Mia's Golden Bird Read online

  The café wasn’t far from their cottage, but since Mia had broken her foot, they drove instead of walked. As they pulled into a parking spot across the street, Mia said, “Mamá, just so you know, I’ll probably never get on that step stool again. Anything up high is all yours.”

  Her mother laughed. “Still mad about your accident?”

  “Furious.”

  “Your cast will be off before you know it,” her mother said as she reached over and touched Mia’s cheek. “Ten paciencia.”

  “But how can I possibly be patient? My friends are all off having fun without me. It feels like I’ve had this stupid thing on my leg for a hundred years already. And I still have twenty-three miserable days left. It’s not fair.”

  “This isn’t like you, Mia.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “This negative attitude of yours. I don’t like it. Maybe your scrapbook will bring you some joy today, yes?”

  Mia sighed. “I hope so.” She looked at her mom. “I’m sorry. It’s just … hard, you know?”

  “I know. Come on. Let’s go inside and I’ll make you a cup of hot chocolate and get you a muffin.”

  It wasn’t long until the smell of brewing coffee filled the café. Mia’s mother had told Mia she could start drinking coffee occasionally when she entered middle school if she wanted to, but Mia had discovered she didn’t care much for the taste. The smell, however, she had come to love.

  Mia sat at a table near the window, flipping through photos and sipping her drink from a big white mug. This particular stack of pictures contained the ones from their last few days at camp. The all-day hike with a picnic halfway through. The final campfire and awards ceremony. And breakfast on the last day, before everyone headed home. It made Mia both happy and sad all at the same time, remembering the fun she’d had with her friends and thinking about how life hadn’t been fun at all since she’d broken her foot. It also made her even more anxious to find a way to make some money so she could go back next summer.

  Customers trickled in and out, and Mia mostly ignored them. Until a girl with blond hair piled back in a messy twist and wearing gold-rimmed sunglasses peered over her shoulder.

  “Ooh, cool pictures. Where were those taken?” she asked Mia.

  “Camp Brookridge, in New Hampshire.”

  “Like, a sleepaway camp?” the girl asked.

  “Yep.”

  “Ohmygosh, how fun! I would kill to be able to go to something like that.”

  “Lacy, dear,” an older woman said. She wore khaki clothes and a brown safari hat. She looked like she was ready for some kind of adventure. “What kind of latte did you want again? I can’t remember.”

  “Pumpkin spice, if they have it,” she said.

  “Yep. We have it,” Mia told her. “It’ll go away in December though, when we bring out peppermint.”

  Mia studied this girl named Lacy. Why did she look so familiar? Mia was positive she didn’t go to her school. Had she come in here before, maybe?

  “Wait,” Lacy said to Mia. “Do you, like, work here?”

  “Sometimes,” Mia replied. “My mom owns it.”

  “Oh. I see.”

  Mia waited for the girl to leave. To walk over and join Ms. Adventurer. But she stood there, staring at the pictures scattered all over the table.

  “Can I ask you something?” Lacy asked.

  Mia shrugged. “Sure.”

  “I know this is probably going to sound strange, but, I’m wondering if maybe you’d come along with me and my grandma Gail and take some pictures for us.”

  Mia stared at the girl. Of all the things she might have thought the girl would ask, this was definitely not one of them.

  “Uh. Well. What kind of pictures, exactly?”

  “Don’t laugh.”

  “Okay.”

  “Grandma Gail is a big bird-watcher. I go along with her sometimes because it’s so quiet and peaceful when we’re looking for birds. It’s one of the few times I feel normal, you know?”

  Mia nodded even though she didn’t understand at all. What kind of girl would feel “normal” when she was out with a woman wearing a safari hat, looking for birds?

  “I could pay you,” Lacy said. “Whatever you think is fair for a few hours of your time.”

  “I don’t know,” Mia said. “I mean, I’m not a professional. I’m just a girl who likes taking pictures.”

  Lacy reached up, pushed her sunglasses onto her head, and looked sternly at Mia. “Please don’t ever say that. If you want to be a professional, you can be a professional. Whether you’re a kid or not, it doesn’t matter. Look at me. I’m both a kid and a professional, right?” She smiled. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to go all mean girl on you. I just get a little annoyed when people don’t give themselves enough credit.”

