Best Friends by Ann M. Martin Page B

sidewalk.
    Already lights had been twined around lampposts and outlined most of the store windows. “Just like at Christmastime,” said Ruby.
    â€œMin drove us by the fairgrounds on Saturday,” said Flora. “The tents are going up. Oh, I can’t wait for the fair. I hope there will be candy apples.”
    â€œAnd cotton candy,” said Ruby.
    â€œBalloons,” said Nikki.
    â€œGames with prizes,” said Olivia.
    â€œMaybe I’ll win a stuffed animal,” said Flora. “I never win stuffed animals. Only plastic necklaces.”
    â€œI want to win a goldfish for Mae,” said Nikki.
    â€œI want to go on rides,” said Olivia. “Do you think there will be rides?”
    Nikki shook her head. “I don’t know. Probably. I like bumper cars and the Ferris wheel.”
    Nikki sighed, thinking of soaring through the air. Then she thought of hot dogs and corn on the cob and fireworks and the ring toss and the china smash. She hoped there would be a china smash. She also hoped to be able to go to the fair at night, when everything would be glowing and twinkling. She’d been saving her money for weeks.
    â€œLook!” exclaimed Ruby as they passed Dutch Haus. A sign had been placed in the window. It read HAVE A SUNDAE NAMED AFTER YOU! DRAWING TO BE HELD MAY 24 TH ! ENTER INSIDE . “I want a sundae named after me,” said Ruby. “It could be made with strawberries and pink ice cream, because of my name.”
    Across the street in the windows of the real estate agency were photos not of houses for sale but of Camden Falls homes over the years, going back more than a century. “Hey,” said Flora, “there are the Row Houses in eighteen ninety-four.”
    Nikki and her friends wandered up Main Street as far as the Cheshire Cat, crossed back to the other side, and walked down to Needle and Thread. It was when they entered the store that Nikki learned about Murphy’s Law.
    â€œHi, Min!” Ruby and Flora called to their grandmother.
    â€œHi, Gigi!” Olivia called to her grandmother.
    Their greetings were answered with grunts.
    â€œWhat’s the matter?” asked Olivia.
    Min and Gigi were at the table in the back of the store, the costumes for the parade float spread before them. “Not a single costume is ready,” said Min. “This one needs hemming.” She paused. “This one needs an entire dress .”
    â€œThis one needs trim that we don’t have in stock,” said Gigi.
    â€œLess than a week to go. Well, that’s Murphy’s Law for you,” said Min.
    â€œWhat’s Murphy’s Law?” asked Nikki.
    â€œâ€˜If something can go wrong, it will go wrong,’” quoted Min darkly.
    â€œWell, I don’t think you should say that!” exclaimed Nikki. “It sounds like bad luck.”
    And maybe it was.
    The next afternoon, Nikki, Olivia, and Flora peeked in at Ruby’s play rehearsal. They were standing at the back of the auditorium, commenting on Ruby’s ability to cry real tears (which she seemed to have perfected), when John Parson’s house fell over. It fell, luckily, in such a way that it crashed down all around Ruby but didn’t touch her, since she was in the path of the open window. When the crash subsided, Ruby was left standing in a little open square, surrounded by the mangled house.
    â€œUh-oh,” said Olivia.
    Flora and Nikki smothered giggles.
    â€œRuby! Are you all right?” cried Mrs. Gillipetti.
    Already, three sixth-graders had rushed to the house and were trying to stand it up again.
    â€œI’m fine,” said Ruby. “But look! Look at the house.”
    As it was righted, the door fell off. Then the house wobbled and tumbled over in the other direction.
    â€œIt’s ruined!” exclaimed Ruby.
    â€œIt isn’t ruined,” said Mrs. Gillipetti calmly. “It just needs some shoring up.”
    Ruby made a