My gaze was completely transfixed. It was like I was witnessing a horrible car wreck. I didn’t want to watch, but at the same time, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the scene.
Just then, Ned broke away. “What are you doing, Deirdre?” he asked.
“What do you mean?” asked Deirdre. “You said in your letters that—”
“Letters?” asked Ned, blinking in confusion. “What letters?”
“Come on,” said Deirdre. “I know those letters were from you.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” said Ned.
“You’re just saying that because Nancy is here,” said Deirdre.
“What?” Ned looked over his shoulder and, seeing me, started to panic. He turned back to Deirdre. “Look, I promise that I’ve never sent you any letters.”
“Stop lying,” cried Deirdre.
Ned turned back to me. “Nancy, this is all a misunderstanding. Tell Deirdre I never sent her any letters. You believe me, don’t you?”
“If you say so,” I said in a croaky voice. I bit my bottom lip to keep it from trembling. I was too upset to say anything else. I had to wonder, did Ned really not send the letters? Or was Deirdre right? Was he just saying that because I was there?
“If you’re not my secret admirer, then who is?” asked Deirdre angrily. “Someone wrote those letters.”
“I did,” said Nelson Fadley as he stepped out of the shadows. Apparently he’d left Iggy at home. His normally floppy dark hair was slicked back with so much hair gel, it looked like plastic. And he was wearing a tie.
“You did not,” screamed Deirdre, stomping one foot on the ground. She glared at Nelson so coldly, I could almost see the icicles flying from her eyes. I felt bad for the guy.
Ned looked at me, completely baffled. “What’s going on here?” he asked.
“Deirdre has had this secret admirer for the past few days,” I explained. “And she was convinced it was you.”
I was just explaining what was happening. I didn’t mean to embarrass Deirdre, but that was the effect of my words. She looked not just flustered, but completely mortified.
“But you’re my girlfriend, Nancy,” Ned said. “I’d never do that to you.”
“That’s what I tried to tell her,” I said.
Nelson was nervous, but he stumbled through an explanation. “I know there’s a big age difference between us,” he said to Deirdre, holding out a bouquet of pink and white carnations. “But I’m very mature for a twelve-year-old. Everyone says so.”
“What?!” Deirdre screamed. “You humiliated me!”
“But... but...,” Nelson stammered.
“This is unacceptable. I’m so angry, I could scream!”
“She’s already screaming,” I whispered to Ned, then immediately regretted it. Deirdre isn’t my favorite person—but I didn’t want her to be humiliated.
“Let’s just forget about this,” I said, stepping between Deirdre and Nelson before Deirdre did any more damage to the poor kid.
“No way. Nelson Fadley, this is... this is...” Deirdre emitted a strange sound, like a strangled choke.
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“Are you okay?” asked Ned.
She breathed heavily, with her hand over her chest. Her eyes were tearing.
I had to blink and look twice before I could accept what I was seeing, because it looked as if Deirdre was actually laughing.
“I can’t believe it. You, Nelson. With the iguana! I’ve never even seen you without your skateboard, and you were writing poetry?” she asked between gasps.
Now it was Nelson’s turn to be embarrassed. His face began to flush. “I just love the way you always take control of everything,” he said. “You’re the strongest girl I’ve ever known.”
Deirdre shook her head. “Nelson, you’re a nice kid, but, um—I normally don’t date guys who are so much younger than me. How about if we just stay friends?”
“Will you still take the flowers?” he asked, offering them to her again.
“Sure,” said Deirdre. As she took them, she ruffled his hair.
Just then, Nikki walked over. She had changed into ripped jeans and a red T-shirt, and her hair was pulled up in a loose ponytail. Her eyes were shining.
“Amazing show,” I said.
Everyone agreed.
“Thanks,” said Nikki. “I had so much fun. And I can’t believe Frank Wolfson showed up. What a crazy blast from the past.”
“Speaking of,” said Deirdre as she hugged Nikki. “It’s so great to see my long-lost cousin after so many years!”
“Huh?” said Nikki, looking totally confused.
“It’s me,” she said. “Deirdre Shannon. Well, last time I saw you, I went by DeeDee. But that was years ago. I’m way over DeeDee.”
“Yeah—it’s been a while since I’ve heard your name,” said Nikki.
“Come on, we’re going to be late,” Deirdre said, pulling on Nikki’s elbow.
“Late for what?” asked Nikki.
“The after-party, of course,” Deirdre said impatiently. “Didn’t they tell you? I’ll give you a ride. I tried to get you a limo, but Nancy said it wasn’t in our budget. My car is nice, though. Don’t worry.”
“Um,” said Nikki. “Okay, I guess.” She turned to me and said, “Nancy, why don’t you ride with us?”
“Oh,” I said, looking down at my feet. “Actually, I can’t. I’m not invited to the after-party.”
Nikki smiled. “Very funny. Come on, now.”
