Epilogue Vicki’s View
SIX MONTHS LATER
Things have changed a lot in our family since I turned nine. Like everything. Living in a new place means answering a lot of questions about my parents. Mom got a part in a movie. It was one of those sappy ones. She was all excited, though, because she got to work with her friend Bryce again. I asked her who would name their kid Bryce Cannon and she laughed. Then she told me that Bryce wasn’t so bad. Momma always said she’d name a boy Cornelius. Mom must have threatened to stop making her cookies or something when Noah was born. I told Mom at least Momma didn’t choose Yukon. She didn’t seem to understand why I said that. She doesn’t pay attention to cartoons. Momma loves Rudolph, and she always giggles at Yukon Cornelius. When I explained what I was saying, Mom laughed. She told me that Momma also likes musicals, and then she sat me down to watch Hello, Dolly!
I love watching musicals with Mom. She always sings to them. I told her I think she should play Dolly. She laughed at that, too. I don’t know why. She’ll be working in New York soon. She could be on Broadway! She can sing and she can dance. She said I have more confidence in her than any Broadway producer. I don’t know what she means. I think she’d be great as Dolly. One thing I do know, Momma won’t be writing a musical for my mom to star in. She can barely play chopsticks on the piano! When I said that, Mom laughed even harder. She seems to laugh a lot lately. I think she’s happy living in our new house. I am, too. I think Hannah was a little sad about leaving Kansas until we got to Connecticut. That’s where Mom’s filmed her movie. We got to stay in a house on a lake all summer! Auntie Tam and Daniel came and stayed for a few weeks while Momma was in California and Mom was filming. It was awesome! We got to swim every day—unless there was a thunderstorm. King doesn’t like those too much, but he loved swimming in the lake with us.
We liked staying at the house so much that Mom and Momma found us a new house on a lake. It’s in a town called Brookfield. It’s not right on the lake but we can walk there. And Momma said we might get a pool. Mom raised her eyebrow when she heard the word pool, but I think she’ll say yes. She loves to swim as much as she likes to sing. And besides, this house has the biggest kitchen I’ve ever seen! She could probably bake cookies for the whole town! I won’t suggest that, though. I’ll keep my orders small—like for my class.
Grandma came to stay with us this week. She stayed in my parents’ room. But our new house has something called an in-law apartment. Grandma and Grandpa used it when they visited a few months ago. It even has its own kitchen, so when Grandma and Grandpa are here, she can bake cookies without using Mom’s kitchen. Sandra and Jeff stayed there a few weeks ago while they did some house hunting. I hope they move close to us. Tam and Christie found a house in Connecticut, too. It takes a couple of hours to get there, but we don’t have to get on a plane! It’s really neat and really old. Momma said it’s like 200 years old. Noah was excited because it had a pond in the backyard. I told Auntie Tam I’m gonna look for ghosts while Noah looks for frogs. Momma rolled her eyes at me. I know Tam will go ghost hunting with me. She loves all that stuff. Mom heard us and told me I’d better not give Hannah and Noah nightmares.
My moms will be home today. They had some things to do back in California. I was a little jealous because they got to stay in our old house, but Mom said we’d spend our spring vacation there with Tam and Christie. I’ll bet that’s when they are putting in our pool!
Mom was on a few TV shows with Bryce last week because her new movie is coming out soon. Grandma lets me watch some of the shows Mom is on. Mom talked a lot about the new series she’s making with Momma. And I even got to watch them together on one show. Momma said the new show won’t start filming until the summer. That way, Mom will be home with us most of the time while we’re in school this year. That’s probably a good thing because the first year is important. Our new school has a lot of bake sales and events. I love Momma, but she should stick to writing and leave baking to the experts—like Mom and Grandma.
Mom had to leave for Connecticut right after my birthday party in June. I don’t know how it all happened. But I guess the lady who was supposed to be in the movie with Bryce got sick or something, and they asked Mom to take over for her. Momma stayed home with us in Kansas that week. Mom surprised us and came in time for our last day of school. It was a good thing, too, because I needed to bring cookies with me. Momma tried to make them, but they were—well, hard—kind of like the bricks on our new patio. I don’t think Mom minded making cookies when she got home, but she did say she might hold a funeral for her baking sheets. I don’t think she did, though.
