Free Portia's Exclusive and Confidential Rules on True Friendship by Anna Hays Page B

butterflies. Mornings are usually the times she enjoys perfecting her skillful interpretations.
    Frederick interrupts his morning leftover pomegranate waffle to chase my PDA (which has mysteriously found its way to the kitchen floor), swatting at it like it’s some sort ofgiant bug. When I finally retrieve it, I see that I have a message from Misty. She’s super psyched that Sweet Sunshine is “coming home” today. She instructs me to meet her at the front entrance of school and promises that she’ll be prompt!
    Indigo gathers her necessities for another busy day at The Tent. She juggles freshly picked limes and lemons from our backyard, then packs them into her “Green Is My Favorite Color” hemp bag. She tosses a small piece of lettuce into the soy mayo jar presently housing Sweet Sunshine, providing the three-legged insect with some morning nourishment. “We’ll get back to your dreams later, Portia. I expect a full report.”
    Trying to make my mother happy, at least until she discovers that there are in fact no dreams to report, I respond, “Okay, Mom.”
    7:47 A.M.,
P ALMVILLE S TREET
    I hold the jar containing Sweet Sunshine on my lap. My knapsack rests precariously on the car floor infront of me. Our hybrid quietly heads toward town. I watch Frederick sitting at the edge of the driveway, staring at our car. I stare back at him, even though he can’t see me.
    At the first red light, Indigo glances down at Sweet Sunshine, who is happily chewing on her piece of fresh homegrown lettuce. “We make quite a team, don’t we?”
    â€œYes. That was an inspiring rescue last night!”
    â€œI was wondering how the case with Misty is progressing. Has the Sweet Sunshine rescue provided you with any new insights?”
    â€œIt’s confidential, Mom. Anything I’ve told you about the case, and what’s happened between you, me, and Sweet Sunshine, is entirely classified.”
    With a smile on her face, she calmly says, “You can count on me. I won’t reveal anything to anyone at any time, now or in the future.” She stops the car at the front entrance of Palmville Middle School and sneaks a kiss on my cheek. “Have a beautiful day at school.”
    I place Sweet Sunshine securely on the passenger seat while I grab my knapsack and step out to greet the world of middle school once again. Indigo zooms off, but then I see her put on the brakes and carefully back up. Throughthe opened window, she hands me Sweet Sunshine. “I think you forgot something. Or should I say, someone.”
    â€œThanks, Mom. Good luck with the pomegranates.” This time she zooms off and keeps going all the way to The Tent to start her long day of inventing recipes and baking, roasting, and grilling vegetarian, preservative-free delights.
    8:01 A.M., T HE F RONT S TEPS ,
P ALMVILLE M IDDLE S CHOOL
    I prep for the much rumored math quiz while waiting for Misty, who seems to be late a lot. I quickly make a note of this fact and then get back to math madness. As I search for the chapter that I’m certain we’ll be tested on, the postcards that Vera had given Misty fall to the bottom concrete step just below me. I lean forward to gather all three of them, quickly glancing at the short messages on each card. The words send my imagination spinning back in time to when they were written. For fun, I try to picture the people who wrote them.
    POSTCARD #1:
A FADED IMAGE OF A BOUQUET OF INTERWEAVING VIOLETS.
    Valentine…
    Please rush to me now. For our lives are destined to be together.
    Forever yours,
    Willie
    Willie was surely young and in love. Maybe he was on leave from a World War.
    POSTCARD #2:
A PHOTO OF M OUNT R USHMORE WITH A SCRIPTED MESSAGE ,
“F ACES OF THE F ABULOUS F OUR .”
    Dear Aunt Sylvia,
    Just a line to let you know that we got this far without any trouble, not even a flat!
    Love from Etienne, Joseph, and Rose
    The third postcard