesitated to open it. She felt
Following several nights of fitful sleep, she had shoved most of her wildfire and rescue thoughts in a mental box marked “weird” and attempted to get on with her week.
Thankfully, communication had been restored with Amy on Monday night, after they had barely spoken two words to each other all day. Arriving home in a foul mood Monday evening, Nicole had checked her email to find a barrage of funny messages from Amy. After Nicole had responded, Amy had pleaded tiredness and grumpiness at not being on national TV, and Nicole had understood and accepted the apology.
The girls had made plans to drive out to Lake Fairfax over the weekend to discuss the latest developments. Finally, Nicole had something to look forward to.
Her mom began to put in her stud earrings. “So, I have a favor to ask you, and I’d like you to think about it before giving me an answer.”
“A favor, huh?” Nicole suspected this was going to be something she wouldn’t necessarily like. She was right.
“There’s a boy in my hospital and he’s pretty sick at the moment. In fact, he’s terminally ill.”
Nicole’s bravado faltered. “I’m sorry.”
Her mom shrugged. “He’s read all about your rescuing Elise and Charlie. He was so excited when I told him you were my daughter.” With her earrings now in, Nicole’s mom rested both of her hands on Nicole’s and gave her a serious look. “It would mean a lot to him if you could go and visit him. Maybe take him a book or something?”
“Mom … please. I hate this superhero stuff. I said it on TV; everyone’s on me about it all day. I don’t want to go around bragging about it anymore.”
“I’m not asking you to brag. Just go see him.”
Nicole let out a sigh. She knew this wasn’t like her, and she could sense her mom’s impatience rising.
“Can I cut class?”
“No. You can drop in before you and Amy go off to the lake on Saturday.”
This was too much for Nicole.
“Mom …”
“I’m not going to beg you to do it, Nicole. But these kinds of visits can make a real difference. Look.”
Nicole’s mom produced a bright crayon portrait the boy had drawn. In the picture, Nicole had long hair and was wearing a cape. She smiled at the realization that he’d also spotted her freckles and had applied a few to the cartoon version of SuperNix’s nose. She felt some of her old self coming back to her, and she was moved when she saw the words Ethan, age 8 inscribed at the bottom of the picture.
“Ethan.”
“He’s a cute kid.”
Nicole laughed.
“Is it that bad at school?”
“Pretty much,” Nicole said plainly.
“I’m sorry if the TV interview made it worse. I should have never agreed to it in the first place.”
This was unprecedented. Nicole’s mom was hardly ever known to offer this kind of admission, and Nicole appreciated the enormity of it. She’d heard the low murmur of her mom talking to her dad on the phone late into the night this week, and she could tell things had been tough for her mom recently, too.
“Well, I can’t change what people are thinking, I guess. And if it helps Ethan, then that’s something positive out of all of this madness.” Nicole took the drawing and smiled again. “Can I keep this?”
Her mom stood up. “You bet. OK, I’ll see you tomorrow. You have my cell.”
Nicole waved her phone to indicate she did.
With that, her mom was gone. Hearing the door slam downstairs, Nicole rolled over to grab her laptop and logged on.
She felt a brief lurch of panic as another email from Ben Owens arrived in her inbox, joining others he’d already sent that week. Some were nudges, and the latest she’d left unopened. She suspected what he had to say would be interesting and clever, but she hesitated to open it. She felt
Similar Books
