Chapter 4

Timmy concealed himself by the bushes as he made his way to the Pier. People were still busily milling about even though dusk was approaching. The crowds of people made it easy for Timmy to hide amongst them. Although it was a very rushed atmosphere, it was also very pleasant. Timmy wished he could be a part of the action. Alas, he had to get the notes from Tabitha to Grace and Jessica.

Timmy went to the backside of the nearest booth and quickly ducked under it as two voices were approaching.

“Geez, bro, did you catch that stuff about the Cranes this morning. Soon it’ll be me and Sheridan.” It was Hank.

Sam voice came next. “I don’t watch that junk.”

“What the news?”

“No. Anything involving those jerks.” Sam said angrily and slid a board under the booth, which just barely missed Timmy.

“I know everyone hates the Cranes, but Sam you always seem to have this hatred that seems so personal towards them. Did one of the Cranes cross your path when you were younger?” Hank joked.

There was an uncomfortable pause followed by Sam saying, “Come on, we have to get those boxes from Pilar before tomorrow.”

Sam and Hank left and Timmy let out a sigh of relief as he wiggled out from under the booth. He stayed hidden behind the various set-ups, and soon saw Grace. She was talking with Eve and Simone. Timmy found the booth which read ‘Grace Bennett’s Crafts’ and placed the note in plain site.

“Timmy doesn’t know what Tabitha is up to, but Timmy’s very afraid.” It was a few minutes until Eve and Simone left Grace. Grace returned to her booth and picked up the folded note. Timmy watched from behind as she read it.

She looked questioningly up from it. “I don’t remember leaving any craft boxes at the highschool. Why does Sam think I have to go pick them up?” Grace paused for a moment to think. “Better go check, though.”

Timmy watched as Grace asked Simone and Kay to finish setting up her booth. Grace walked off in the direction of Harmony Highschool.

Timmy turned to leave, but was frightened to realize that there were some people working on the booth that he needed to walk behind to get out. Kay and Simone began opening some boxes for Grace’s booth.

“So, does Miguel know about your position in the wedding?” Simone asked looking at an odd antique from a box.

“No.” Kay said angrily. “My little witch sister, Jessica, somehow got Charity and Miguel to go down to Dune Point.”

Simone’s mouth dropped. “You must of really done something awful to her this time Kay.”

Kay shook her head. “That’s the thing that makes it so cruel. I didn’t do anything. I even thought we were getting along fine. Then the other day, after school ended, she started being really nasty. It was that day Ivy...”

Simone and Kay both turned to eachother and sighed. “Jessica is jealous.”

“Why won’t she grow up and realize that I’m the cooler sister, therefore I get all the advantages.” Kay said annoyed.

“Kay!” Simone scolded.

“Well, it’s not my fault Mrs. Crane asked me to be a bridesmaid! She has no right to spout off at me. Next time I see that brat, I’m going to give her a piece of my mind!” Kay began to march off when Simone grabbed her by the collar.

“Kay don’t! Jessica’s just feeling a little less important, that’s all. Believe me, with Whitney around I feel it all the time.”

Kay rethought her idea and smiled. “Okay, I won’t throw it in her face. But I will pay her back for what she did with Charity and Miguel.”

“Be good Kay.” Simone warned as she walked off.

“Sorry Simone,” Kay said to herself, “Jessica is going to pay. She’s going to pay dearly.”

Kay walked off in a different direction and Timmy was once again free to move. He moved farther and farther down the Pier, but Jessica was no where around.

“If Timmy was a real boy this would be much easier.”

Timmy was about to give up and turn back when he saw Jessica sitting on the end of the Pier, her feet dangling off the side. There were no bushes, no booths, no people to hide behind so Timmy would have to make a run for it.

The doll checked to see if anyone back down the Pier was looking his way. It was clear. He ran as fast as his little legs could carry him, and stuck the note behind Jessica. She whipped around, and the only way for Timmy to save himself was to fling himself off the Pier into the early summer water.

Timmy was weighed down by water, but managed to cling to the post. He could see Jessica through the cracks above and she had found the note.

