BRILLIANT HUES

8/13/2019 BRILLIANT HUES

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We sprinted toward dry land but the wave slammed intoour legs anyway, soaking us to our waists. Pips shrieked andhigh-footed it out of the water, untangling seaweed frombetween her toes.

She draped a slimy strand over my shoulder and grinned.Wanna go again?

My crazy best friend. No matter how much had changed,Pips was still Pips.

I tossed the seaweed back at her. Are you kidding me?Youre out of practice.A year in Michigan can do that to you. I threw her an

evil grin. Im not sure what your excuse is.Higgins and Cocoa waited, tails wagging, their eyes fol-

lowing my every move.Cocoa is gonna tackle you. Pips took the ball out of

my sweatshirt pocket and pitched it into the water. Higgins watched, head cocked, as Cocoa leapt into the waves.I scratched his ears. You going to learn to swim today,

Higgins?Higgy licked my nose and then tore into the water after

Cocoa.Guess thats a yes, Pippa said. Wanna dry out?I brushed the sand off my hands. Good call.Higgins and Cocoa caught up to us halfway back to the

towels, soaking us again as they shook seawater out of theirfur. Pips threw the ball and the dogs chased one anotherback to the water. Mom and Pippas mom, Alexis, had founda spot further down the beach where they busily covered

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their arms and legs with sunscreen. Mom always said thatcloudy days gave you the worst sunburns of all. I shivered,but I didnt really mind the cold. Being here at the beach,having Mom with us, was almost too good to be true. It

wasnt like her Chronic Fatigue Syndrome was gone or any-thing. Mom still got tired and had to take it easy lots of thetime, but ever since we talked really talked and prom-ised each other to stop pretending nothing was wrong, shed

had much more energy.Ill get the sunscreen from Mom. The dogs bounded

toward us soaking wet from the waves. You keep the craziesoff our towels.

Pips grimaced. Right. Wish me luck.Mom and Alexis stopped talking when I got close.Secrets? I asked.

Usually, sudden silences from them ended up with adetour to frozen yogurt or the movies. But as they eyed eachother strangely, I wondered if this time wasnt that kind ofsecret.

Everything okay? Without meaning to, I looked over my shoulder at the

rocks on the bluff, where Mom and I used to come to tryto catch the wind, back before she got sick. When the wind

whipped through my fingers and tugged at the ends of myhair, nearly lifting me up off the rocks, it blew away bad feel-ings too. Like the time Pips and I got in an enormous fightover which cake to bake for her sisters birthday, or the day mygoldfish died. No matter how impossible things seemed when



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I climbed up, after trying to catch the wind, Id climb downlight and clean and ready for whatever might come next.

Mom smiled at Alexis. There Sadie goes, worryingabout me again.

When shes the one plowing full steam into the ocean, Alexis said. You girls make sure to dry off. Its cold.

I grinned. No kidding. Can we borrow the sunscreen?Mom handed me the bottle. Sure. And watch Hig, will

you? The beach is new for him.Did you see his flying leap into the ocean?Thats what I mean. He might decide to join the seals

or something. Just then, Higgins slimed me with his sandy nose, and

amazingly, dropped the ball. I threw it again and then tookthe sunscreen back to Pips.

This game might never end, I told her as we latheredup and the dogs raced toward the ball.

Theyll get tired soon. She pointed to a Labradoodlethat bounced over to join Higgy and Cocoa in the waves.Or distracted.

The three dogs chased one another up the beach, sendingfoam into the air behind them.

Doesnt take much to make them happy. I twisted

my star earring around in a circle. Before I left Owl Creekfor California, Andrew had given me the earrings. Theymatched the necklace hed given me for Easter.

Dont be sad, Pips said. Youre here now, with me. Ivebeen waiting for this all year.



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Im not sad.But you miss Andrew and Ruth and everything. She

nudged me, smiling. I know.Pips could still see right through me.She took out her iPhone and jealousy stabbed through

me yet again. My parents were making me wait for my 13th birthday all the way in August to let me get my ownphone.

Pippa tapped her photo app. While the dogs are busy,Ill catch you up.The first picture was of all the girls, arms around each

other, in front of a bank of lockers.This was the first day of school last year. Pips said,

turning pages quickly, past pictures of lockers the girls haddecorated for friends on birthdays and game days, stoppingon a page with the girls all making posters.

Alice ran for school secretary last year, and lost by threevotes to this girl named Margo, so shes been planning nextyears campaign ever since.

