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  Katani grabbed Maeve’s arm. “Oh no, you don’t,” she said.

  The look on Katani’s face was so stern and motherly that Isabel started to laugh.

  Isabel scrambled into the dress. “Thanks, guys,” she smiled. “I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t been here.”

  Katani looked at her. “From here, you can’t even see the hole. It won’t show on camera.”

  Maeve looked at her friend. “You look really good, Isabel.”

  “I hope your father appreciates all you’re going through to get him here,” Katani said.

  “Oh, he will. I can’t wait for you guys to meet him.” A warm glow spread over Isabel’s face. That was the Isabel Maeve hadn’t seen for quite a while.

  Kiki yelled up the stairs again. “Isabel, I mean it. One more minute and you’re out of the show.”

  “Who told her she could come into my kitchen?” Maeve said, starting for the stairs again.

  But Isabel rushed down the steps before Maeve had a chance to say anything.

  “Are you okay?” Katani asked Maeve.

  “Hold me back, hold me back,” Maeve said, doing an impression of the lion in The Wizard of Oz. They both started to laugh, both at Maeve’s mimicking and at the ridiculousness of Kiki’s new role as Ice Queen of the talent show.

  Only when the house lights were dimmed did Maeve and Katani sneak into the projection booth to watch the taping. There was a small glass window in front and two square holes for the projectors. They didn’t turn on any lights, but stood with their faces in front of the projector holes.

  First the Hip-Hop Honeys did a run-through. Although they hated to admit it, both Katani and Maeve agreed that all the rehearsal time had paid off. And, though Kiki was clearly the star of the show, and really good, it was difficult to ignore Isabel. Even with her patched dress and backup dancer status, Isabel stood out. She really was like Cinderella, Katani thought. A little bit, anyway.

  “She’s a really good dancer,” Maeve said.

  “I don’t think she can dance a lot though,” Katani said, “something about her knees.”

  “Isabel told me that she loved to dance, but she didn’t like being on stage all that much. Personally, I don’t really get that,” Maeve said in an exaggerated fashion. Katani gave her a playful shove. It was so clear. Maeve was a performer through and through.

  The girls had to admit that Kiki’s idea for the video was really cool. The video would be edited then projected onto the screen that Isabel had designed, giving the act the illusion of a big production number with a lot of dancers.

  And Kiki’s father was an artist with the camera. By the end of the run-through, he had learned the blocking well enough to move with the dancers without getting in their way.

  They were doing a hip-hop version of an old ballad, starting slow and then speeding to double time and breaking into a hip-hop rhythm. Their green skirts swirled furiously as they danced, and the effect was nothing short of totally cool.

  Kiki’s father shot the whole number once. Then he went back to get some close-ups. “Take five,” he said.

  Dillon took the opportunity to adjust one of the lights. Then he turned and headed toward the projection room.

  “Oh no,” Maeve said. “I forgot that this was also the lighting booth.”

  When Dillon flipped the lights on in the booth, he jumped a mile. “Man,” he said. “You scared me!”

  “Sorry,” Maeve said.

  “I have to adjust the lights again,” Dillon said, bringing the house lights up, then down again.

  “We should go,” Maeve said to Katani.

  “No, it’s okay,” Dillon said. “Stay.”

  Maeve stood awkwardly off to the side. Finally, not knowing where else to go, she moved over to where Katani had been standing, and they both watched out of the same hole.

  The house lights went down and the number started again.

  It went just as smoothly with Kiki’s dad getting a close-up of each of the dancers in turn. They kept stopping and starting, repeating the sequence until Kiki’s father felt he had gotten a good shot of three of the four of them.

  Then it was Isabel’s turn. Kiki’s father moved in, adjusting the view finder. The music started and the girls started to move again.

  Kiki’s father moved in closer. He was able to capture some great close-ups of Isabel. Then suddenly, there was a loud thumping sound, and Isabel disappeared completely from the frame.

  “What happened?” Kiki’s father put down the camera and looked at Isabel, who was sitting on stage, her face twisted into a grimace, wincing in pain.