The other night, Grandma let us all watch Mom present an award on TV. I’ve seen my parents dressed up and going to events loads of times. Hannah and Noah haven’t, though—not that they remember. And I don’t think Noah has ever seen them on TV. It is kind of weird seeing them all dressed up and hearing people yell their names. They stopped to talk to some guy about Mom’s new movie, and he said Mom is sexier now than when she starred in Off Screen—that was the first TV show Momma wrote. Momma said, “Emma gets sexier by the day.” I think Mom blushed. I told Grandma it was gross. She laughed.
“You’re very lucky,” Grandma said. “You have two beautiful moms who love you more than anything.”
“Yeah, but it’s still weird,” I told her.
“I know. It is a little strange to see them that way, isn’t it?” she replied.
“How come everyone is taking their picture?” Hannah asked.
Grandma looked at the TV and smiled. “Your parents are special people, Hannah.”
“Cause Mom is in movies?” Hannah asked.
“To a lot of people, that’s what makes them special,” Grandma said. “But no. They’re special because they make people feel happy, and as many times as people tell them they’re special, they still feel and act like any other mom.”
“Yeah,” I said. “Like making us clean our rooms. Mom’s famous, right? Aren’t famous people supposed to pay people to do that sort of stuff?”
Grandma burst out laughing. “I’m sure some do,” she said. Then her eyes got all teary.
“Grandma, why are you crying?” Hannah asked.
“I’m not. I’m just very proud of your mothers.”
“Cause they’re famous?” Hannah asked.
“No.” Grandma sighed and told us all to sit on the couch with her. “You’ll hear a lot of things about your parents,” she said. “Some things you hear will be nice and some will be?—”
“Mean?” I ask.
“Some,” Grandma said. “And some things will make you squirm—like hearing someone call your mom sexy.”
“Weird,” I grumbled.
Grandma chuckles. “You need to always remember those people don’t know your parents. They feel like they know them, but they don’t see your moms when they wake up in the morning to get you ready for school. When they go to work, they pretend to be someone else.”
“Like when Auntie Sandra was a superhero?” Hannah asked.
“Yes,” Grandma said.
“But they aren’t making a movie right now,” I reminded Grandma.
“No.”
I lifted my hands. Sometimes, adults make no sense.
Grandma giggled some more. “No, Vicki. When you see them out there dressed up on a red carpet or talking to someone on TV, that’s part of their job. And it’s part of who they’ve become. It might be weird for you, but your parents are talented, beautiful women who many people admire. That will never be a bigger part of them than being your moms. Believe me.”
I’ve been thinking about what Grandma said. Mom has talked to us about what she does when she goes to work and what Momma does at her office. But Grandma has never said anything about it until last night. It is kind of weird seeing them on TV. When I was little, people sometimes came up to my mom to ask her for a picture or for her to sign something. Stuff like that didn’t happen much when we lived in Kansas. Something tells me we’d all better get used to it.
Hannah came into my room last night. I miss Mom and Momma, but I like having Grandma here. Hannah misses Mom—a lot. There’s an art show at our school tonight, and Hannah was worried Mom would miss it. I’m not supposed to know our parents are coming home today. I heard Grandma tell Grandpa on the phone our parents were coming as a surprise. I didn’t tell Hannah. I think she was upset because the art show at school is for the little kids. I don’t know what she made, but Hannah really wants Mom and Momma to see it.
“Hello—anyone home?”
“Mom!” Hannah yells through the house.
Oh boy, this is gonna get loud.
“Mommy!” Noah screams. Man, that kid has lungs. That’s what Auntie Tam says. He’s a lot like Daniel. Daniel is loud, too. Maybe it’s a boy thing. I don’t know.
I take my time walking into the kitchen. Momma puts Noah down and looks at me.
“Hi,” I say.
Mom and Momma look at each other, and Mom laughs. She’s already figured out that I knew they were coming home. I don’t know how she does that. She has a thing—like she’s psychic or something. Maybe me and Tam should take Mom ghost hunting.
