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"We just don't need any ceremony," Jade said. "If we promise, we promise. Let me think a minute. You're moving too fast. This is so crazy." She turned to me. "Are you sure you didn't call anyone else?" she asked me, looking like she hoped I had.

"No. You were the only one I called. Who else would I call?"

She nodded. The other two watched her think.

"You really want to do this?" Jade asked me.

I looked down at Geraldine. She would be furious, I thought, but then I thought about the freedom and having the girls with me, all of us together, truly the family we coveted for so long.

"I think so," I said.

"Good," Misty chimed before I could have second thoughts. "We better get started. There's so much planning to do."

Star and Jade looked at each other and Star nodded. "Well?" she asked her.

"Bury her ourselves? I'm wearing a Prada outfit," Jade moaned.

"So? If you ruin it, you'll buy another," Star replied. "We saw your closet, Jade. You probably have hundreds of outfits you haven't even worn yet anyway."

"What do we do first?" Jade asked, reluctantly.

"First we get the shroud and the shovel. I have the Bible here. Then we do the funeral," Star rattled off. She turned to me. "You get the bedsheet. look for the shovel. Any lights out there?"

"No," I said.

"We'll need a flashlight."

"I just put fresh batteries in it," I said.

Jade raised her eyebrows.

"Fresh batteries? Wonderful." She studied me a moment. "Are you really all right with this?" she asked me

I avoided looking down at Geraldine.

"I don't want to be sent anywhere," I said. "I'm tired of agencies and strangers."

"She's okay," Misty followed and put her arm around me to squeeze me and comfort me. "Stop driving her crazy."

"This isn't a game, Misty. I'm not kidding. It's illegal. We could all get into a lot of trouble. It's serious," Jade reaffirmed.

"I'm being serious," Misty cried.

"If we're going to do it," Star said, "let's do it or let's just all go home?'

"No," I said quickly. "Don't go home. I don't know what I'll do. I'll run away. I'll--"

"All right, all right we'll do it," Jade declared. She took a deep breath and said, "Go get the bedshee

t."

"I'll help you," Misty said, and followed me out. "You should make yourself a bed downstairs," she suggested as I worked my way up the steps. "At least until your ankle heals."

"Geraldine never liked the idea of anyone sleeping in the living room. She made me do it the other night but that was her way of punishing me."

"You're in charge of yourself. She's gone. She won't ever punish you again," Misty declared, almost gleefully.

I paused and looked down toward the living room. "No, I suppose not, but if she could, she would send me to my room without supper, just for talking about this."