Best Buds by Catherine R. Daly

Author:Catherine R. Daly [Catherine R. Daly,]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-545-38878-8
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Published: 2011-01-28T16:00:00+00:00

Aster and I looked at each other. She shook her head in disbelief.

“What’s up with Poppy?” Rose asked with a yawn. “She’s being kind of annoying.”

Chapter Seven

“Okay, let me get this down correctly,” said Mom into the phone. “You want to double the amount of branches and crystals, add a rose petal and crystal garland, and change the chocolate artichokes to gardenias.” She wrote down the information in her notebook. “You do know how expensive gardenias are, don’t you?” She listened for a moment. “Okay, fine. No problem then. Yes, you can drop off the new magazine picture. Yes, I’ll be sure to follow it exactly.” She nodded. “Okay — I ‘ll have a sample to show you tomorrow and we’ll have to place the final flower order right afterward to get the flowers in time. See you then.”

Mom hung up the phone and sighed. Apparently, an even more grandiose celebrity centerpiece had caught Ashley’s eye, and she wanted Mom to copy that one instead.

“Luckily I have a few gardenia branches left over from Oscar’s last order so I can do a sample arrangement,” Mom said.

“It’s Olivia all over again,” I said. Olivia Post — Ashley’s cousin, go figure — had been our demanding bridezilla client in the spring.

Mom nodded in agreement. “I think Ashley is meshuga,” she said, tapping her index finger to her temple. I laughed as I heard the Yiddish word — which means “crazy” — come out of Mom’s mouth. Mom is Catholic and Dad is Jewish, but they both had embraced each other’s backgrounds completely.

“Well, if you think that’s crazy, I heard that Ashley went down to Boston to sample special birthday cakes,” I told her. “They apparently cost hundreds of dollars each.”

“Whoa,” said Mom. “Those Edwardses just like to throw their money away. As if we don’t have the best bakery right here in town.”

I nodded. Bella’s Bakery had been around since my mom was little and their cakes are melt-in-your-mouth incredible.

“Well, if I ever have a birthday party,” I said, “I would serve Bella’s strawberry shortcake for dessert.” I smiled thinking about it. It was made with just-picked local berries and fresh cream. Mmmm-mmmm good.

Ring-a-ling-ling! The store bell chimed as the rest of the Bloom family made their entrance. Aster, in a black sundress, Rose in pink shorts and a white tank top and surprise, surprise, Poppy in a pair of pink shorts and a white tank top. I did a double take — Poppy’s clothes were several sizes too big on her and I deduced that she had raided Rose’s closet. Poppy apparently had not been able to locate a belt and had a piece of yarn looped around her waist, holding her shorts up rather precariously.

Rose, my somewhat self-centered sister, was completely clueless about her mini-me. Aster caught me staring at Poppy and gave me a small grin.

“You’re just glad it isn’t still you,” I said.

Aster shrugged sheepishly.

“We came to pick you guys up!” Poppy squealed excitedly.

“Yeah,” said Rose. “Dad took us to the Elwood Falls Historical Society today.

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