“Tabitha better appreciate what Timmy’s doing.” The doll said and knocked his head against the post. “Timmy’s got to get a better job.”

Up above on the Pier, Jessica was reading the note. It read:

Meet me for dinner at the Seascape Restaurant at 7pm. Love, Dad.

Jessica had been thinking about the wedding, Kay, Sam and Ivy, and thought this would be a good time to relax her mind and spend some quality time with her father. Although, she was a little puzzled as to how the note got there. She could have swarn she heard someone jump into the water too.

She looked at her watch and realized she had about twenty minutes to get down there, so off she went.

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Sam and Hank had just arrived at the Lopez-Fitzgerald house. Pilar was handing them boxes to take down to the Pier for the carnival.

“Thank you so much, both of you. Luis is too busy with the main stage to help take these.” Pilar said, as she was very appreciative.

“No problem, Pilar. Anytime.” Sam smiled taping a box shut.

Hank turned to Pilar and stopped taping, “But you have to give us some inside info on the Cranes in return.” Pilar and Sam did not laugh. “What? Have you two never heard of something called a ‘joke’?”

Pilar showed a half smile. “You are both aware of the wedding, I take it?”

Sam looked very uncomfortable, and didn’t reply. Hank, on the other hand, was always good for gossiping about anyone. “Yeah, I was telling Sam earlier that next it’s going to be me and Sheridan.” He paused and was deep in thought about Ivy and Julian. “I always thought those two hated eachother, but I guess not. You know Ivy’s quite a looker, I wouldn’t mind going out with her.”

Sam shot up from his work on the box and fiercely stared into his brothers eyes. “Listen to me, Hank, don’t you ever say that. The Crane women are not to be trusted, especially Ivy. You NEVER say that!”

Hank was taken back in shock. “Whoa, bro, calm down, I was just joking.” But Hank wasn’t an idiot and he knew what was going on here.

Pilar stared at Sam, and Sam back at Hank. “I’m gonna go get some fresh air.” Sam left and Pilar and Hank continued packing the boxes in silence.

Outside, Sam tried to calm himself down. What had gotten over him? Had he actually felt a slight bit of jealousy when Hank had said that? No. It was just all this talk of Ivy and Julian’s wedding. It was just reminding him of the past, and the pain that went with it.

Hank came out and put an arm around his brother. “Sam, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, but I’m here if you need me.”

Sam looked at his younger brother and nodded. “I know, and thanks.” Sam sat down on the swinging chair and looked up at the darkening sky. “I was in love with her.”

Hank approached the chair and looked reliabley at Sam, as Sam went on. “I was so in love with Ivy Winthrop.” Sam’s voice was shaking, and after every sentence he would pause briefly and just stare at the sky. “She was everything to me. I thought we would never be apart.” Sam’s eyes finally met Hank’s. “I was so in love with her.”

The melodramatic episode was cut short by Pilar’s voice coming from the house. “Telephone, Sam.”

Sam got up from the chair and walked inside.

“Hello?” He asked.

“Sam, this is Grace. Jessica is meeting you at the Seascape in ten minutes for dinner.” The voice on the other end said.

“Why so sudden?” Sam asked suspiciously.

The voice on the other end shook nervously. “Oh, you know, Kay and I will be late with the carnival set-up, and I think you two should share a special dinner.”

“Okay. Love you, bye.” Sam hung up the phone and explained the situation to Pilar who said she and Hank would finish with the boxes.

As Sam left, Hank came in the house. He looked at Pilar sadly, “I never knew.”

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“May I take your coats, Mr. and Mrs. Crane?” The coat check boy asked, as Julian and Ivy entered the Seascape.

The two gave up their coats and were directed to a table.

Usually the two bickered over dinner, but not tonight. Tonight they had nothing to say to eachother. “I’m, just going to go fix my make-up.” Ivy said getting up from the table.

Ivy fixed her eye make-up in the ladies room and began to head back to the table. She was heading down the hallway from the restrooms when a man turned around from using a payphone and bumped right into Ivy.

Ivy didn’t know who the person was. She was laying on top of them and began to appologize as she picked herself up. When she extened a hand to help the man up she realized who it was.