  “I fell,” Isabel said. She was holding her ankle.

  Maeve was out of the booth and up on stage as quickly as a stage mother. So quickly, in fact, that for a moment, no one realized she hadn’t been there all along. “They pushed her, that’s what happened,” Maeve pointed at Anna and Joline.

  “We did not,” exclaimed Anna and Joline, who for a moment actually looked really scared.

  “That’s a pretty serious accusation,” Kiki’s father said.

  “I saw them,” Maeve insisted.

  “Is that true, Isabel?” Kiki’s father asked.

  Now Katani and Dillon caught up with Maeve.

  “What’s going on?” Dillon said. “Isabel, are you okay?”

  “I don’t know,” Isabel stammered, trying to stand up. She was trying to be a trooper, but her leg clearly hurt.

  “You should have watched where you were going,” Maeve said angrily to Anna and Joline. “You tripped her.”

  Anna and Joline could see that Isabel was really hurt. They had honestly not meant to hurt her. It was just that Kiki had changed the steps so many times Anna had forgotten and had reverted back to an earlier version. She moved left when she should have slid right. But Maeve was really annoying her now, accusing her of something she hadn’t really meant to do.

  “This is none of your business, Maeve. You were spying on us,” Anna said in an aggressive tone.

  “You hurt my friend,” Maeve retorted.

  “Stop it, girls.” Kiki’s father said firmly. “Isabel’s hurt and we need to deal with this now.”

  Kiki’s father turned to Dillon and Katani. “Did you see what happened?” he asked.

  It had all happened so quickly that Katani hadn’t seen a thing. And as much as Katani believed Maeve, she had to be honest. “I didn’t see how she fell,” Katani said.

  “What about you, young man?” Kiki’s father asked.

  Dillon shrugged. “I didn’t see it. I was looking at one of the lights.”

  Kiki walked over to Isabel. She looked around, spotting the loop latch on the floor. It was supposed to lie flat, but it was sticking up slightly. She pointed to the latch. “That’s what she tripped over.”

  “That’s not true. She wasn’t anywhere near that part of the stage,” Maeve said.

  But no one could back her up. There was so much going on that no one had been paying much attention to where Isabel had been.

  “I hope your father has at least paid up his insurance,” Kiki said. “He’s gonna need it.”

  Kiki’s father shot her a look. “Enough,” he said, turning back to Isabel. “Let’s get you some ice.”

  “I’m all right,” Isabel said.

  “You’d better sit down,” Kiki said. “Dad, I think we should call the paramedics.” She couldn’t help herself. She was tired of the Beacon Street Girls, especially Maeve. What was she doing here anyway? She understood why Katani had to be here, but not Maeve. Even though it was her dad’s theater, she had clearly snuck in, and now everybody was all upset about Isabel and her leg. She’s probably faking, thought Kiki.

  Isabel took a few limping steps on her foot.

  “Maybe you should sit down,” Katani said. “You might hurt your leg more.”

  “Isabel, I…I’m sorry,” Anna blurted out. This was a first, an apology from a Queen of Mean.

  “I…I’m all r
ight!” Isabel could not hide the frustration in her voice.

  Everyone had been so busy arguing with each other that they really hadn’t been paying all that much attention to how Isabel felt about the whole thing. But her tone had gotten their attention. Now everyone turned and stared.

  “I’m all right,” she said again. And, as if to prove it, Isabel walked down the stage steps all the way to the back of the theater and right out the door.

  CHAPTER 20

  On the Town

  The next morning, Isabel sat in the doctor’s office. Her leg felt fine, but Aunt Lourdes had insisted she see a doctor, just to be sure. Her aunt set up an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon she knew from the hospital where she worked.

  Dr. Takasugi stood looking at the X-rays.

  “I’m fine,” Isabel said for the twentieth time that morning.

  “Is she?” Aunt Lourdes wanted to know.

  “Well, there’s nothing broken, and there’s just a bit of swelling,” the doctor said, coming back over and examining Isabel’s leg one more time. “I don’t think there’s anything to worry about.”