  Mia tried to take in what Lacy was saying, but she was having a hard time. Now that Mia could see Lacy’s entire face, she knew exactly why she recognized this girl.

  She was Lacy Bell.

  As in, the movie star Lacy Bell.

  Lacy was one of the most well-known teen actresses in Hollywood. She’d started out as a kid, with her own TV show on the Whimzy channel. Mia had grown up watching the show. Then, last summer, Lacy had been in a movie called Mystical Creatures, about two sisters who discover a family of unicorns in the woods by their house. Mia had gone to see it with some of her friends.

  They’d liked the movie, but they hadn’t been especially fond of Lacy Bell being in the film. Lacy had become one of those actresses who people talked badly about, because it seemed like she was everywhere now. Like, she had just come out with a collection of perfume along with a line of sunglasses. And she’d been cast in two more movies coming out in the next couple of years.

  “Here you go, dear,” Lacy’s grandmother said, coming up to Mia’s table. Lacy turned and took the pumpkin spice latte from her grandmother’s hand.

  “Grandma, I’ve asked …” Lacy looked at Mia. “Ohmygosh, I’m so sorry, I didn’t even get your name.”

  “Mia,” she said. “Mia Cruz.”

  “I’ve asked Mia if she would go along with us and take pictures. I want to make a scrapbook like she’s doing. Isn’t it fabulous?”

  “Yes,” her grandma said, her eyes crinkling at the corners as she smiled. “Wonderful. Marvelous. A splendid idea, Lacy. Three sets of eyes will certainly be better than two, as we continue our search for the seemingly shy light-footed clapper rail.”

  “That’s one of Grandma Gail’s life birds,” Lacy explained, like it made perfect sense.

  Except it didn’t make any sense to Mia, so she raised her eyebrows and replied, “Oh-kay.”

  Lacy laughed. “Don’t worry. We’ll get you up to speed on what you need to know in the bird department. Do you need to ask your mom for her permission? She’ll let you go, won’t she?”

  Mia was frozen in place. She didn’t know what to do. Going off to look for birds with these two, um, interesting people did not exactly sound like a good time. On the other hand, Lacy had offered to pay Mia. And obviously, based on Lacy’s occupation, she could definitely afford it.

  “Yeah, let me go talk to her,” Mia said as she stood up. “I’ll be right back.”

  Lacy’s mouth dropped open when she saw Mia’s cast. “Oh no. Are you okay to walk around? It doesn’t hurt, does it?”

  “It’s fine,” Mia said. “It’s a walking cast, specifically so I can walk around. I mean, I have to be careful. Take things slow. But yeah, if you’re planning on walking miles and miles, then I’m definitely not the photographer for you.”

  Lacy looked at her grandmother. “It’s okay, right? We don’t have to go very far today. And maybe we can sit on one of the benches along the trail for a while and watch for birds that way?”

  “Perfectly fine,” she assured the girls. “Now go ask your mother so we can get going. You know what they say. The early bird gets the worm.”

  Mia found her mom in the back, pulling some
muffins out of the oven. The delicious aroma told her they were banana, one of the more popular flavors. Unlike other cafés, Coffee Break served only muffins alongside the menu of hot and cold drinks. It made it simpler for Mia’s mom. She bought mixes that required just milk and eggs, so making them didn’t take a whole lot of work.

  “Mamá, you aren’t going to believe this, but I’ve just been offered a job.”

  Her mother took off the oven mitts and placed them on the counter. “Really? What kind of job?”

  “Taking pictures of birds.”

  “Who wants you to do that?”

  Mia went closer and whispered. “Do you know who that is, in our café, right this very minute? It’s Lacy Bell. You know, from The Lacy Bell Show on the Whimzy channel that used to be super popular? She’s in movies now, but you know who she is, right?”

  “Of course I do. Who’s the woman with her?”

  “It’s her grandma. Her name is Gail.”

  Mia’s mother crossed her arms. “So I’m supposed to trust two complete strangers because one of them is a movie star?”

