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"Wait. What did her father do?" Star asked.

"I don't know. What?" Jade asked, looking my way. The clock was ticking.

"My father was a musician," I said,

remembering my mother's letter. "He taught music at...at..."

"UCLA," Jade inserted.

"UCLA," I said. "My mother is still not over it, even after all these years."

'Where did she go tonight?" Star asked.

We all thought.

"To her sister's in ...Phoenix." Misty said. "I have an aunt there."

"Fine. Everyone got it?" Star asked.

"I guess nobody said anything about this, then," I said, indicating my cast.

"Just tell them you tripped on the stairs. You're a klutz," Jade decided. "It's better than saying you fell from the crawl space above the pantry. Then you'd really have explaining to do."

They all nodded just as the doorbell sounded.

"Talk about just making it at the bell," Star muttered, and went to answer the door.

Larry was the first to arrive. Star said that made sense; the army taught him to be punctual. He was a strikingly good looking six-feet-three-inch young man with firm wide shoulders. He looked very handsome in his army uniform and stood with a calm, deliberate air about him

Star introduced him, and his first question was what happened to my leg.

"I came down my stairs too fast one day," I said quickly. "Anyone ever tell you that you look a lot like Will Smith?" Jade asked him to change the subject.

"No, ma'am," he said. "Most compare me to Denzel Washington."

"Ma'am? Please just call me Jade," she said. "Next thing I know you'll salute me."

"I'm the only one he's saluting tonight:' Star joked, and Larry laughed. "C'mon, I'll get you some of Jade's wonderful punch:' she told him. Jade glanced at Misty and me when Star threaded her arm through Larry's and led him into the living room.

"She's full of beans," Jade whispered. "They've already slept together."

Misty's eyes bulged.

"I can tell those things," Jade insisted.

David and Stuart arrived next. Both wore dark sports jackets and slacks. David looked as he did in the picture, only more handsome. Stuart was good looking, too, but looked very serious. He had an air about him that made him seem older, wiser.

Everyone was introduced in the living room and Jade put on some music. The boys liked her punch. Stuart got me a glass and we sat on the sofa. Misty was near the door, anxiously awaiting Chris's arrival. I could see by the look on her face that she was afraid he wasn't going to show.

"How long have you been wearing the cast?" Stuart asked. He had a deep, resonant voice. Very manly, I thought.

"Not long. About ten days," I said.

"I broke my wrist once. When I was ten, I fell off my bike and tried to break the fall with my hand straight out. It was pretty painful. Does your ankle still hurt?"

"No, it's fine."

"Jade told my cousin that you're attending St. Jude," he said.