Hannah tugs Mom’s hand. “You can come to school now,” she says.
“To school?” Mom asks. “Do I need a lesson?”
“No! To see my picture,” Hannah says.
“Oh, that’s right.” Mom picks Hannah up and kisses her. “I forgot we live with a famous artist.”
Hannah giggles.
“Can I have a cookie?” Noah asks.
Geez. That kid can eat! His stomach is as big as his lungs!
“Did Grandma make cookies?” Mom asks.
“I did,” Grandma says from behind me.
“Hi, Mom.”
“Girls,” Grandma says. “How about we let your moms get their coats off and put their bags away? I’ll get you each a cookie.”
“Before dinner?” Hannah asks, still holding on to Mom.
“One,” Grandma says.
“You don’t want to spoil your appetite for pizza,” Momma says.
“We get to have pizza?” Hannah asks.
“We do—to celebrate your first art show,” Mom says. “So, one cookie. We’ll head out for pizza before we go to the school.”
Hannah hugs Mom and then runs to the kitchen table.
“I need to finish my homework,” I tell the room.
“Don’t you want a cookie?” Grandma asks.
“Nah. I’m not hungry.” I can see Mom looking at me curiously. She thinks I’m upset. I’m not upset. But I had a plan. And now, I don’t know how I’m gonna make it happen. I need to think about it.
I go upstairs to my room and close the door. I would call Auntie Tam, but the phone is in the kitchen, and everyone is in there. There’s a knock on my door. Mom opens it slightly and peers inside.
“You can come in, Mom.”
Mom makes her way to my bed and sits on the edge. “Do you want to tell me what’s wrong?”
“I just have homework.”
Mom stares at me. I giggle. She reads minds. I know it. Then I huff. “Okay. Here’s the thing, Mom.”
Mom’s eyebrow raises.
“I sort of had a plan,” I tell her.
“A plan?”
“Yeah.”
“Do you want to tell me about this plan?”
“Well, I sort of asked Auntie Tam if she would call and order pizza for dinner.”
I have to say, Mom doesn’t usually look shocked. She looks like she really did see a ghost. I made Tam promise to keep it a secret. I guess she did.
“Are you telling me you asked Tam to have pizza sent to our house?” Mom asks.
“Yeah. I promised I’d give her my birthday money when she came here next week. Hannah was really sad last night because she thought you wouldn’t be here for her art show. And I know you were supposed to stay at our old house till tomorrow, but I heard Grandma tell Grandpa you’d be here today. I wanted to surprise everyone.”
I could be wrong, but I think Mom is about to cry.
“Vicki, that’s incredibly thoughtful.”
I shrug; here’s the thing about my parents: they never miss the stuff that matters. Like this summer when Mom had to leave to start filming with Bryce. She was supposed to be gone for our last day of school. And it was a big deal to both me and Hannah. I got an award for my grades and my citizenship, and Hannah graduated from preschool. Mom and Momma explained it was one of those things out of their control. I think Momma almost fell over when Mom walked through the door. It was kind of funny. Momma had burned another batch of cookies. I swear, she should just buy Oreos.
It’s not like I try to hear what the adults talk about. Well, okay, sometimes I do. But most of the time, they’re louder than they think. When we got home from the awards assembly on our last day of school, I heard Mom say she told the director of her movie she would only do it if she could be home for our assembly. My parents always show up. They drive me nuts sometimes, but they give up a lot of things. I know they do. Mom gave up acting for a long time to be with us. I mean, she’s gone away a couple of times, but never for long. Buying a pizza isn’t a big deal. And Hannah is my little sister. This art thing is a big deal for her.
“It’s no big deal,” I say.
Mom pulls me close and kisses my cheek. “It is a big deal. That money was for you to spend on something you want. That’s a lot to give up.”
“You give up stuff all the time for us,” I tell her. Oh boy, now she’s crying. “Mom,” I groan.
Mom laughs.
Momma steps into the room. “Hey. Everything okay?”
I shrug again.
“Vicki was planning to order pizza for us for dinner with her birthday money.”
