This is as much as I’m willing to give Mona for now, but perhaps someday… one day, I’ll be able to give her more. I put the pen down and stand, extending a hand.
“Thank you, Mrs. Stone.”
“Mona.” She takes my hand and shakes it. “So you know what to call me the next time we meet.”
When our fingers disconnect, she walks away first. She doesn’t head toward Nevada and Tennessee. Doesn’t even spare them a backward glance. And it saddens me. Not for myself, but for them.
I don’t move for a long time, but then Mom calls my name, and I start back toward her. Ten holds out his hand, and even though Mom’s standing right there, I take it.
On our way out, Nev tosses one last, longing look behind her.
I don’t.
I keep going.
I keep staring ahead.
No, that isn’t true. I keep staring around me, at the people who are moving in the same direction as I am, because unlike Mona, I don’t want to lose sight of them.
Outro
A month and a half later
I’m sleeping over at Rae’s tonight, because the adults are heading out of town for a friend’s wedding—one of the women from the book club who divorced a couple of years back. I vaguely remember her because of her makeup: she always wore this orangey foundation. Not only was it the wrong shade, but she also never seemed to blend it in. I never got why no one told her it looked awful. I mean, I wouldn’t let Rae step out of the house with clown makeup on.
As I unstrap my seat belt, Mom says, “Have fun, baby. Not too much, though…”
Rolling my eyes, I grab my overnight bag and race toward my friend’s house. Before I can even ring, Nora swings the door open, impatient and ready to go. After dropping a kiss on my cheek, she reminds Rae to be good, then yells for her husband.
He comes out of his study, shaking his salt-and-pepper head and muttering, “Do Ihaveto go to this wedding?”
“Because you think the girls want to have you at home?” Nora asks with an eloquent smile.
“Fine, fine.” He gives me a one-armed hug. “Rae, honey, no parties, okay?”
“Of course, Daddy.” As soon as the front door shuts, she says, “So we’re having a party.”
“What? But—”
“Didn’t you check WhatsApp? I sent everyone a memo.”
She loops her arm through mine and leads me up to her bedroom, where she heaves out two huge cardboard boxes from under her bed. They’re filled with snowflake-print cups, striped paper straws that look like candy canes, garlands of glittery stars, packs of white and red balloons, and spools of shimmery ribbon.
“Where’s the mistletoe?” I ask.
“In the box with the helium tank.” Rae bends over and pulls another box from under her bed.
“You’re serious?”
“Deadly.” She opens the flaps and pushes the box across the carpet toward me. “You blow up the balloons while I set up the garlands.”
I heave the helium tank out and rip open a packet of balloons. “I didn’t bring anything to wear.”
“Good thing I have a closet full of incredible stuff.”
The doorbell shrills a couple of minutes later.
“That must be Laney. Can you get it?”
