Page 77

“Park Güell. I think that’s what it’s called? I don’t know. I can look it up on the way. But that’s where the Lees are going. Alex told me. I need to go right now!” I turn to leave, but Mom grabs my wrist.

“Lenore Mae Bennett, you better slow your butt down right now,” Mom says, fixing me with a stern glare. “There’sno way you’re running off this cruise ship alone.”

“You bet you’re not!” Dad chimes in.

“That’s right,” Mom continues. “You’re going to take Wally with you.”

“She is?” Dad says.

“I am?” I say at the same time.

Wally shrugs. “Sounds good to me.”

“Marla, should we talk about this?” Dad asks, turning to Mom, but she fixes him with the same look she gave me. “Our kids aren’t kids anymore. They’re adults. And they’re smart. Capable. We’veraisedthem that way. Now we’ve gotta trust that we did our job.”

They look at each other for a long time, a whole conversation happening in head movements and raised eyebrows and pursed lips. Finally, my dad turns to me and says, “Okay.”

“Can I go too?” Etta asks.

“No,” they both reply at the same time.

Mom squeezes my hand. “Now go. We’ll handle checkout. Take your passport with you. And if you don’t meet us at the hotel by two o’clock this afternoon, I will forget all of this ‘capable adult’ business and put you on lockdown for the rest of your life, you hear me?”

“Yes, Mom. Thank you, Mom.” I kiss her on the cheek and hug her tight. Wally stands up, getting ready to leave.

“Lenore?” Dad says, and I’m worried he’s going to lay down the law and make me stay. Chasing after a boy in Barcelona is definitely not on his list of approved activities. But instead he’ssmiling. “Your mother and I were talking about it last night, and we’re starting to come around to your plan for this year. This ‘gap year’ business.” He holds up quotation marks, as if it’s some brand-new phrase that I made up myself.

“Oh yeah?” I say, my hesitant words not matching the huge smile I can feel taking over my whole face.

“Yeah.” He nods resignedly, and I let out a squeal despite myself, running over to give him a hug.

“But you know you’re going to get a job,” he says, patting my arm.

“Of course I’m going to get a job!”

“And pay rent.”

I reel back. “Whoa, whoa, whoa, that might be taking it—”

He narrows his eyes at me.

“And pay rent! Happily! Gratefully!”

“All right,” he says, nodding once. “Now you and Wally get on with this before I come to my senses.”

I run out of that dining room and don’t look back.

“Do you have his number?” Wally asks, twisting his neck around, surveying the scene.

“No, we didn’t use our phones on the ship.”

Wally nods. “All right, all right. Did he tell you exactly where he was going to be?”

“No, just Park Güell.”

“Okay, cause this place is pretty—”

“Big. I know.”