Previously on Adventures on Awe Island.
After getting caught lying to their parents, Marie JJ and Christian faced consequences that threatened their efforts to solve the riddle.
Then an unexpected surprise was discovered by Marie.
Will it be just what they need to finally solve the riddle?
Welcome to adventures on awe island, chapter six, the secret spot, part two.
As soon as she got home from the library, marie said hello to her dad who, on his latest research paper.
Mom will be home around six.
We're going to the shelter strut tonight.
He called to her as she zoomed past and headed towards her bedroom.
Marie usually loved going to the annual fundraising dinner for the Awe Island Animal Shelter.
The shelter strut was held in the party room of a local restaurant and featured a silent auction.
Plus, they always showed the cutest pictures of all the animals that had been adopted from the shelter in the last year.
In this moment, however, Marie just wanted to read the secret spot.
She had waited so long to get her hands on the book again.
Once in her bedroom, Marie took the book out of the protective bag and examined the outside.
It looked the same as before the fire.
Carefully she removed the fragile dust cover and there was the riddle still written on the inside ordinary book.
The secret spot had given them the map that had started them on this path.
What else could this book offer them to help solve their mystery?
Marie wasn't sure, but she hoped there was something.
Maybe there was something within the story itself?
She opened the book and began to read.
Once upon a time, on a very special island, things were not always as they seemed.
Magic lurked in unexpected places in the eyes of clever animals, in the looming shadows of strange creatures, and even in the trees themselves.
Marie was instantly intrigued.
It was a story about a group of kids on a quest on the special island.
They had to follow a map to the secret spot where there was a buried treasure.
And they had to get help to find their way.
While it wasn't the same story as the play she'd seen the previous week, Marie couldn't help but notice it was yet another story about kids on an island adventure.
And she eagerly read on.
Marie, Mom's home.
We're leaving in five minutes.
She closed the book and went over to her closet and took out one of her favorite t-shirts.
It was a soft heather green with long sleeves, and it had cartoons of all sorts of animals on it.
It said, The shelter had given her the t-shirt as a thank you for volunteering.
In all the chaos of visiting Dragon, then getting caught lying to their parents, she'd forgotten to ask them.
She'd assumed Christian would be going because his mom was the veterinarian for the animal shelter.
But maybe he wouldn't be allowed to go this year since he was grounded.
The restaurant was packed with shelter supporters and the mood was festive.
Marie looked around the party room.
Along one wall, servers were setting up a buffet dinner beneath a huge, sparkly banner that read Shelter, Strut 2025.
In the back, a silent auction displayed an array of donated items.
And in the front corner, a lectern with a microphone stood beside a large flat screen monitor that showed a slideshow of adopted shelter animals with their forever families.
Helium-filled balloons of every color bobbled about the ceiling, their shiny strings hanging below in giant swirly curls.
Light jazz played in the background.
Marie smiled at the sight.
She loved animals of all kinds and had been volunteering at the shelter with her mom for as long as she could remember.
It had been their compromise since they couldn't have a family pet.
Her mom said they were just too busy and it wasn't fair to a pet to be gone a lot.
Instead, they got to help lots of pets as they awaited adoption and their forever families.
Marie, a voice called out.
It was JJ.
Marie grinned and went to join her friend.
What a great party, she said.
JJ agreed.
I'm glad we were still allowed to come.
I haven't seen Christian yet, she noted.
Let's go look at the silent auction items.
Okay, Marie said enthusiastically.
The silent auction was always a high point of the fundraiser.
The items up for auction were usually a lot of fun.
The first item they approached was a custom pet portrait drawn in charcoal by a local artist.
There were already multiple bids on that.
The next item was a people and pet spa day, which included a stress relieving shoulder massage for the human and a nail trim for their pet.
That, too, had a lot of bids.
It was the third item, however, that gave Marie and JJ pause.
The bidding sheet was almost full on this item.
Wow, Marie said, reading the description.
