Cut from the Same Cloth Read online

  “Really?” said Zoey.

  “Really,” Lulu assured her.

  Feeling much better, Zoey had a second piece of coffee cake before realizing she needed to leave to meet Kate and Libby at the movies. “Can I peek into the nursery before I go?” she asked Lulu. “I love looking at it.”

  “Of course! Please excuse me if I don’t get up . . . ,” she joked.

  Zoey laughed and then headed down the hallway into the peaceful nursery. She knew it wouldn’t be long now until she’d be helping Lulu rock the baby to sleep in the glider.

  The next week at school flew by. Zoey visited her favorite store, A Stitch in Time, and got the royal treatment from Jan, the owner. The Milan challenge aired, and Zoey invited her friends over to watch it, even though she was nervous about how she’d come across on TV. To her surprise, she mostly appeared very focused and not nearly as panicked as she’d felt on the inside. She could tell by the way the show was edited that they were depicting her as the “serious” contestant. While some of the others, including Sean, were often filmed laughing and having fun, she was always shown working with her head down. She decided that was okay with her, since she was less likely to embarrass herself that way!

  Zoey expected kids at school to give her some grief over losing the challenge and getting such harsh feedback on her spaghetti dress. But instead, she found they were mostly supportive, telling her they’d liked the dress and that it had seemed like a particularly hard challenge for everyone. Even Ivy, who until recently had hardly said a nice word to Zoey since they started together at Mapleton Prep, made a point of telling her the judges had been “really harsh.”

  Zoey appreciated everyone’s support more than she could say. Priti said everyone had been envious when they’d first heard Zoey was going to be on TV, but once they’d seen how tough the competition was, they’d realized it wasn’t all fun. It was hard, hard work. Zoey tried to be gracious and humble, and she made a point to turn most conversations quickly back to schoolwork, to show she hadn’t changed and was still a normal middle schooler. Trying to be normal was hard work too.

  That Saturday, Zoey was packed and ready to leave for Japan. She’d had a few long talks with Ezra over the past week and made it clear to him that she had decided she wanted to be friends only. While he seemed slightly disappointed, he’d remained friendly and had already texted a good-luck message for her next challenge.

  Gabe was coming over to document her final preparations for his photo essay. Zoey had asked her father, nicely, that Ms. Austen not come by so things wouldn’t be weird or fishy at school. Even though she trusted Gabe to keep things a secret, she didn’t want him to know the story yet. Her father agreed and didn’t even say anything about growing pains. When Zoey had said good-bye to Ms. Austen the day before, she had tried to be open like Aunt Lulu had suggested, and it helped.

  Sean was at the house too, since Mr. Webber had offered to drive him to the airport since his parents couldn’t leave work early that day.

  “I’m glad you’re here,” Gabe told Sean, and asked if he could take pictures of him too, since he was on the show as well. Sean agreed, and Gabe took photos of them reviewing the prep lists the production team had sent them for Japan and China. Then Gabe interviewed them both, asking what they were most nervous and most excited about.

  It was a fun morning, and Zoey was less nervous about the next challenge than she thought she’d be. Something about having Gabe there put her at ease. It also probably helped that kids at school had been nicer than expected about her losing the Milan challenge. Suddenly, some of the pressure was off.

  Zoey looked at the clock and noticed it was almost time to leave for the airport.

  As Gabe was packing up his camera and getting ready to leave, Mr. Webber came running out of the house, his face red and his eyes wide. “Zoey! Lulu might be in early labor, and Uncle John’s away on a business trip. I’ve got to take her to the hospital and help until John can get here. And Marcus is at SAT prep class, so he’s not answering his phone, and neither are Sean’s parents. I had to call Essie—I mean, Ms. Austen—to take you guys to the airport, okay? She’s on her way.”

  Zoey heard her dad slip Ms. Austen’s first name but didn’t care—she only wanted to know if Aunt Lulu and the baby would be all right. “Dad, are they going to be okay? Forget the trip, I need to go to the hospital with you!”

  Her father shook his head. “No, Zoey, your aunt would never want you to miss this trip. Besides, she might not have the baby for a few more days, or even weeks, if it’s a false alarm.”