  There she was, Mia’s overprotective mother, making an appearance again. “Well,” Mia said patiently, “she is one of the most famous actresses in the entire country. Can you imagine if something happened while I was with her? Her reputation would be ruined forever. Besides, it’s bird watching, not skydiving. I’ll be fine.”

  Her mother narrowed her eyes. “But, Mia, what about your foot? You’re supposed to take it easy.”

  “And I will. There are benches at the place where we’re going. Mamá, please. I’m guessing she’ll pay me really well.”

  Her mother sighed. “Let me go talk to the woman and see if there’s a way to put my mind at ease.” She reached out and touched Mia’s cheek. “You can’t blame me for wanting to keep my one and only hija safe.”

  Mia stayed back, watching through the crack of the swinging doors, while her mom talked to Gail and Lacy. After a few words were spoken, Gail reached into the small purse she carried, took out a wallet, and handed it to Mia’s mother. Mrs. Cruz took a peek at the ID inside the wallet and then shook Gail’s hand.

  “They seem very nice,” she told her daughter when she returned to the back room. “I’ve decided you can go. I have her wallet and will keep it until they return you, safe and sound. But keep your cell phone on and call or text me if there’s anything that makes you feel uneasy. ¿Entiendes?”

  “Yes, I understand. I’ll be fine.” Mia kissed her mother on the cheek. “Thank you for letting me go. I’ll see you in a few hours.”

  “Are we ready?” Gail asked when Mia returned.

  “Almost,” Mia replied as she quickly cleaned up her scrapbook stuff. After she set everything behind the counter, out of the way, she grabbed her camera and with as much enthusiasm as she could muster she said, “Okay. Let’s do this.”

  “Great!” Lacy said. “We are going to have so much fun. You’ll see.”

  And with that, Lacy put her sunglasses back on, and in true movie-star fashion, walked to the door with long, confident strides. She stepped through and held it open for Mia, who shuffled out and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw what was waiting for them.

  A shiny black stretch limo.

  “Sorry,” Lacy said. “I know it’s flashy and so cliché, but my mom needed the town car today. I hope you don’t mind.”

  Mia didn’t know how she felt, honestly. It was like she’d stepped out of the café and into some strange alternate reality.

  Is this really happening? She blinked a couple of times, because, obviously, it was happening, and she needed to act like all of this was completely normal.

  “Oh yeah, it’s fine. I don’t mind,” Mia said, trying to play it cool.

  “Wonderful,” Gail said. “Then let’s shake a tail feather and get going, what do you say?”

  The driver opened the door and Mia got in first. She took a seat, and Lacy sat down next to her, even though there was lots of room and she could have sat anywhere. Mia scooted over a little bit, to give them both some space.

  Once Gail got in and sat across from the girls, the car started moving and Mia asked, “So, where are we going?”

  “Batiquitos Lagoon,” Gail told her. “It’s a birder’s paradise — a great combination of vegetation and geology that attracts waterfowl, shore birds, birds of prey, and perching birds. Have you heard of it, dear?”

  “Yes,” Mia said. “But I’ve never been there.”

  “It’s beautiful,” Lacy said. “Great trails to explore.” She looked at Mia’s cast. “But don’t worry. We won’t walk much, I promise.”

  Mia watched as Lacy took off her sunglasses and put them in her neon green purse. Then she took out a compact, opened it up, and powdered her nose and cheeks. Mia suddenly felt self-conscious. The only makeup she ever wore was lip gloss, and she didn’t even have any of that on today. In fact, she’d barely brushed her hair that morning before she pulled it back quickly into a ponytail.

  “I’m curious,” Mia said. “Is there a reason you’re going so early?”

  “You know what they say,” Gail said with a wink. “The early bird —”

  Lacy interrupted her. “She’s just being silly. That’s not the real reason. If you honestly want to know, it’s because we can leave the house without any paparazzi following us if we get up at the crack of dawn on a Sunday. They follow me practically everywhere these days, but Sunday mornings they’re either going to church or sleeping in, I’m not sure exactly. All I know is that Sunday mornings are about my only chance for a little freedom.”