Create your own custom ice cream flavor at Amato's Ice Cream Shop.
Her mouth watered thinking about all the possibilities.
Maybe we could get our parents to bid on this together, Marie suggested.
Great idea, JJ said.
I wonder if Madame Amato is back, she added.
I don't know, Marie replied.
It made her wonder about Sophos too.
Where had he gone?
And would he ever come back?
He had been so helpful early in their quest.
Just then a small cheer went up at the entrance of the room and Marie saw that Christian, his parents and his two younger siblings had just arrived.
Dr Bowski, Christian's mom, provided all the veterinary services for the animal shelter and took care of all the pets on Awe Island.
Christian's dad was a local teacher, so between the two parents they knew most of the people on Awe Island.
Marie and JJ made their way over to Christian.
You got to come, Marie said happily.
Yeah, Christian said with a smile.
I'm still grounded, but my mom thought it was important for me to be here.
We were looking at the silent auction items, JJ said.
There's one to create your own custom ice cream flavor at Amato's.
Christian's eyes lit up.
What?
That sounds delicious.
My parents can't bid on the item since my mom works for the shelter, but I hope yours will.
Marie glanced toward the buffet table.
It looked like the setup was almost complete and dinner would be starting any minute.
Well, we'd better go ask now, because bidding closes once dinner starts and the sheet is filling up fast, she said.
Christian nodded.
I'll go see if I can come sit with you, he said.
The trio split up.
Marie and JJ found their parents mid-conversation.
Just as someone announced, dinner starts in five minutes.
Last call for silent auction bids.
They had to ask quickly, can we bid on the create your own custom ice cream at Amato's item?
If we bid together, maybe we'll win, Marie said.
Yeah, it would be so much fun.
Please, JJ chimed in.
The parents agreed to view the item and the group made their way back to the silent auction table.
After a brief conversation, JJ's dad said We will bid on this if you girls volunteer to clean at the shelter at least once a week for the entire summer.
That seems to be a fair trade-off.
Both girls nodded in agreement without hesitation.
Marie already volunteered at the shelter anyway, and she knew JJ loved animals as much as she did.
By now, the bidding sheet was full and had spilled onto a second piece of paper.
Marie watched as her parents talked a bit further with JJ's parents, then added their collective bid to the list.
Done, her mom said.
Now, let's go find ourselves a table.
The center of the room was filled with round tables. eight people.
They selected their name cards from a table on the side of the room, then placed them on the table they had chosen.
Christian darted through the crowd, his name card in hand.
My dad says I can sit with you.
He said placing his name card near JJ and Marie's, just as another announcement encouraged people to make their way to the buffet for dinner.
Then, with food in hand, returned to the table where they'd placed their name cards.
There was one remaining seat open at the table.
As they began to eat, a familiar voice spoke.
Might I join you?
Marie's jaw hit the floor, and she heard JJ give an audible gasp of surprise.
It was Madame Amato.
The adults didn't seem to notice the kid's surprise and warmly welcomed Madame Amato to the table.
You were out of town for a bit, Marie tells us, Mr. Duguay said to Madame Amato.
Yes, the old woman replied, but she gave no further explanation.
The conversation turned to events going on around Awe Island.
Suddenly, Marie remembered a question she had.
She waited for a break in the conversation, took a breath and asked Madame Amato what does a visibary look like exactly?
She had only seen the fruit in small chopped bits in Amado's specialty ice cream called Vanilla Visiberry Crumble.
Madame Amado smiled.
They're very pretty.
Not too big, but not too small.
They almost look like a bright red Kalamata olive.
Their skin is very fragile.
When they are ripe, they are so juicy, they almost explode in your mouth when you bite into one.
That has to be what was on top of the juice drinks Saskia and I had last week, Marie said.
Saskia, Madame Amato repeated, her voice catching slightly on the name.
The old woman's expression flickered for a moment, in surprise, but also something else.
Maybe recognition?
To Marie.