  “I told you,” Isabel said to Aunt Lourdes.

  “So she can dance in the show?” her aunt asked.

  “As long as there’s no pain, she should be all right,” Dr. Takasugi said.

  “Thank you!” Isabel jumped up from her chair.

  “Feel free to call me if you notice any other symptoms, but I’d say you’re in pretty good shape.” Dr. Takasugi walked them to the door.

  “Thank you for fitting her in,” Aunt Lourdes said.

  “Glad to do it,” Dr. Takasugi said. The doctor was clearly a friend. “It was nice to meet you, Isabel,” Dr. Takasugi said. “Your aunt talks about you and your sister a lot.”

  Isabel smiled. It was interesting to think of Aunt Lourdes talking about her.

  “Come on, Izzi,” Aunt Lourdes said. “I promised to show you around the hospital.”

  They toured the wards and the grounds. This was a teaching hospital, and, every once in a while, teams of interns would follow their instructors from room to room. Isabel told Aunt Lourdes she thought they looked like ducklings following their mother.

  “This is where your mother’s doctor is,” Aunt Lourdes said.

  Isabel recognized the wing where they treated multiple sclerosis. She had visited it only a few days ago to meet her mother’s new doctor.

  Isabel couldn’t wait for her father to see how well her mother was doing. The new medication was working wonders for her mother’s MS. She wasn’t dizzy anymore. And there were none of the side effects of the other drugs she had been on for the last year and a half.

  It had been a tough decision to move to Boston for treatment. But it had been the right one. As difficult as it was for the family not to be together, they all agreed that they would do whatever it took to make her mother better. If that meant being separated for a while, then that was just what they had to do. But the Martinez family was really tight-knit, and to have a split like this was painful for everyone. And Isabel knew in her heart that it was hardest on her mother. It was her mother who felt bad for being the cause of the family being separated. It couldn’t be helped, of course, but Isabel had heard her mother tell Aunt Lourdes that she “felt guilty for all that she was putting her family through.” Isabel was glad when Aunt Lourdes told her to “shush.” Nobody blamed her mother. They just wanted her well.

  But, until today, Isabel had never considered that their living situation might be tough on Aunt Lourdes as well. They had all been so concentrated on helping Isabel’s mother that no one had even considered how much their move would interrupt her aunt’s life, or that she even had a life to interrupt.

  Isabel could see signs of her aunt all around this hospital. Every place they went, Aunt Lourdes ran into friends. These were not just people who happened to work together; they were real friends. And everyone Aunt Lourdes introduced to Isabel seemed to already know a lot about her. They knew about her painting and her swimming. They even knew she was going to dance in the school talent show if Dr. Takasugi gave her the thumbs-up.

  “So you’re going to be able to do the show?” a young nurse asked her.

  “Dr. Takasugi said I could,” Isabel said.

  “Well, if Dr. Takasugi said so, I guess you can,” the nurse said. “She’s the best.”

  Isabel smiled.

  “I’m excited to see you in the show,” the nurse said.

  It turned out that Aunt Lourdes had sold tickets to a lot of the hospital staff, particularly the ones who lived in Brookline. Isabel exceeded her quota of eight tickets because her aunt had sold fifteen to her hospital friends.

  “Everyone is coming to see you dance,” Aunt Lourdes remarked. “But they’re also coming to see the beautiful sets you created.”

  “I hear you’re not only a dancer but a very talented artist,” the nurse said, “…a real Renaissance woman.”

  Isabel felt proud that Aunt Lourdes thought so much of her.

  “She’s really enjoying having you stay with her,” the nurse said.

  “Me, too,” Isabel said, only realizing as she said it how true it really was. If they had to be anywhere but home, it was fun to live with Aunt Lourdes. She had made it so easy for them that Isabel hadn’t thought too much about it. From giving up her guest room, to sharing a bedroom with Isabel’s mom, to encouraging Isabel to decorate the room she shared with Elena Maria, Aunt Lourdes had made them all feel at home.