  “But what if it’s while I’m away?” Zoey asked, on the verge of crying. She did not want to miss her cousin’s birth. Not even for Fashion Showdown Junior.

  “I promise I’ll send you updates,” her father said as she, Gabe, and Sean followed him to his car. “This is nonnegotiable, sweetie. Even if she’s born today, the baby will still be brand-new when you get home. I’m sorry, but I have to go.”

  He opened the garage door just as Ms. Austen pulled up in her car. “I’m here! I drove as fast I could. Sean, Zoey, are you guys all set? Oh, hi, Gabe!”

  Zoey finally remembered Gabe and Sean were still standing there. They were staring at Ms. Austen and looking confused.

  “Um, hi, Ms. Austen,” Gabe said.

  “Hi, Ms. Austen,” Sean echoed him.

  Ms. Austen glanced at Zoey, whose face was turning beet red. “Principals are ready to help with any crisis,” she said, trying to act natural. “Time to get two of my most talented students off to the airport.”

  Exhaling, Zoey said, “Oh forget it. Sean, Gabe . . . my dad and Ms. Austen are dating. Like, dating seriously. And you can’t tell anyone at school, okay?”

  Gabe nodded. “Whatever you want . . . but, I mean, that’s great!”

  “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me, Zo!” Sean added. Then he cracked a wicked grin. “But go, Mr. Webber!”

  Now Mr. Webber’s cheeks turned red. But he was rushing to leave, so he gave Zoey a swift hug and said, “Good luck, Zoey. Don’t worry—Lulu’s just fine. You focus on you!”

  “I’ll try,” whispered Zoey.

  He turned to Ms. Austen. “Thanks again, Essie. Get my girl off safely, okay?” She nodded, and he kissed her on the cheek.

  Zoey noticed Gabe’s eyes bug out. With her mind occupied by thoughts of Aunt Lulu and the baby, Zoey didn’t even worry about the fact that the secret was out.

  Gabe asked if he could take a few quick photos of Sean and Zoey walking to the car, promising not to include Ms. Austen. When he was done, Zoey and Sean climbed into Ms. Austen’s car, waved good-bye to Gabe, and were off. After the adventure of the last few minutes, going to Japan and China seemed like no big deal.

  CHAPTER 11

  Sushi Style!

  Konnichiwa! That’s Japanese for “good day,” and it’s all I know of the language so far. I’m thrilled to be in Japan, but honestly, all I’m doing is checking my phone and worrying about my aunt, who we thought went into early labor just as I was leaving. It was just a false alarm, but the baby still could arrive any day! Now I’m headed to our challenge, and I just don’t know how I’ll concentrate!

  The group is smaller now, with just eight contestants, so I feel even more pressure. Someone will go home tomorrow. I studied the Japanese version of Très Chic that my aunt gave me for the plane, as a going-away present, hoping to inspire myself with beautiful Japanese fashion! Wish me luck. I’m really going to need it this time! The competition is fierce!

  Aside from the hotel being more modern than those in France and Italy, Zoey had a sense of déjà vu from the first trip. She saw a bit of Tokyo on the way to the workroom. The city was crowded and dense, with incredibly tall buildings, neon billboards, and people everywhere. Seeing Japanese characters on everything instead of her own English alphabet was both bizarre and wonderful, and Zoey was immediately inspired by the beautiful shapes of the kanji.

  While the production crew set
up everything for the challenge, Sean and the other contestants chatted and compared photos of Tokyo, but Zoey kept checking her phone.

  The camera crew approached her and asked if she was worried about her aunt.

  “How did you . . . ,” Zoey began but then realized something. “Of course. You read my blog post.”

  She wished she had remembered to think twice before posting her innermost thoughts for the world—and Fashion Showdown Junior staff—to see!

  Finally, Oscar appeared, and thankfully, all eyes were on him. He announced their third challenge. They would have eight hours to create a modern interpretation of a kimono.

  Zoey immediately got to work, intending to make hers a pantsuit with a loose kimono-style jacket.

  Several hours into the challenge, as she was beginning to baste the pants, her phone buzzed. Zoey grabbed it and saw a picture of a red-faced newborn.

