Free The Brightest Stars of Summer by Leila Howland

grandmother, who lived in Florida. Zinnie remembered visiting her when she was very little, but for the past several years she hadn’t been well enough to have visitors. But once, many years ago, she had been a great beauty and, their Mom said, a whole lot of fun.
    â€œIt’s really sad she missed your wedding,” Marigold said. “Mom said that she used to love parties.”
    â€œShe certainly did,” Aunt Sunny said. “She was such a social butterfly before she became ill.”
    â€œHow are you going to fit eighty people in here?” Marigold asked.
    â€œWe’re going to put up a party tent right there,” Aunt Sunny said, pointing to the lawn. “There’ll be a dance floor and a buffet and even a platform where Tony’s band is going to play. And we’ll have ten tables where people will eat their dinner. We’ll need place cards so people know where to sit, and of course tablecloths and napkins. I have a great collection of them in the attic, but they need to be sorted. Can you believe all of this hadn’t even occurred to me? I’m so glad you girls are here to help!”
    â€œWe need balloons, too,” Zinnie suggested. “Everyone loves balloons.”
    â€œBalloons are festive,” Aunt Sunny said, “but they also create debris and pose a hazard for wildlife, andas the director of the Piping Plover Society, I’m afraid I can’t have that.”
    â€œI didn’t know that,” Zinnie said.
    â€œHow about shells and flowers as decorations for the tables?” Marigold suggested, realizing that arts and crafts was something normal that she could be good at. “You have a whole garden full of flowers, and we can collect shells at the town beach.”
    â€œMarigold, that’s a lovely idea!” Aunt Sunny said. “But I want to make something very clear. As glad as I am for your help and as much as I need it, you girls are here to relax and have fun. Kids are so overscheduled these days. I’m hoping that you girls will follow your whims, climb the trees, ride the waves. When we were your age, my sisters and I thought of our own adventures every day. We had chores, but for the most part our time was ours. That’s what I wish for you.”
    Marigold smiled. This sounded perfect to her.
    â€œOh gosh, now look at the time. I’ve got to get to work. I’ve packed you both lunches. They are in the fridge. Don’t forget to pick up Lily at three o’clock.”
    â€œOf course!” Marigold said.
    â€œAnd would you mind stopping by the yacht club for me? Jean and Mack make the most delicious blackberry jam, which they serve for yacht club brunches. Jean said she’d be happy to give me some jars of it for the wedding cake.”
    â€œNo problem,” Marigold said. Jean and Mack werePeter’s parents. Mack was the manager of the yacht club. Stopping by to pick up the jam would give her the perfect excuse to see Peter.
    She had everything to look forward to: a day at the town beach, the possibility of seeing Peter Pasque, and the chance to reinvent herself, one ordinary outfit at a time.

13 • The First Mission
    J ust as they had done many times last summer, Zinnie and Marigold walked down the road to the beach. Zinnie kept her eyes peeled and her mind open. She had her notebook and pen in her back pocket as she looked for a story. “Remember, stories are everywhere,” Mrs. Lee had written in her email. “Some are hidden and some are in plain sight.” Zinnie ran her hand along the stone wall, its texture rough under her fingers. She looked at the names on the mailboxes. She observed the flowers in the gardens they passed, the telephone wires above her, and the sound of Marigold’s flip-flops slapping her heels as she walked beside her. Where were the stories?
    When they reached Harbor Road, she studied the boats at their moorings. The clouds cast shadows on the