The Sky’s the Limit: My Journey with Maryellen

For a second I feel like I’m flying, like a shooting star. When it stops, I’m somewhere else: not on the ski mountain but on a driveway beside a small house, a station wagon and silver camper trailer in the sun. My ski uniform roasts in the warm, fragrant air, the driveway lined with palm trees, flowers, and lemon bushes. I’m clearly not in my snow-dusted hometown of Cedar Top, North Carolina anymore.

I look down at the watch, the last thing I did was accidentally press its stopwatch button. Could that have transported me? Hopeful, I press it again, and feel myself flying.

When I open my eyes, I’m back on the awards platform at the ski slope. Mom has her arm around me. Dad and Gran look sad. Coach Stanislav and the judge frown, and I feel disapproval radiating from my teammates. No time has passed.

If only I could prove I didn’t cheat, that it was only a mistake. But how? Emma, who usually leads the way and speaks for me, is now my accuser. Lost, hopeless, and overwhelmed, I just want to disappear.

I think of the watch. I’d go back to that warm place, or anywhere but here since I need time to figure out the ski race. I muster my bravery and press the button again.

When I open my eyes, I’m back on the driveway by the lemon bushes, relieved to be somewhere balmy again. I’m admiring the camper trailer when the side door opens and a cheerful, skinny girl my age comes out, followed by a roly-poly dachshund, two boys, and a little girl in a tutu and cardboard crown. I brace for suspicious questions, but she smiles and introduces herself as Maryellen Larkin, whose family calls her Ellie, and asks if I love the Airstream trailer. She introduces sister Beverly, age seven, brother Tom, age five, and brother Mikey, age three. The dog is Scooter.

Mikey runs forward and throws his arms around my legs, nearly knocking my glasses off. Maryellen says they’ve all been excited since they heard I was coming, and that I’m going to love Daytona Beach.

Daytona Beach, so I’m in Florida? And they’ve been expecting me? I’m flabbergasted.

Tom asks my name, and I choke out “Sophie,” and the Larkins smile. Maryellen asks if I’m named after the singer Sophie Tucker from the Ed Sullivan Show, but I’ve never seen it. Beverly asks if I have siblings. I have a sister named Emma. Maryellen explains that my Aunt Betty, one of her mom’s oldest friends, arranged for me to stay with them while Betty helps my parents move from New York to Washington D.C., since Betty works for the airlines, my ticket was free.

I stutter, too confused to answer. Just as Maryellen reaches for the screen door, Beverly stops her, asking how Maryellen knows I’m Betty’s niece, maybe I’m a new girl moving into the neighborhood. She turns to me and asks if my family is moving in.