Did Bri get contacts? I pointed to the next picture.Yes! And you wouldnt believe how much drama there

was for weeks while she figured out how to wear them. Iswear, she had to go to the office almost every day because

she kept losing them in her eyes.The next picture showed the girls dressed up in sparkly

dresses, with boys standing next to them.The Holiday Ball, Pips said.Juliet went with Rickey?



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His Im-about-to-make-trouble grin, and out of controlhair clashed with his suit and tie.

Yeah, and probably you dont want to bring it up,either, Pips said. He put a lizard in her purse when she

wasnt looking.I could just see Juliet batting the lizard away, dancing

like a crazy marionette even after the lizard was long gone.Pips grinned. She still hasnt forgiven him.

I bet.Pips swiped past picture after picture. Alice organizingpranks around campus, Bri winning an award for a pair ofshoes she designed at Spring Break camp, Pippa and Aliceholding the 1st place soccer trophy above their heads, grin-ning wildly. Alice was in a lot of pictures with Pips, and

Juliet and Bri were together a lot too. Like theyd paired off,kind of. I played with a loose thread on my jeans and swal-lowed back worry. I loved all the girls, and I knew theyd behappy I was home now. Still, it seemed like the space I usedto fill wasnt there anymore. Not after theyd had all theseexperiences without me.

Pips swiped quickly past a video of some girl in the mall,and on to another picture of all four girls.

Who was that? I asked.

No one, Pips said, a little too quickly.Pips . . . I said.But she wasnt looking at her phone anymore. I followed

her gaze down to the ocean.Wheres Higgins? she asked.



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Cocoa was bouncing around in the waves with theLabradoodle, but Higgins wasnt anywhere nearby. Myheart started to pound and I stood, scanning the beach. Hecouldnt have gone far. But what had I been thinking justletting him run wild? I knew better.

I squinted into the sun, and finally saw him, far downthe beach. I broke into a run.

Wait, Sadie Pippa said.

I didnt wait. My mouth was still bitter with dread fromthose few seconds when I thought Id lost Higgins, and I wouldnt feel right until I had his leash clipped to his collar. As I neared, I realized he was circling a man. Even thoughHiggins wagged his tail, I slowed. Something didnt feelright about the man. He clearly had treats or something inhis pocket that Higgins wanted. The man locked eyes withme, grabbed Higgins collar and waited. He didnt smile. Istopped a few feet away from the man, not sure what to do.

Your dog, right? the man asked. Sadie Douglas?Okay, something definitely wasnt right. I wanted Higgins,now. I took a step backward.

Are you Sadie Douglas? the man repeated, as though Imight not have heard him the first time.

I glanced over my shoulder. Pips had followed me, thank

goodness, but she was still far enough away that she probablycouldnt hear this conversation.Hurry, Pips.

I held out my hand. Here, Hig.Its okay, the man said. I know your dad. I work with

your dad, actually.



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Higgins? My voice quavered.Whats going on? Pippa asked, coming up next to me.

Hello, she said to the man and frowned. Thanks forcatching Higgins for us.

She stepped forward to take Higgins collar, but the mangrabbed her wrist. I bit my lip to keep from screaming. It

was like watching one of those movies they show in schoolabout what not to do around strangers.

Sharp barking sounded from behind me, and Cocoabounded up, his hackles raised. Higgins started barkingtoo and snapped at the man, who let go of both Pips andHiggins, surprised. Both dogs turned toward him, growling.Id never seen either of them act this way.

Call off your dogs, the man said.Yeah, right, Pips said.Shoulder to shoulder, Higgins and Cocoa closed in on

the man. He backed away, his hands raised. I wanted to grabHiggy and run with Pips up the beach, but then Id have toturn my back on this man.

Just tell your dad, the man said. Tell him that Karl wants to talk to him.

He tossed a piece of paper toward us. And give himthat.

Higgins and Cocoa didnt budge as he turned and joggedaway. As the distance between us grew, my muscles relaxeduntil I collapsed onto my knees in the sand and buried myface in Higgins fur.

Um . . . What just happened? Pips knelt down next



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to me. You okay? Who was that guy, anyway? I thoughtyour dad was working with Tyler, from my grandmaschurch.

I couldnt stop shivering.Pippa picked up the note and read it. It says: Be careful

who you side with.She rubbed her wrist and stared after the man. I watched

her anger fade away, and the realization of all the things that

could have happened come over her.Sadie . . . she said, her voice a little shaky now.I know . . . I whispered.Mom and Alexis werent even looking at us. We leashed

up the dogs, ran back up the beach, and told our moms whathad happened.

Mom grabbed the note from me. Wheres this man? Alexis gave Mom a dont-overreact look. Its okay, Cindy.