Momma smiles. “Is that right?”
She called Auntie Tam. I’d bet my book report on it!
“That’s very generous,” Momma says.
I shrug and hear Mom giggle.
“You don’t need to spend your birthday money on our dinner,” Momma says.
“It’s my birthday money,” I tell her. “You said I should use it for something special.”
Mom looks at Momma and lifts her brow.
“I did,” Momma says. “Okay. Are you sure that’s what you want to do?”
I nod.
“All right—if you’re sure, I will let you help pay for dinner.”
“Really?” I ask.
Momma smiles at me. “Really.” She looks back at Mom. “I’m going to hop in the shower.”
“I’ll be right there,” Mom says. She turns back to me. “I’m proud of you, Vicki.”
“It’s just pizza.”
“No, it isn’t,” she says. “You remind me so much of your momma right now.”
“I do?”
“Yes.” Mom kisses me on the cheek again. “I love you, Victoria.”
It’s just pizza. Why does she need to get all mushy?
Mom laughs. “Someday, Vicki, you’ll be sitting with your daughter or son, telling them how much you love them, and they’ll squirm like you put a worm in their pants, too.”
“Mom! Gross!”
Mom laughs harder and gets up to leave my room.
“Mom?”
Mom turns. “Hm?”
“I love you, too,” I mumble.
Mom winks at me. “I know, Vicki.”
I’m glad when Mom closes my door. Sometimes, I wish I was more like Hannah. She’s always with Mom. I spend more time with Momma when everyone is home. But I always know my mom is here. People love my mom. I know they do. They don’t love her more than me.
Another knock on my door. Geez! I said I loved her!
“Come in,” I say.
“Vicki?”
Hannah and Noah are standing at my door.
“I thought you were having cookies?” I ask.
Hannah reaches into her pocket and pulls out a chocolate chip cookie.
“Don’t be sad, Vicki,” Noah says.
I roll my eyes. “Come in here,” I tell them. “Close the door before Grandma realizes you stole another cookie.”
Hannah giggles.
“I’m not sad,” I promise.
Hannah hands me the cookie.
“Thanks,” I say. I break it into three pieces, and Noah grins.
“Come on, we can sit on my bed and play a game until it’s time to leave.”
“Really?” Hannah asks.
Something tells me she’s about to suggest Candyland. God, I hate that game.
“Candyland!” Hannah says.
I knew it. “Okay. Get Candyland.”
My moms can be so weird. They giggled on the way to the pizza place more than Noah does when he finds a worm. It was weird. Then they made mushy eyes at each other while we ate dinner. I’m glad we’re at school now. Maybe they’ll act like normal parents again.
Hannah grabs both of our moms’ hands and pulls them towards some pictures on the wall. “Look!” she says.
I hold Noah’s hand and stand beside Momma. Wow. Hannah is only five, and she can draw better than me. Most of the stuff at this show looks like blobs and stick figures. Hannah’s picture kind of looks like Mom and Momma. Momma is holding a fishing pole—I think that’s what it is. Mom is making cookies. I’m not sure if Mom is making cookies at the pond or if the pond is supposed to be in our kitchen. Noah would love a pond in the kitchen.
“It’s beautiful, Hannah,” Mom says.
Hannah looks up at our parents and grins.
A voice behind us makes everyone turn. “Hello.”
“Oh, Mrs. Morrison,” Mom says.
“I didn’t think I’d see you,” Hannah’s teacher says.
“I wouldn’t miss Hannah’s big night.”
“I’m glad to see you all here,” Mrs. Morrison says. She looks at me. “Hannah tells me you’ve been reading to her.”
“It’s no big deal,” I say.
“What have you been reading?” Momma asks.
I sigh. “Noah likes the Grover story,” I reply.
“Vicki makes voices like Mom does,” Hannah tells everyone.
Great. Can’t I have any secrets?
“Does she?” Mom asks.
“Yep.”
Noah grins. “Like Grover,” he says. “He’s a monster.” Noah makes claws with his hands and growls.
Momma turns her head. She’s laughing. I know she is. Mom is probably praying Noah doesn’t bring Grover home in a bucket.
