was almost as excited as her friend was. Malaya just nodded grinning and handed the note to Lily. This note was typed, but it was just as poetic as the last.
Malaya,
I cannot tell you how happy I was to see your response. If you hadn’t answered my letter, I would have truly suffered. I would love to go on a pre-dance date with you. I will go wherever you want, whenever you want. It’s your choice. I’ll meet you after school on Friday on the front steps of the school. I can’t wait to see your beautiful face.
Your Secret Admirer
“Wow, this guy really has a thing for you,” Lily said when she had finished reading. “I can see what Landon was saying though about his writing. He’s got to be a really sensitive guy to have been able to write with such feeling. I foresee candlelight dinners in your future.” Lily waved her hands and wiggled her fingers over an invisible crystal ball.
“I hope so,” Malaya said leaning against the nearest locker dreamily. “If he has baby blue eyes and is as muscular as the guy on the front of my mom’s trashy romance novel, I think I may just have to marry him.” Malaya let out a gigantic sigh at the thought of it, and began to walk down the hall. Lily just smiled and shook her head as she followed her friend to the exit doors. They walked out of the school together and climbed into Landon’s waiting car. All the way to Lily’s house they chattered about what Malaya’s mystery man would be like.
“Tall, dark and handsome,” Landon finally said determined. “Oh, and bald. Definitely bald.”
“Landon,” both girls cried out in unison. Landon just snickered at them as he turned onto Lily’s street. By the time they had reached Aunt Jenny’s kitchen table they were all laughing hysterically. Each one of them had added ridiculous characteristics to the mystery man. So far he was bald, had a handlebar mustache, and a hairy mole on the tip of his left ear. His favorite hobby was collecting acorns and he enjoyed playing the accordion with his feet.
“This guy is beginning to sound like my uncle Bart,” Malaya giggled.
“Maybe it is your uncle Bart,” Landon said playfully.
“I know,” Lily said ready to add to the latest model of the mystery man. “Maybe he’s got a quirky toe that he can wiggle on command.”
“Lily,” Malaya said somewhat annoyed, but still laughing. “I have a toe that can wiggle on command.”
“Oh, yeah,” Lily remembered. “Sorry.” They all burst out in another chorus of laughter. When they had finally calmed down Lily propped her crutches against the door frame of the pantry to search for something to eat. Her hunt didn’t last long and when she emerged from the pantry she met two silent, wary faces.
“What’s wrong?” She set the package of chocolate cookies she was holding on the nearest countertop. Landon picked up a small package that had been resting on the kitchen counter.
“It’s from Las Vegas,” he said handing it to her. It had her name on it typed in bold black letters as well as instructions that Lily should be the only one to open it. She held the package in her hands and took a deep breath before pulling a knife from a drawer to cut the packing tape that held the box together. She set the package on the table and opened the flaps that concealed its contents. Lily reached her hand inside the box cautiously as if a tiny lion might me hiding inside it just waiting for her hand to get close enough before pouncing. Instead of a lion she pulled out a bubble wrapped object and an envelope. She set the envelope on the table beside the box and unwound the bubble wrap to find a heavy, grayish green paper weight. It was a miniature of the Statue of Liberty. Lily passed it to Malaya’s waiting hand, and then turned back to the envelope. She ripped it open and pulled out its contents. In her hand she held three round-trip airplane tickets to New York and a typed note. It was short and to the point.
Miss Harrison,
Here are the plane tickets for you and your friends. As you can see your plane leaves the Tuesday evening before Thanksgiving. I want you to have as much time in New York as you can. If you choose to join our team, you will be spending a lot