EllRay Jakes Is Magic (15 page)

There’s ice cream floating in the punch, did I say?

And out from the supply closet comes a big wrapped gift. “For us? What could it be?” Ms. Sanchez asks.

I actually feel sorry for her! I mean, a
vacuum cleaner
? Even if she and her new husband can dance around with it?

But she and Mr. Timberlake look really happy when they open it, which is just sad. I
never
want to grow up if it means that getting a vacuum cleaner is the best thing that happens to you all day. And one present for two people? What’s up with that?

“Thanks,” they’re telling everyone, sounding like they mean it.

“
We
have something for you, too, Ms. Sanchez,” Cynthia announces loudly, as if the wedding shower book was all her idea and she didn’t keep saying how hard it was going to be to make it. “We did it all by ourselves,” Cynthia adds. “Fiona will go get it for you.”

And Fiona trots off looking for the cardboard box she brought with her today. She comes back a few seconds later holding a gift-wrapped package with a big, fancy, white-and-silver bow on it. “Here,” she says shyly, handing the present to Ms. Sanchez.

“We know nothing about this,” one of the moms calls out, holding up her hands to show how innocent
the grown-ups are. And they laugh.

“Help me open it?” Ms. Sanchez asks Mr. Timberlake, and together, they tear off the wrapping paper. And there’s our book. “
Oh
,” Ms. Sanchez exclaims, holding it up for all to see.

Fiona really did great, I think as I stare at the cover. It shows a beautiful bride who looks like a cross between Ms. Sanchez and Barbie, and, as promised, lace ruffles outline the edges of the picture. Glued-down pearls are scattered all around.

Alfie looks like she’s about to grab that book and run for the door, it’s so pretty.

“I love it,” Ms. Sanchez tells us, holding it to her chest and giving Fiona a special look that says without words how much she likes the cover.

“But that’s not all,” Cynthia says, still in charge. “Because inside, we each wrote what we like about you.”

“And we gave you some advice about getting married,” Emma adds.

“Oh, boy. This I gotta see,” one of the mothers says.

“Maybe someday we’ll share it with you,” Ms. Sanchez tells the parents. “But we get to read it
first. After all, the children made it for us.”

For
you
, Ms. Sanchez. For you.

“So let’s get on with the party,” she says, holding the wedding book tight. She takes a peek inside, and a sunny smile spreads across her face—like the yellow frosting decorating Alfie’s golden-brown face.

“We’re good for another ten minutes, anyway,” Stanley’s dad announces. “Because the custodian says we need to start cleaning up pretty soon.”

“Aww,” a few kids groan. But most of the food is gone, and the presents have been handed over, so why hang around?

“Scrape your plates when you’re done, everyone, and then put them in the recycling bag,” the recycling mom calls out. I think it’s Fiona’s mother. She looks a little Fiona-ish. “Punch cups, too,” she adds.

“Punch cups, three,” Corey says to Kevin and me, being goofy.

“Punch cups, four,” Kevin chimes in.

My two best friends are back. For now, anyway.

It’s magic!

And even though my new illusions are stashed
away in my mom’s car, in my new-old briefcase, I suddenly feel like there is magic all over the place. Because apart from my two friends and me being tight again, isn’t it also magic that Fiona, the shyest girl in our class, is now standing in the middle of a bunch of admiring kids, all because of the art she made?

And isn’t it magic that I turned from a shrimpy, goof-up kid into a magician who didn’t hurl or keel over during the all-school talent show?

Me, EllRay Jakes!

And isn’t it magic that my dad came through for me the way he did?

MAGIC
all over the place!

And it’s only April.

I can tell that Ms. Sanchez loves our book. It’s her best present by
far.
She’s reading even more of it now, in fact, and flashing each of us that special look she gave Fiona a few minutes ago.

Hey, she’s walking in my direction! “Hello, there,” she says when she reaches me. “A little
bird told me that this book was your idea. We can’t thank you enough.”

We.

“That’s okay,” I mumble, staring at my sneakers. “I hope you like it. Everybody worked on it,” I add, remembering to be fair.

Ms. Sanchez sinks down, pins a daisy
boutonniere
to my good shirt, then puts her arm around my shoulder. She gives it a squeeze. “I’ll remember you forever, Mr. EllRay Jakes,” she says, speaking softly into my embarrassed ear. “I’m glad we have more time together before we have to say good-bye. Who knows what fun our class will still have? But when the time finally comes, remember that I’ll always be here for you—just down the hall from wherever you are. Or someone like me will be down that hall, if they’re lucky.”

“Really?” I say, looking up into her sparkly brown eyes.

“Really,” she promises. “You can count on it.”

“Well, okay, then,” I say, trying to make a joke out of it. “I guess you can go ahead and marry that guy.”

“Thanks, sweetie,” she whispers, giving me another hug.

She calls me “sweetie” sometimes. I’m just now getting used to it.

Ms. Sanchez stands up, straightens her skirt, and goes off to talk to somebody else.

But that’s all right, because no one can ever take this day away from me.

ABRACADABRA!