Three's a Crowd (From the Files of Madison Finn, 16) Read Free

too.

Chapter 2
    Sick
Rude Awakening:
Here’s a new way to survive seventh grade: Just flu it.
    After leaving school early today, I drove with Aimee over to her house. Mrs. Gillespie made this tofu broth soup thing that made me want to puke. How am I supposed to eat mystery food when I have chills and a fever? I don’t know how Aim eats that stuff. It had green strands in it called seaweed kelp. HELP!
    Anyway, Mom came home late, around 2, from her meeting. She picked me up in the car even though we’re only a few houses down the block. Mom was so worried that she took me over to Dr. Pinkerton’s office pronto. Naturally, we had to wait an hour before they called me. There were so many people in there hacking and snorting and UGH. At least I cover my mouth when I hack. Ha-ha.
    The news is not good. Apparently, I have acute bronchitis. That’s what the doctor called it. At first I thought he was telling me I was cute LOL but of course I just heard him wrong. Bronchitis means I have too much congestion in my chest and an inflammation of my bronchial tubes and my cough will get worse this week before it gets better. And oh yeah, my throat hurts. A LOT. Lucky for me, Mrs. Gillespie gave me homeopathic mints called Flu-Ease that help because they have eucalyptus, so whenever I swallow, my throat feels icy instead of stinging hot.
    Mom couldn’t believe that Aim, Fiona, and I all got sick at the same time. But it makes perfect sense to me. Best friends stick together, right? Or is that best friends SICK together?
    I feel like my head is going to explode. I’d better go ask Mom for a cup of herbal tea with extra honey. It’s funny how much I love to drink that when I’m sick even though I never drink it any other time.
    “Maddie,” Mom appeared at Madison’s bedroom door with mug in hand. “I made you something….”
    Madison sniffed the air. She smelled honey. Mom was a mind reader.
    Madison quickly hit SAVE and shut down her computer. Behind Mom, Madison’s dog, Phin, darted into the room, too, with a squeaky, rubber, toy chicken in his jaws.
    “Roooooooowf!” Phin dropped the chicken and scratched at the bedcovers. He wanted to play.
    Mom pulled back on his collar. “No, Phinnie,” she said sternly. “No, no, no!”
    “Mom?” Madison didn’t know why her mom was getting so angry. “Are you okay?” she asked.
    Mom sat on the corner of the bed. “Aw, I’m fine, Maddie,” she stammered. “I just … I just … have a lot on my mind, that’s all. We have a major deadline next week … and this morning’s meeting didn’t go as well as I’d hoped … and …”
    “Oh,” Madison said, taking a sip of her tea.
    “And I was supposed to have a second round of meetings early this evening, but now … we spent all that time at the doctor’s office…. I can’t possibly make it now….”
    “Sorry,” Madison mumbled. She sniffled and took another sip.
    “No, don’t apologize!” Mom said. “I just have a lot on my mind, that’s all. You asked. I’m the one who’s sorry … for being so … busy.”
    “Oh,” Madison said again. She pulled a blanket up over her.
    “You know what? You look pale,” Mom commented.
    “But I always look pale, don’t I?” Madison replied meekly.
    Mom tucked the blanket snugly around Madison and moved the orange laptop off the bed. “I want you to close your eyes, honey bear. No e-mails right now. You need your shut-eye. Get some sleep before supper. Your dad is coming over tonight, remember?”
    “Oh, yeah,” Madison said. He was planning to bring over take-out food. Dad always either took Madison to dinner or brought burgers over before heading out of town.
    “I can call him and cancel,” Mom said. “If you want….”
    “No, that’s okay. If Dad comes you can get more work done,” Madison suggested. “You can just leave us and make your calls or whatever.”
    “That might work out,” Mom said. She sounded relieved for the first time in their