  Thinking about it made Isabel realize that Aunt Lourdes was talented, but in a different way. She had a talent for making people feel comfortable and secure, a skill that made her a great nurse, Isabel realized.

  They ate lunch at the hospital cafeteria. It was actually pretty good, getting salads from the salad bar and splitting a chicken sandwich. After they finished, Aunt Lourdes looked at her watch.

  “I don’t have to be back here until tonight,” Aunt Lourdes said. “And by the time we got you back to school, classes would be almost over. What do you say we go over to the Museum of Fine Arts? They’re running a show on the Impressionists. Do you want to go?”

  “Are you kidding?” Isabel couldn’t believe her ears. “Of course I want to go.” The show had been sold out for months. Evidently, her aunt had some connections.

  “Good,” Aunt Lourdes said.

  For the next two hours, Isabel and Aunt Lourdes lost themselves in the lives of the French Impressionists. Isabel found herself staring at one of Monet’s light studies. She watched as the same landscape became five different paintings when viewed from the same perspective at different times of day. Isabel could not figure out how he had done that. Imagine being such an artist that people are still in awe of your paintings years later, she wondered.

  They toured the museum until closing. Isabel was thrilled to find out that there were all these discounts if you showed your student ID. Yup, Isabel thought, Boston had a lot going for it. She wouldn’t mind if they stayed here for a long time—her dad would have to move, of course.

  When Aunt Lourdes suggested tea in the café, Isabel readily agreed. As they sat there sipping oolong from delicate porcelain cups, Aunt Lourdes began talking about the weekend.

  “Your dad will be here Friday night. Are you getting excited?”

  “Really, really excited.” Isabel grinned. “Do you think Mom suspects anything?” They had all been trying to keep his visit a secret. First, because they were afraid that something might happen, and he might not come. He’d made plans twice before, and then had to cancel at the last minute when there was too much work. This time, they decided to keep the visit a secret, just in case.

  “She knows something is up,” Aunt Lourdes said, “especially with Elena Maria planning the brunch and decorating the house and everything. But she just thinks all the excitement is because of the talent show. She has no idea your father is coming out.”

  “Where are we going now?” asked Isabel.

  “I
am taking you to one of my favorite parts of the city. It’s called the North End. It feels like another world.”

  Aunt Lourdes was right. After splurging on a cab ride that took them through the winding streets of old Boston, Isabel and her aunt stepped into the world of Italy. The narrow streets and windows of the North End of Boston were filled with Italian pottery and leather goods, and restaurants, so many restaurants filled with incredible smells.

  Isabel could feel her stomach growling, she was so hungry. They stopped at a little café and ordered spaghetti and meatballs, garlic bread, and for dessert, real Italian gelato. Isabel ate so much she thought she would burst. When she scooped her last mouthful of chocolate Amaretto gelato at the Café Paradiso, she said to her aunt, “This has been one of the best days of my life. Thank you so much. I will never forget it.”

  As they left the restaurant, Aunt Lourdes reached over and put her arm through Isabel’s, and they walked down Hanover Street to the T station.

  By the time they got home, it was ten o’clock, late for a school night, but Isabel didn’t care. Her day with Aunt Lourdes had been too much fun to worry about getting up for school. This day was worth however tired she was in the morning.

  Both her mother and Elena Maria were already in bed, so they were as quiet as could be when they came in.

  “Thanks again for a wonderful day,” Isabel said, meaning it.

  “And thank you for the wonderful company,” Aunt Lourdes said. Then she looked at the calendar on the wall, and at her watch. “Two more days, Izzi. Forty-eight hours from now, your father will be stepping off the plane.”

  Isabel was too superstitious to think about it. Her dad had cancelled before. But the third time was always a charm, and, besides, she had something else going for her this time. It was a point of pride with her dad that he had never missed one of her dance performances. She was about as certain as she could ever be that he would show up this time.

  She hoped the weather would clear up, though. It had been raining since early afternoon, and Kristy B. was predicting a three-day nor’easter.