Free To Have and to Hold by Laura Dower Page B

see if the answers come true after the weekend is over. Have you ever done that before? I did a going to camp letter once and put into it that I wanted to win a soccer medal and I wanted to meet a boy and I did BOTH. So I think this letter is kind of like a good luck charm. You have to write answers like what you HOPE will happen.
    1. What will you see when you get off the plane?
    2. Who will you meet at the party in Texas? (Like hot guys!!!!)
    3. What will you wear to the wedding (including how you will fix your hair)?
    4. How many e-mails will you send to Aimee and Fiona? (And this answer must be at least five. One for every day you are away. OK?)
    Wait a minute Maddie, are you going to see Stephanie’s nephew at the party? What is his name again? Craig? Chris? I can’t remember!!!! Completely forgot to ask you about him. I know you were supposed to meet him a couple of times before.  I wonder if he’s cute.  Have you ever seen a picture? You didn’t say anything to us so we were wondering. I really wish I were going to the wedding too not just because it would be fun to go to Texas but so I could meet Craig and any other boys at a real wedding. Aren’t people there all mushy all the time? I’ve never been to a wedding so I have no clue but I hope so for your sake.  Oh I cannot wait to hear all about it!!!
    The most important thing to remember Maddie is that WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH and WE MISS YOU SO MUCH and you shouldn’t ever stress out because we are here for you 1000 percent. We will be right here the whole time you are gone. I hope that makes you feel better. Does it make you feel better? IT BETTER!!!!!!!!
    I know Fiona said this already but you have to write to us the very minute you get off the plane. You can E us from Texas right? We will try to get online and maybe we can have a chat on TweenBlurt.com or something too.  I know Fiona will be home a lot while her Dad gets better (yeah) so we’ll both write back a lot. And Blossom will keep an eye on Phinnie while u are gone.  Maybe he can even sleep over our house one night as long as my brothers don’t torture him. HA HA J/K Bye for now! Love, Aim
    P.S. Don’t forget to send us a copy of the stuff you make on the wedding college.  If we get any ideas for you we’ll send them. I know it will kick butt. LYAS! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo Fiona
    The flight was supposed to be four hours long, but it took five. Madison consumed three bags of mini pretzels, two root beers (she couldn’t believe they had her favorite drink on the plane!), and a rubbery turkey sandwich with a wilted salad. They showed a movie that she’d never seen, but the headset on her armrest didn’t work. She moved into the center seat of the row to watch, while Dad snoozed. He said he hadn’t had a good night’s sleep in a week.
    While Dad slept, Madison had another opportunity to work on her collage. She had already clipped out magazine pictures of happy faces and flowers. And she had glued a blue cord all around the edge of the page. Madison fiddled with more paper to finish it up. It was harder without scissors (which were absolutely not allowed on the plane for security reasons), but Madison discovered that she actually liked the torn edges even better than neat ones.
    Best of all, Dad didn’t wake up once.
    Once the plane landed, Dad grew fidgety—and more than a little grumpy, which was unusual for him. Madison had never seen him like that before. What had happened to Dad, who usually cracked jokes in stressful situations?
    It was also two hours earlier in Texas than it was in Far Hills. Madison reset her watch to match the clocks in the Houston airport.
    Dad hurried them into the terminal. They followed the signs for the baggage-claim area. Madison couldn’t wait to get the luggage and go. Stephanie would be meeting them on the lower level.
    Standing at the top of the escalator looking down, Madison saw her future stepmother waving frantically.
    “Hello, y’all!” Stephanie called