  Baby Melissa, read the text from her dad. Happy, healthy, and perfect!

  Baby Melissa, after Zoey’s mom and Aunt Lulu’s sister! What an amazing thing for Lulu and Uncle John to do. Zoey felt a moment of intense relief and joy, and then without warning, her eyes welled up, and hot tears poured down her cheeks. She realized just how much she missed her mother and how unfair it was that she couldn’t meet her namesake. It felt even worse than it did when she was little because now that she was becoming a teenager and dealing with more grown-up things, she needed her mother to talk to.

  Then something occurred to her. What if maybe Ms. Austen could one day feel like a mother to her? For some reason, having the baby named Melissa made Zoey feel like there would be less of a chance now of anyone erasing her mother’s memory. Her mother’s name would be alive and well in their family, and in a way, so would her mother’s spirit. Ms. Austen could just be one more person in the family. Not a replacement . . . but an addition. The realization shed a very different light on things.

  Sean came over and handed Zoey a tissue. “Cute!” he said when he saw the photo of the new baby. “But don’t you dare give up on this contest, Zoey,” he whispered. “The countdown is still on, and if you stay focused, you’ve got a real chance here.”

  Zoey wiped at her eyes, but concentrating on the challenge seemed impossible. Yes, this was the opportunity of a lifetime, but all she wanted to do was go home and hold Baby Melissa—the newest member of her family—in her arms.

  The cameras zoomed in on Zoey and Sean, and Oscar came over and asked, “Zoey, are you okay? Is there news?”

  Zoey smiled. “I have a new cousin,” she said softly, deciding this moment was too special, too private, to share more of her feelings with the world. “And a challenge to focus on!”

  “Give her some room?” Sean said, waving the cameras away, and then he patted Zoey on the back. “Just a few more hours, okay? You’ve got this.”

  Their time in Tokyo flew by. Zoey’s kimono-style jacket turned out fairly well, considering, and she ended up in the safe group. Sean made the top two again, although he didn’t win. The winner was Cat, with a kimono-inspired romper. A girl named Sally, who had always been in the middle of the pack, was sent home. There was only one competition left. Six of the seven remaining contestants would be having a runway show of their own, but one would be cut. As the group visited the Tokyo Tower and the Tsujiki Market, Zoey hoped Sean and Leanne would do well in Shanghai.

  When the plane landed in Shanghai, Zoey forgot all about the competition when her phone buzzed with a new picture of her baby cousin. But she resolved not to lose focus on the final challenge, which was to represent with their garments one thing China is famous for.

  Zoey was inspired by the Great Wall of China and made a sleek, green shift dress with tan-colored zippers to mimic the shape of the wall when seen from above. She’d spent so many hours putting in zippers that these lay perfectly flat.

  Sean represented China’s famous giant pandas with a black-and-white evening gown, with shoulders that mimicked panda ears.

  In the final judging, the judges gushed about Zoey’s dress, giving it one compliment after another.

  Zoey, Leanne, and Sean all landed in the top group, but in the end, it was Sean who won the challenge. A girl named Drea went home. Zoey thought it must have been especially hard to get so close but not make it. In the end, Zoey, Sean, Leanne, Maude, Cat, and Pia would go to New York for the runway finale. Win or lose, she was also relieved that she could finally, finally go home to meet her new cousin.

  On the plane ride home, Zoey sat with Sean, both of them tired, but far too wired from all the adrenaline to fall asleep.

  “You know, Zo, I couldn’t have won without you,” Sean said, nudging her with his elbow. “I would have been sent home after the very first challenge!”

  “You would have not,” said Zoey. “And you got better with every single challenge! That’s the way to do it, unlike me, who started strong and fell apart.”

  “You had a lot going on,” he said. “And we’re both still in it, which means we get to go home and work really hard for the next few weeks, to bring two new looks to add to our collections for the runway finale. Have you thought about what you’ll make?”

  Zoey shook her head. She couldn’t think of anything beyond seeing everyone she loved. Zoey’s dad had told her that Lulu and the baby were both doing well and were at home from the hospital, and they could drive there straight from the airport if Aunt Lulu and Uncle John were up for visitors.