“Seriously,” said Deirdre. “The country club gave us one of their smaller rooms, so the volunteers can’t come. It’ll be very intimate. Strictly VIP.”
“The country club?” asked Nikki. “The old one by Mission Hill?”
“Of course,” said Deirdre. “Only the best for you, Nikki. The most important people in River Heights are there, waiting.”
“Really?” said Nikki, with this strange look on her face.
I didn’t know her all that well, so I couldn’t say for sure—but it looked to me like she was kind of annoyed. Maybe even angry. “And who might that be?” Nikki wondered.
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Deirdre ticked off the names on the fingers of one hand. “Mayor Simmons, Jack Halloran, the CEO of Rackham, all the Shannons. My parents can’t wait to see you.”
“I can’t go to that party,” said Nikki. “I could never stand that country club when I was a kid, and I can’t stand it now. It’s so exclusive.”
“But I planned this for you,” said Deirdre. “Is that how you treat your family? Leave town and never call or write, then come to visit and refuse to spend time with us?”
“I’m here for the River Heights Animal Shelter,” said Nikki. “I thought everyone knew that.”
“Well, you had your concert, so you may as well have some fun now,” said Deirdre.
“That sounds great, but a fancy party at your country club just isn’t my idea of fun,” Nikki explained. “I don’t want to sound ungrateful, but I’m not into going to a party that excludes all of the people who made this concert happen.”
“I don’t understand,” said Deirdre.
Nikki shook her head. “I wasn’t going to bring this up because I’m not one to hold a grudge, but you’ve given me no choice, Deirdre. Your family has always been horrible to us Kolistas. As far as I’m concerned, the Shannons are a bunch of snobs.”
“What do you mean?” asked Deirdre.
“My mother married a poor artist from the wrong side of the tracks, while your mother married a successful lawyer,” said Nikki. “And my family was shunned. We were always the poor cousins. The charity cases. Do you know that your parents have been having parties at the country club for years and my family was never invited?”
“No,” said Deirdre. “I had no idea.”
“Did you know what my summer job was when I was in high school?” asked Nikki.
Deirdre shook her head.
“I waited tables at the country club dining hall. And I have never met such rude and snobby people in my entire life. Your family wouldn’t even acknowledge that I was related to them when I was working.”
“That’s horrible,” said Deirdre, looking down at her feet. “I had no idea. I’m—I’m so sorry.”
“Yeah, you’re all sorry, now that I’m famous,” said Nikki.
“No,” said Deirdre. “I mean, I’m sorry that my family treated your family that way. It wasn’t right. And I’m not just saying that because you’re a rock star. No one should be judged on such a superficial basis. But especially not you. It was so nice of you to come to River Heights for the animal shelter. Everyone has worked so hard to put this concert together. I could have done more, and I should have organized a party for the volunteers.”
I was too stunned to speak. Deirdre was actually being kind and sincere. I didn’t know she had it in her.
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I don’t know when George arrived, but she must have heard Deirdre and Nikki’s discussion because she stepped forward and said, “Actually, there is another party for the volunteers, and we have plenty of room for anyone who wants to come.”
“Really?” said Deirdre.
“Yup.” George nodded. “We’re having a cookout in the town square, right across the street from here.”
“Now, that’s what I’m talkin’ about!” said Nikki.
Nelson tugged on Deirdre’s sleeve. “You know how you were saying no one should be judged superficially? I think that could apply to age, too.”
“Be quiet, Nelson,” Deirdre snapped.
Ned and I smiled at each other.
I think Deirdre must have realized what she sounded like, because she put her arm around Nelson and said in a kind voice, “I’m sorry, but I just can’t see this working. No offense. We can be friends, though—as long as you keep that lizard away from me.”
“Okay,” said Nelson, nodding seriously.
Just then, Bess ran over. “I have the ticket sales all tallied up.”
“We’ve got nineteen thousand, five hundred dollars,” she said.
“That’s a lot of money, but we’re still five hundred dollars short,” I cried. My heart sank. We’d come so far, and we were so close.
“Wait a minute,” said George. “You forgot about the banana bread sales.” Whipping out her cell phone, she made a quick call to Harold to get the numbers from the food and beverage tables.
Moments later, she was grinning like a madwoman. “They made eight hundred dollars. We have enough,” said George, jumping up and down in excitement. “We have more than enough!”
“I’m calling Justine right now,” I said. “She’ll order the temporary structures, and we can have them up by next week. The animals are saved!”
We all cheered.
“Well, what are we waiting for?” asked George. “Let’s party.”
Deirdre stepped forward. “I have to make an appearance at my party, you know, to explain why Nikki isn’t going to be there—but I’d like to stop by later, if you’ll have me.”
“Hey, why not?” said George, smiling wide. “The more the merrier.”
Ned and I, Nelson, Bess, George, and Nikki all headed to the party in the town square, and were met with loud cheers from a huge crowd. The party was a blast. It was a fabulous night, and the perfect way to celebrate the happy ending of one more adventure that I’ll never forget.
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