It almost seemed like Madame Amato said Saskia's name.
Yes, Saskia.
Marie replied not knowing what else to say.
Her mom chimed in. the daughter of a university colleague.
They were visiting last week and we went out to dinner and to the world premiere at the Playhouse.
Mrs Duguay explained.
Marie watched Madame Amato's expression carefully as the woman took in this information.
Her eyes seemed to soften.
Once again it felt to Marie like Saskia was somehow familiar to Madame Amato, even though she couldn't imagine how.
It's happening, Madame Amato whispered, almost imperceptibly.
What's happening?
Marie asked right away.
Now she felt certain there was definitely something Madame Amato was not telling them.
Just then, someone tapped the microphone at the lectern.
It was the director of the animal shelter.
While everyone's finishing dinner, I'd like to announce the winners of the silent auction and tell you about the banner year we've had at the shelter.
The room went silent, then burst into applause as the winner of each auction item was announced.
When it came time to announce the custom ice cream winner, Marie held her breath.
And the winner is... The Duguay and Young Families, the director said dramatically.
Both Marie and JJ let out a squeal of delight.
Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!
Marie repeated as JJ cheered.
We won!
Over and over.
The room applauded.
Island community for their continued support.
She shared that, thanks to their generosity, the shelter had placed more pets in their forever homes this year than ever before.
She then encouraged everyone to enjoy the dessert table that featured homemade cookies and Amado's best-selling of thanks to the party's sponsors including amato's applause echoed through the room again when the director was done speaking madam amato quickly got up from the table congratulations on winning the auction for a custom ice cream flavor she said directing her words at marie and jj Please call the shop to schedule your ice cream making session as soon as possible.
I may have to leave town again.
Her voice trailed off and a brief look of worry flashed across her face before she caught herself and masked it with a smile.
Thank you for being so generous quickly turned away before more conversation could be had.
Marie, JJ, and Christian exchanged looks.
By the expression on their faces Marie could tell that JJ and Christian had noticed the same things she had about Madame Amato's behavior.
They got up and joined the queue for cookies and ice cream.
That was weird, J.J. said under her breath.
No kidding, Christian agreed.
Madam Amato knows more than what she's telling us, he concluded definitively.
What else is new, joked J.J.?
?
Marie felt the same way, but hearing her friends say it out loud made the hairs on the back of her neck prickle.
Yeah, and first she's gone, then she just reappears out of the blue.
And then she says she may have to go again soon, Marie said with exasperation.
Like, where is she going?
No idea, JJ said.
Maybe we'll have a chance to ask when we go to create our custom ice cream flavor.
Great idea, Marie said.
That was perfect.
They'd have Madame Amato all to themselves for a bit during that time.
As they ate their dessert, Marie remembered the news she wanted to share with her friends.
I forgot to tell you.
I got the secret spot, she said, raising a victorious eyebrow as she said it.
What?
JJ said.
For real?
Yep, Marie replied.
No damage.
So the rare books room is reopened?
Christian asked.
What was ruined?
Does it look any different down there?
I don't know, Marie answered.
It's not open yet because they aren't quite finished.
But Darius was able to get the book for me.
I'm going to read it from cover to cover this weekend before I have to return it.
I'll let you know if I find any more clues.
Perfect, Christian said.
I'm going to reread the history on the Awe Island website and see if anything jumps out that we missed the first time around.
And I'll go over my notes again, JJ said.
Maybe there are more connections that will help us solve the riddles.
And with that, the three parted and headed home with their respective families.
In the car, Marie thought about reading the secret spot.
Would it hold any more clues to solving the riddles?
She certainly hoped so, and she was ready to scour its pages for answers.
Marie JJ and Christian were shocked by Madame Amato's sudden return to Awe Island and hoped to talk to her soon.
In the meantime, each makes an important discovery.
Will it be exactly what they need to finally solve the riddle?
Find out when the adventure continues in our next episode of Adventures on Awe Island.
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