The girls are okay.Even though Id been really scared, Moms reaction sur-

prised me, almost as though she had expected somethingbad to happen today. Her hands shook as she stuffed thingsinto her bag.

Are we leaving? I asked.Girls, grab your things and get in the car now.

Mom rarely used this tone of voice. Pips and I ran for ourtowels, scooped everything into our arms and raced the dogsto the parking lot. Once we were all in the car, Alexis lockedthe doors and started the engine.

Whats going on? Pips asked.



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Alexis put the car in gear. I dont want you girls to worry.

I shot a questioning look at Pips and she shrugged back.Our moms were silent, and in the mirror I could see theirmatching grave expressions. Something was going on,something bigger than what Pippa and I had told them,something bad enough to swallow up all the air in the car.Higgins curled up in my lap and Cocoa flopped onto Pips. I

scratched Higgys ears, my questions hot and scratchy in mythroat, as we turned onto the highway and headed towardhome.



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made everything crazy. Maybe it was selfish of me, but Idbeen looking forward to a break from worrying about Dads

work. Couldnt he just be Dad? Dad who obsessed overmaking perfect eggs, and who could make anyone laugh nomatter how bad they felt.

In fact, I needed a break. I had enough problems of myown: Andrew, missing everyone in Michigan, trying to fitback in here. I swirled my finger in the bubbles, shaping

them into peaks and valleys. Jangly. Thats how I felt, likesomeone had shaken up my insides and now all the partsof me ricocheted off one another, trying to find where theybelonged. It didnt make sense, really. I was home now, afterbeing away for so long. Home, where I was supposed to fitperfectly. Settling into Owl Creek had been like inventing anew life harder than I expected, but at least I had seemedto be moving forward. Now, coming home, felt like goingbackwards, back to who Id been before I left. And I was

just . . . different.I missed Ruth. And Vivian. And even Frankie, whod

Id already been away from for a few months, ever since shemoved to New York to live with her mom. Then there wasthe terrible pang every time I thought about Andrew, likeiron fists clamping around my lungs.

Maybe tomorrow, when the girls came for the sleepover,Id start to settle in. Id figure out how Old Sadie fit, and

where New Sadie fit, and stop feeling like Id developedmultiple personality disorder.

My skin was starting to wrinkle. I opened the drain and



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turned on the shower, splashing the sides of the tub to getrid of the extra bubbles. Once the soap was gone, I wrappedmyself in an oversized towel and went to find pjs.

Probably it would be time to eat soon. Still, Id wait formy parents to call me, since they obviously didnt want toinclude me in their conversation. I hadnt had a real drawingsession since Id been in my new bedroom and I couldnt

wait to draw every nook and cranny, every angle and shadow.

Higgins opened one eye and then closed it again as I sat withhim on the bed.The ocean took it out of you, huh, Hig? I scratched his

ears and then opened my sketchbook.Frankies envelope fell out. It had been waiting in the

mailbox when we drove in from our trip across the country.I pulled out the letter, which Id already read about a hun-dred times.

Hey Sadie Just when Im about to come back to town, you

leave. Youre not forgiven. LOL. Dads spending thsummer in Owl Creek, so I get to live with him untSeptember. Yes! Art lessons with Vivian! But it wo the same without you. We found this project, for allus you, me and Viv. We bought a sketchbook fromgroup of artists. It has a theme doorways. Weresupposed to fill up the sketchbook and then send it to be part of a national touring art display. Viv think we should draw on paper and paste our work onto t



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pages, collage style. That way all three of us can won the sketchbook together. And the great thing abo that is you can paint or whatever. What do you thinWill you do it with us? I hope so!!! Mail your stuff Vivs house, well, trailer. I wonder how long shell live in the trailer while they finish rebuilding her hoAnyway, I guess being in the trailer is better than thapartment in Hiawatha. Ill scan the pictures VivianI draw too, and send you attachments by email so ycan see everything.

Miss you!!Frankie I missed Owl Creek. Eventually, Id find doorways and

paint them, but right now, I grabbed a pencil, wanting todraw without planning first. As the image took shape onmy page, I realized I wasnt even drawing my room, like Idthought I wanted to. The curving lines of Pippas face staredup at me, freckles scattered across her nose, her mouth tippedup in a grin. Her long brown hair was already streaked withsummer blonde, probably from her late-season soccer games.

When Id left last summer, wed been pretty well matched

as far as sports went. She was more of a natural athlete thanI was, but wed been able to play together. Now, after all ofher practice, wed for sure be on different teams.