“Sam...”

“Ivy...”

“I, uh, I’m sorry I wasn’t watching where I was going.” Ivy said looking into his eyes.

“No it was my fault.” Sam said returning the stare.

The two snapped back to reality, and returned to the main hall. Ivy returned to her seat with Julian who had ordered a bottle of wine. “I was speaking with Alistair for the first time since our little anouncement today...” Julian said sipping the wine. “He, like everyone else, thought we had something up our sleeves. I hung up.”

Ivy was stunned. “You hung up on Alistair? That was quite a bold move, Julian, don’t you think?” Maybe Sheridan was right, maybe Ivy could change Julian for the better.

“Well, Father will probably be calling tonight, but I’ll deal with him.” Julian said proudly.

Ivy was amazed. Shocked yes, but truly amazed. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“I ordered us lobster,” he continued, “that’s what you wanted right?” Ivy nodded as Julian went on. “Until that comes, would you like to dance with me?”

There was no word that could describe what Ivy was feeling. She took Julian’s hands as he pulled her up from the table. Julian had never acted like this before, and she had to admit she loved it. They danced to the slow music, and most people had cleared the floor.

Julian and Ivy were all alone on the dance floor, and Sam could see them clearly. He stared at the couple, but had to turn away. Jessica approached him and took a seat.

“Thanks for the invite, Dad.” She said happily.

“Pardon.” Was Sam’s only response.

“The note.” Jessica searched Sam’s face for any sign that he knew what she was talking about. “You left it on the Pier, about twenty minutes ago.” Jessica realizing Sam’s confusion, pulled out the note and gave it to her father.

“I didn’t write this? Grace called me at Luis’s house and told me to meet you here.”

“Oh, then Mom must have left the note.” Jessica said gulping her water. This was the first time she had seen her father since earliar when she found the picture.

Sam laughed. “Grace set us up!”

“Oh well. I love the Seascape, it’s so peaceful. It’s like this little place to get away from all the horrors of everyday life. And the food is... good.” Jessica stopped talking when she realized her father wasn’t listening. Instead, he was staring at the couple on the dance floor. He was staring at Ivy. “I have to go check my coat!” Jessica said as an excuse to leave the table. She ran around a corner and leaned up against a wall. “I don’t believe what I am seeing. I just don’t believe it.”

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“Believe it Jessica.” Tabitha said as she continued watching the events unfold through her spell bowl.

Timmy walked into the living room, dripping wet. Tabitha ran to him and scoop him up. “Oh, I’m so sorry about your plunge, Tim-Tim, but thank you so very much.”

“Timmy is never doing anything like that again.” He said crossed. “I hope Timmy’s Princess is happy.”

“Oh very!” She said, setting Timmy down on the floor. “Bring a chair over and look at this.”

Timmy did as he was told, and looked into the bowl. “See, Timmy doesn’t find staring into a bowl for six hours very thrilling. What’s Tabitha planning anyways?”

“Well, I sent a note to Jessica to tell her to go to the Seascape, and one to Grace to get her out of the way. Then I simply disguised my voice as Grace, and called Sam. I told him to meet Jessica at the Seascape.” Tabitha clasped her hands together and smiled. “If I know Ivy Crane as well as I think, she should make a move on Sam and with Jessica’s suspicions already manifesting, she just might walk in on her father and Ivy.”

“But Tabby, look at Ivy and Julian, they almost look,” Timmy smiled, “in love!”

Tabitha gulped and was actually nervous. “Yes, I’ve been noticing that. Ivy is supposed to be using this wedding to make Sam love her. To make him jealous! To make him remember! She’s not supposed to be falling back in love with Julian!”

“Timmy thinks it’s very sweet.”

Tabitha shot a glare at her doll. “You would.” She took a breath and looked around. “Well, we can’t let that happen Timmy. We can’t let Ivy and Julian fall back in love. Even though, it must just be the moment. Yes. That’s all it is, they’re caught up in the song not each other.”

Timmy looked skeptically at Tabitha but decided it was best to keep his mouth shut.

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