  Mia had so many questions she wanted to ask Lacy. She wasn’t sure how old she was, but she was pretty sure she was only a little bit older than Mia. Where did she go to school? Or were Hollywood actresses given a free pass when it came to school? Did she live in Hollywood or somewhere near by? And most important, why in the world did she choose to spend her one free morning, when she could probably do whatever she wanted, bird-watching with her grandma?

  “Can I ask you something?” Lacy said. Mia wanted to reply, Only if I can ask you something. Or a bunch of somethings.

  But instead she said, “Sure.”

  “What’d you do to your leg? Or foot, or whatever?”

  Of all the things Lacy could ask, she had to ask about that. Mia sighed. “I fell off a step stool at the café. It was really stupid. I have a hairline fracture in one of the bones of my foot. The worst part is that I can’t surf with my friends, or play soccer. I’m out for the rest of the season.”

  Lacy’s eyes got big and round. “You play soccer? Oh, wow. I’ve never met a soccer player before. What’s that like?”

  Mia bit her lip, trying not to laugh. She’d never met anyone who played soccer? Was she serious?

  “Well, I think it’s awesome. But, it’s a lot of running, and making a goal is a lot harder than it looks, you know?”

  “Do you play with boys and girls or just girls?” she asked.

  “Just girls.”

  “Are you good friends with most of them?” Lacy asked.

  “I guess so,” Mia said, trying to forget about not being invited to Gill’s yesterday.

  “Bird watching’s our sport, right, Lacy dear?” Gail said. “Remember, birds of a feather must flock together.”

  Lacy stared out the window. “I guess so.”

  “So what’s a life bird?” Mia asked.

  Lacy seemed to be lost in her own thoughts, but Gail said, “Most birders have a life list, which is a list of special birds they dream of seeing at least once during their lifetime.” She reached down into a canvas bag and pulled out two notebooks, a black one and a purple one. “Lacy and I both keep track of the birds we’ve seen as well as the birds we hope to see one day.”

  “Does that mean that some birds are harder to find than others?” Mia asked.

  Gail nodded. “Most definitely. Some birds are on the endangered list, due to their decreasing population, which ma
kes them more difficult to find. And then some are simply good at hiding, like the clapper rail. It’s a very, very secretive bird and rarely comes out of the marshes. But the search is part of the fun, right, Lacy?”

  “Yes,” she said.

  Searching for birds didn’t sound like much fun to Mia, but she wasn’t coming along to judge them, she was coming to take pictures for them.

  Lacy was quiet the rest of the way, so Mia stayed quiet too. When they pulled into a parking lot a while later, Gail grabbed the bag that held the journals and both she and Lacy tucked their purses underneath the seat. “I don’t even take my phone with me when we’re out here,” Lacy told Mia. “It’s truly an escape. For a little while, anyway.”

  The driver opened the door and Lacy stepped out first, then Mia, and finally Gail.

  “Does the driver just wait for you?” Mia asked.

  “Yep. That’s his job. To drive me around wherever I need to go. And he does spend a lot of time waiting too. But he’s a big reader, so he always has a book with him. He likes murder mysteries.” Lacy shuddered. “I don’t get that at all. I hate scary books and movies.”

  Mia nodded. “Same here.”

  Gail handed Lacy a pair of binoculars with a long strap, which she slipped around her neck. “This way, ladies,” she said, walking toward a trailhead.

  “What would you like me to photograph, exactly?” Mia asked. “The two of you, or the birds we see, or …”

  “Anything and everything,” Lacy said. “I just want lots and lots of pictures so I can make a scrapbook like you were making back at the café.”

  Anything and everything? This was going to be the easiest photography job ever, then. She let Gail and Lacy walk ahead and she started taking pictures. After they’d walked a little ways, Gail turned around and put her finger to her lips, telling Mia to be extra quiet. Lacy pointed up ahead, where a couple of birds darted through the air and over the path. Mia tried to get a picture, but they were gone before she had the chance. Maybe this wasn’t going to be so easy after all.

  Mia caught up to them and asked, “What kind were those?”