“Well, it seems creativity runs in the Blake family,” Mrs. Morrison says.
“So, it would seem,” Mom agrees.
“I know Hannah’s been excited to show you her hard work. I hope to see you again soon,” Hannah’s teacher says before she heads off to talk to some other parents.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen Hannah smile so much as she leans against Mom.
“Excuse me.”
I look up to see a woman holding a little boy’s hand.
“Hi,” Mom says.
“I’m sorry to bother you. Luke is in Hannah’s class.”
Hannah blushes. Oh, no way! Hannah has a crush on him! Luke waves to Hannah. It’s kind of cute.
“Don’t be silly,” Mom says. She extends her hand. “Emma. This is my wife, Addy.”
Now, the woman blushes. Oh, boy. Does she have a crush on Mom?
“Yes, I know,” Luke’s mom says. “Rachel,” she introduces herself.
“Nice to meet you,” Momma replies.
And there it is! Rachel’s face looks like a plum. No way! I think she has a crush on Momma! Mom grins. She thinks so, too.
“Vicki!”
I spin around. Leo. Leo sits two desks away from me in class. “Hi, Leo,” I say.
“Hi.”
“How come you’re here?” I ask.
Leo points in the distance. “My little brother is in first grade.”
I nod.
Momma clears her throat. “Do you want to introduce us to your friend?”
“Oh. Right. Sure. Leo,” I say. “These are my parents. This is Leo. He’s in my class.”
“Hello, Leo.”
Leo looks at my mom. “Hi. You’re Vicki’s mom?”
Mom smiles. “I think so,” she teases him.
“Cool. My dad likes you. That’s what my mom says.”
I want to smack my head.
Momma bites her lip to keep from laughing.
“Everyone likes my mom,” Hannah says.
She doesn’t get it. I get it.
“Oh—I’m sorry,” a woman says. This must be Leo’s mom. She looks terrified or embarrassed. Maybe both.
“Leo.” She says it like Mom says my name when she wants me to be quiet.
Mom holds out her hand. “Emma,” she introduces herself.
“Oh, yes. Um. Linda—Leo’s mom. He talks about Vicki all the time.”
I look at Leo. I wonder if he likes me the way his dad likes Mom. Weird.
“I am sorry to bother you,” Leo’s Mom says.
“Please,” Mom says. “Don’t be sorry.”
“I’m sure the last thing you want is people bothering you, Ms. Bronson.”
I watch Mom take a deep breath. “Linda,” she says. “It’s Emma. Just Emma.” She looks down at Leo. “Or Mrs. Blake.”
“Please don’t worry about talking to us,” Momma says. They’ve been through this before. I can tell.
Leo’s mom nods. “It’s—we’ve never had anyone who’s?—”
“Famous?” I ask.
Everyone looks at me.
“What?” I ask. “We all know you're famous, Mom. Geez.”
Mom chuckles.
I look at Leo’s mother. “Don’t worry,” I tell her. “Momma will probably burn cookies for a bake sale, and Mom forgot it was her day once for carpool last year.”
“Vicki!” Momma says. She’s not mad, though. I know because she starts laughing, and so does Mom.
“And now, you have the real exposé,” Mom says.
They all start laughing. I don’t know why that’s funny. Parents can be so weird.
“Did you see the cool Lego rocket?” Leo asks me.
I shake my head.
“Mr. Danforth made it!”
Mr. Danforth is a fifth-grade teacher. All the kids think he’s cool. He was like an engineer or an astronaut or something. I don’t know. That’s what I heard. I think he helped build a real rocket.
“Want to go see it?” Leo asks.
I look at my parents.
“Go ahead,” Momma says. “We’ll catch up.”
I look back at my parents when we reach the other side of the gym. They’re laughing with a group of people. Noah is spinning around, and Hannah is clinging to Mom. It feels like home.
“Your moms are nice,” Leo says.
I turn to him and smile. “They’re okay,” I say. I look back, and Momma smiles at me. I won’t tell anyone this, but they’re a lot better than okay. They’re the best, and no matter how many people love them, they’re mine.
The End