Read Online Three's a Crowd (From the Files of Madison Finn, 16) by Laura Dower - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Laura Dower
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wasn’t being very nice to you.”
“Maddie,” Gramma said gently. “Your mother is under a lot of stress right now.”
“She never has time for me,” Madison said.
Gramma’s face looked stunned. “Is that what you really think?” Gramma asked. “Because she has to work a lot?”
Madison nodded. “Sometimes,” she said.
“Hmmm,” Gramma said. “Well, that isn’t good. You can’t walk around being secretly mad at your mother, can you?”
“Why not?” Madison grumbled. “I’m sick.”
Gramma chuckled. “I guess you do. Maddie, try to understand that your mother is very busy right now. It doesn’t mean she loves you less because she isn’t here in the house all the time. Or because she sends for me when she has a work conflict. You do understand that, don’t you?”
Madison gulped and nodded. She did understand. It just bugged her.
Gramma gave Madison a squeeze. “I’m here right now. What can I do for you?”
Madison squeezed back. “Nothing,” she said.
Gramma started chopping up tomatoes. “Maddie, I think it’s time to take your medicine.” She handed her a little cup.
Madison took the pill and headed back upstairs to close her laptop and clean up her room a little bit. She hadn’t coughed in almost half an hour. It was like a new world record. She was glad that Gramma had brought her portable vaporizer. That was making a big difference.
Josh’s bedroom window was open. She didn’t see any motion at first. But after a moment, out of nowhere, Josh appeared.
Madison grinned. Could he see her again?
The answer was obviously yes. Josh pulled up a yellow cardboard sign with one big, black word.
WHASSUP?
Madison giggled. She was more prepared to communicate now than she had been the day before. Madison took a sheet of paper and wrote her own word back.
HELLO
Even across their two yards, Madison could see Josh’s bright, wide smile. He really was cute. Josh held up another sign.
NAME?
Madison grinned. She briefly contemplated calling herself something different and mysterious, like Natasha, but in the end she wrote her real name.
MADISON
Then she wrote another question.
YOU?
Josh frantically scribbled his reply. Of course, Madison knew that answer in advance.
JOSH
They wrote one- and two-word notes to each other back and forth for a few minutes, mostly joking around. As they “chatted,” the sun began to fade in the sky. Josh turned on his lamp. His room was flooded with yellow light. Madison walked away from the window for a moment to turn on her light, too.
When she came back. Josh was gone. His light had been shut off. His blinds were drawn.
This wasn’t a good sign.
Madison stared and stared so long that she thought her eyes might stay stuck wide open. Was he coming back again?
Phinnie barked. He chased his tail around in circles. He liked to do that sometimes when he was hungry. Madison played with Phin on the carpet, but kept glancing over at Josh’s window—just in case.
No luck.
After dinner with Mom and Gramma, Madison checked the window again to see if Josh might have been there. When she didn’t see any signs of life (or light), Madison crashed on top of the quilt on her bed and made a secret wish.
I wish that Josh Turner would fall madly in love with me.
Madison felt a little dizzy. Her eyes got heavier than heavy.
And soon Madison Francesca Finn herself was out like a light.
Chapter 8
W HEN MADDIE OPENED HER eyes it was Saturday morning. Gramma stood over her, fluffing pillows.
“You fell asleep on top of the covers?” Gramma asked.
Madison was only half awake. “Yeah, yeah,” she mumbled to Gramma. “I’m warm enough. Don’t worry.”
“Maddie, I’m here to worry!” Gramma insisted.
Gramma chased Phin out of the room so she could gather clothes from the hamper. She straightened the books on Madison’s shelf.
Slowly, Madison dragged herself off the bed. “I don’t feel so good, though,” she said. “I’m achy
“Maddie,” Gramma said gently. “Your mother is under a lot of stress right now.”
“She never has time for me,” Madison said.
Gramma’s face looked stunned. “Is that what you really think?” Gramma asked. “Because she has to work a lot?”
Madison nodded. “Sometimes,” she said.
“Hmmm,” Gramma said. “Well, that isn’t good. You can’t walk around being secretly mad at your mother, can you?”
“Why not?” Madison grumbled. “I’m sick.”
Gramma chuckled. “I guess you do. Maddie, try to understand that your mother is very busy right now. It doesn’t mean she loves you less because she isn’t here in the house all the time. Or because she sends for me when she has a work conflict. You do understand that, don’t you?”
Madison gulped and nodded. She did understand. It just bugged her.
Gramma gave Madison a squeeze. “I’m here right now. What can I do for you?”
Madison squeezed back. “Nothing,” she said.
Gramma started chopping up tomatoes. “Maddie, I think it’s time to take your medicine.” She handed her a little cup.
Madison took the pill and headed back upstairs to close her laptop and clean up her room a little bit. She hadn’t coughed in almost half an hour. It was like a new world record. She was glad that Gramma had brought her portable vaporizer. That was making a big difference.
Josh’s bedroom window was open. She didn’t see any motion at first. But after a moment, out of nowhere, Josh appeared.
Madison grinned. Could he see her again?
The answer was obviously yes. Josh pulled up a yellow cardboard sign with one big, black word.
WHASSUP?
Madison giggled. She was more prepared to communicate now than she had been the day before. Madison took a sheet of paper and wrote her own word back.
HELLO
Even across their two yards, Madison could see Josh’s bright, wide smile. He really was cute. Josh held up another sign.
NAME?
Madison grinned. She briefly contemplated calling herself something different and mysterious, like Natasha, but in the end she wrote her real name.
MADISON
Then she wrote another question.
YOU?
Josh frantically scribbled his reply. Of course, Madison knew that answer in advance.
JOSH
They wrote one- and two-word notes to each other back and forth for a few minutes, mostly joking around. As they “chatted,” the sun began to fade in the sky. Josh turned on his lamp. His room was flooded with yellow light. Madison walked away from the window for a moment to turn on her light, too.
When she came back. Josh was gone. His light had been shut off. His blinds were drawn.
This wasn’t a good sign.
Madison stared and stared so long that she thought her eyes might stay stuck wide open. Was he coming back again?
Phinnie barked. He chased his tail around in circles. He liked to do that sometimes when he was hungry. Madison played with Phin on the carpet, but kept glancing over at Josh’s window—just in case.
No luck.
After dinner with Mom and Gramma, Madison checked the window again to see if Josh might have been there. When she didn’t see any signs of life (or light), Madison crashed on top of the quilt on her bed and made a secret wish.
I wish that Josh Turner would fall madly in love with me.
Madison felt a little dizzy. Her eyes got heavier than heavy.
And soon Madison Francesca Finn herself was out like a light.
Chapter 8
W HEN MADDIE OPENED HER eyes it was Saturday morning. Gramma stood over her, fluffing pillows.
“You fell asleep on top of the covers?” Gramma asked.
Madison was only half awake. “Yeah, yeah,” she mumbled to Gramma. “I’m warm enough. Don’t worry.”
“Maddie, I’m here to worry!” Gramma insisted.
Gramma chased Phin out of the room so she could gather clothes from the hamper. She straightened the books on Madison’s shelf.
Slowly, Madison dragged herself off the bed. “I don’t feel so good, though,” she said. “I’m achy
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