  Zoey had enjoyed traveling, but a part of her never wanted to leave her family again. She wondered how she would ever go away to college one day—maybe to fashion design school in New York City—if it was so hard to be away from home. Sean snapped her out of her thoughts.

  “You’d better start thinking about your outfits, Zoey. You’re a fan favorite on the Fashion Showdown Junior website,” Sean said. “So don’t disappoint them or me! I want the two of us up there together at the finale, deal?”

  “Deal,” Zoey agreed with a smile. “Maybe I’ll sketch a little now, since we’ve got a few more hours.”

  “Many more hours,” he corrected. “Many.”

  As soon as the plane landed at the airport, and Zoey had deboarded, she fell into her father’s arms. “I need a quick shower, and then take me to that baby!” she said.

  Her dad and Marcus laughed and then assured her that was the plan. “Baby Melissa’s been waiting to meet you, too,” he said.

  Zoey loved the way her father said “Melissa.” “Is she adorable?” Zoey asked.

  “Pretty darn cute,” Marcus replied. “You’re going to go nuts for her.”

  Marcus was right. As soon as Zoey saw Melissa in Lulu’s arms, she was in love. The tiny fluttering hands, the button nose. Even the darks wisps of hair on her head were perfect.

  “Can I hold her?” Zoey asked breathlessly.

  “Oh, I insist,” said Lulu. Her aunt seemed to have some kind of perma-smile on her face, which got bigger every time she looked at the baby. Zoey sat down on a chair, and Lulu carefully put the baby in Zoey’s arms. Zoey couldn’t believe how tiny and sweet-smelling Melissa was. Zoey kissed her forehead and then ran a fingertip across her little brow.

  “Oh, Aunt Lulu, I just adore her!”

  Lulu laughed. “She’s adorable! John races home during his lunch hour just to see her, and your dad and Marcus come by almost every day. And you know, Essie helped me with laundry and things around the house. She was amazing.”

  Zoey smiled. She was starting to get used to the idea of Ms. Austen being a part of the family. Then Melissa made a tiny noise and then opened and closed her mouth.

  “I think she might be ready for a feeding, Zo,” Aunt Lulu said.

  “Oh! Can I hold her a second longer, Aunt Lulu?” Zoey cried.

  Zoey’s aunt nodded. “But aren’t you jet-lagged, honey?” she asked Zoey. “Maybe you should get some sleep.”

  Zoey nodded. “You’re such a mom, already!” Zoey teased. “And yes, I should sleep. I have to get ready for the
finale. They’re shipping my four outfits home so I can tweak them while I make the last two outfits. But honestly, I don’t know how I’ll ever do all that when I really just want to be here with you and Melissa!”

  “You’ll get it done,” Lulu said. “You’re a star, Zoey. Don’t you know that by now?”

  Zoey shook her head. “If being ‘a star’ means I try to fail and constantly doubt myself, well then, okay.”

  Lulu raised her brows. “Being ‘a star’ just means you keep on trying, no matter what.”

  CHAPTER 12

  Race to the Runway!

  Wow. I thought the eight-hour challenges were hard. At least now I can post some sketches from the show. This is my Great Wall dress, in case you’re curious!

  But coming up with two runway-ready looks in just a few weeks—while catching up on schoolwork (again!), and being a very doting cousin to our family’s new baby, and seeing my friends (for like five minutes), and you know, eating dinner and stuff—is practically impossible. Luckily, my friends are pitching in to help! They even made me flashcards to help study for some of my tests. Where would I be without my girls?

  Back in the cafeteria with her friends, it felt like old times, only now Zoey had a new sense of calmness. Yes, she had a ton of sewing to do after school, not to mention math problems, but she felt like she had so much more perspective after her travels. She’d discovered that her family and friends would always be her top priority, and that while she was still completely devoted to being a designer, she wasn’t going to miss out on any time with her friends or her fantastic new cousin.

  “Did you see the photo series yet?” Libby asked, handing the school newspaper to Zoey.

  Zoey shook her head. She knew Gabe had finished it because he’d sent her a draft of the article to read. He’d done a great job and had been very respectful of her privacy, as she’d known he would. He’d also changed the focus to include Sean, which made her happy.