Happily Ever After
“It’s
an extraordinary day for a wedding,” Mrs. Bidgely chirped
as she spread thick vanilla icing on the third layer of
an enormous cake. “And if I do say so myself, this
is an extraordinary cake! Don’t you agree, Rowena?”
When there was no answer, Mrs. Bidgely glanced over her shoulder . . . and almost dropped her frosting knife. “Rowena!” she cried. “What are you cooking?”
Rowena Skittles, assistant baker at Bidgely’s Bakery, was stirring a huge, steaming pot. “It’s rice, Mrs. B.!” Rowena explained. Her orange corkscrew curls bounced up and down. “All weddings need rice. Should I add the butter now?”
“Oh, Rowena!” Mrs. Bidgely sputtered. “The rice is to throw, not to eat! We need uncooked rice! Now let me handle things. It’s not every day that Bidgely’s Bakery is selected to make a wedding cake for the mayor’s only daughter.”
“Bert said they picked us because of his birthday cake,” said Rowena. “He said that the mayor still talks about that cake!”
“Yes, I’m sure he does!” Mrs. Bidgely said. She shuddered, remembering the chocolate-mint-rainbow-iced cake that Rowena had made, topped with purple pandas and sparklers. It was nothing like the vanilla cake with blue roses that Mrs. Bidgely would have made. After all, Bidgely’s motto was printed right on the front window: Always in Good Taste. But Inglebert Fenton Kellebrew III (also know as Bert) had said it was the best cake he’d ever tasted. And his father, the mayor, had agreed.
Mrs. Bidgely decided that this cake would be in very good taste. It was decorated with creamy white icing, sugar roses, and doves, with a tiny china bride and groom on top. And Mrs. Bidgely would deliver this cake personally.
“It’s
your day off, Rowena, so go and enjoy yourself,” Mrs.
Bidgely said. She was afraid to let Rowena get too close
to the cake. 
“Well, Mrs. B., if you’re sure, then I will. I’m going to try out my new in-line skates in the park.”
The park was crowded with skaters zipping and zooming along the paths. Rowena laced up her skates and tried to stand, but . . . SPLAT! Every time she stood up, down she sat!
“Need some help, Rowena?” A pair of bright green in-line skates skidded expertly to a stop. It was Bert Killebrew!
“I could use a hand,” said Rowena, “or even two.” Holding on to Bert, she wobbled over to a bench. “But why aren’t you at your sister Millicent’s wedding?”
“Millicent said I was in the way,” explained Bert. “I’m just supposed to show up on time to carry the ring down the aisle—and no skates!” Bert looked disgusted. “Weddings are boring!”
“Then you can help me with these wheely-wobblers!” said Rowena happily. “The last time I skated, skates had two rows of wheels. It was easier to stay up!”
After an hour of practice, Rowena was able to roll slowly and unsteadily along the path. She bought Bert a raspberry snow cone to thank him, and she got one, too.
“You’re doing great, Rowena,” said Bert, “but I’ve got to roll! It’s time for Millicent’s boring old wedding. Bye!” And he skated away.
Rowena started thinking about the wedding and stopped looking where she was going. Suddenly she was rolling down a hill . . . and picking up speed! Rowena almost hit old Mr. Timmons, who was feeding the pigeons. He dived for cover, scattering birdseed all over Rowena. On she rolled, followed by a flock of flapping birds.
Then she just missed June the Balloon Lady . . . but Rowena’s waving arms got tangled in the strings. Purple and green balloons bobbed around her like giant grapes.
“Look out!” cried Rowena. “Skater out of control!” People jumped out of her way as she rolled toward the park gate.
When Rowena rocketed past the rose garden, she grabbed at a bush to stop herself, but all she got were rose petals in her hair and a thorn in her thumb.
Still
clutching her raspberry snow cone, Rowena roared on, heading
straight for the center of town!
Meanwhile, as Mrs. Bidgely carried the cake on a silver tray out to her delivery van, she discovered two flat tires. How could she get to the wedding on time? Then she heard a rumble approaching.
“Help!” cried Mrs. Bidgely as a colorful streak with bobbing balloons and orange curls raced toward her, but it was too late. Unstoppable Rowena raced by, grabbing the cake, tray and all! Horrified, Mrs. Bidgely ran after her, crying, “Stop! Stop!”
The wedding lay right in the path of runaway Rowena!
On rolled Rowena, trailing balloons and pigeons and petals. The tall cake swayed on its tray, but Mrs. Bidgely’s icing held like cement, and not a layer was lost. As Rowena bounced up the church steps, the china bride and groom flew off. Rowena tried to grab them, but her hands were full of cake and snow cone.
“Rowena, use your brakes!” yelled Bert. Brakes! Why hadn’t she thought of that? Rowena screeched to a stop and plopped down the tray in a shower of pink rose petals. Safe!
“It’s beautiful!” cried Millicent. “But where are the little bride and groom?”
Triumphantly, Rowena fished them out of her raspberry snow cone. “Here they are!” she cried, plopping them pinkly on top of the cake. Poor Mrs. Bidgely fainted at the sight, but Millicent and her parents were delighted.
“Boy, Rowena,” said Bert, “if Millicent’s marriage is half as exciting as her wedding, she’s sure to live happily ever after!”