So what was I worried about? That things would be dif-ferent with Pips now? Was it all the pictures of Alice and



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Pippa together? Did I really feel like I wouldnt fit anymore with the girls whod been my friends forever?

Someone started pounding on the front door. The soundcarried clearly up the stairs to my loft not a please-let-me-in knock. Very definitely, this was an Im-coming-in-

whether-you-like-it-or-not knock. Higgins barked andcharged down to the door. I stopped, pencil in mid-air, myinsides turning to ice.

To your mat, Higgins! Dads commanding voiceechoed in the downstairs hall.Dad was the only person Higgins obeyed, and only when

he used this now-or-else tone of voice.The knocking stopped suddenly, and Dads voice,

smooth, calming, began, Im sorry, youll have to A voice, gritty with emotion, cut him off. Just give me

a chance to explain.Something about the mans words drew me, maybe

because his voice was vaguely familiar, or maybe just becausehe sounded so desperate to speak. He sounded the way I feltsometimes, when my feelings seemed ready to explode out ofme if I didnt tell someone. I closed my sketchbook, tiptoedover to the landing, and peeked over.

Dad had only opened the door about a foot, and he stood

in the gap barring the way into our house. I could hardly seethe man, only the side of his face reddened with anger, andhis tousled, black hair. The man from the beach. I shiveredand rubbed at the goosebumps that now covered my arms.

I will hear you out, Dad said. But in my office, where



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we can record your statement and try to get to the bottomof

The man cursed and then shouted, I dont care aboutprotocol.

Dad didnt raise his voice. Coming to my house, talkingto me outside working hours, can only damage the media-tion process.

The man slammed his fist against the doorframe. Listen

to me.Dad began to turn his head toward the landing, asthough he sensed me watching. I ducked down behind theledge just in time, and heard him walk outside and close thedoor.

I didnt dare go downstairs, but I had to hear more, or atleast know that Dad was okay, out there with the crazy man.

Carefully, quietly, I slid my front window open until Icould hear their voices again.

. . .Unreasonable, the man was saying.Thats what mediation is all about, Karl, Dad said.

Figuring out what is reasonable and deciding on a logicalcourse of action.

Now I had a name at least Karl.There is no logic with Tyler, Karl said. Hes been like

this since we were kids. Always wanting to save the world, asthough he can invent some magical device and no one willever be in pain again.

But you knew this about him when you started the proj-ect, Dad said.



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I didnt know hed be so stubborn and blind, Karl said.I didnt know hed want to wait to test people until it wastoo late.

Tests havent been conclusive either way, Dad said. Wedont know that Tylers plan wont work.

Testing kids. Karl spat out the word kids as thoughit tasted as bitter as ash. Are you going to explain to a dador mom or brother that youre sorry, but the treatment just

didnt work? Youre sorry they hoped so hard and wentthrough so much, but due to circumstances his voicecracked and for an astonished minute I thought he mightbe crying. Crying?

Karl . . . Dad began.I will get what I want. Now Karls voice was low and

threatening. No matter what. Having me on your doorstep

will be the least of your problems.Karl, you cannot continue to harass my family. We have

to What? Follow protocol? Sure thing, Matthew Douglas.

Ill make absolutely sure to dot my is and cross my ts.Footsteps sounded on the porch, as though Karl had

pushed past Dad. He strode out from under the eaves and I

watched him wrench his car door open.Dad called after him, Karl . . . Karl squealed out of the driveway. I felt colder than I had

on the beach. The conversation didnt piece together. Thecrazy guy from the beach, Karl, clearly disagreed with Dads



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client, Tyler, about the device. Karl had mentioned testingkids. For cancer? Why would that make Karl so angry?

I need to report an incident, Dad said, still outside.He must have called the police.Yes, Dad continued. Im a mediator and one of the

parties dropped by my house and threatened my family. Healso approached my daughter and her friend earlier today atthe beach. He grabbed my daughters friend by the wrist.

There was a long pause before Dad continued. No, hedidnt force entry. After another pause, he sighed heavily.He seemed unstable, but no, he didnt hurt me or anyoneelse. Dad listened and only barely controlled the irritationin his voice as he said, Yes, I understand. Still, Id thinkyoud want to do something before he actually commits acrime.

Dad said goodbye and as the front door opened and shut,I quietly closed the window.

Sades, Dad called up to me. Come on down fordinner.

I swallowed hard, strategizing. Dad would know Idheard part of the conversation, but not that Id heard it all.Should I pretend I hadnt eavesdropped? Or just let all ofmy questions tumble out? Would I even have a choice once I

looked Dad in the eye? I shoved my hands into my pocketsand tried to look relatively normal as I headed downstairs.



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