Page 101 of Room to Breathe

“I get it,” I responded.

“Where is my present?” she asked, a glint in her eyes.

I laughed.

Caroline unbuckled her seat belt and climbed over the center console toward me and Beau.

“What are you doing?” I asked in surprise. It was a very un-Caroline thing to do.

She flopped herself into the middle seat between us and wrapped an arm around each of our necks. “I’m so happy for bothof you.” My forehead was pressed against Beau’s, being squeezed in Caroline’s hug. I smiled.

“I’m coming back,” Ava said.

“Don’t!” Beau yelled, but it didn’t stop her. Caroline released us and Ava crawled into the back seat as well, lying across our laps.

“I guess we’re supporting this incestuous relationship,” Ava said.

“Not incestuous,” Beau said.

“In-group dating is almost worse,” she said.

“It is not!” Caroline and I said at the same time. Then we laughed.

“Okay, it’s hot in here,” Ava said. “And we’re going to be late.” She managed to open the back door and crawl out of the car. Once she was out, we all followed.

Ava locked the car and we headed across the parking lot toward C building as a group, like we always used to do. We were us.

At the doors to the building, Ava pulled me into a hug. “I’m sorry,” she said near my ear. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too.”

Over her shoulder I could see Beau. He was smiling.

“Can I cheat off your test?” she asked. “Next time I’m stuck.”

I gasped.

“Too soon?” she said with a laugh, releasing me from the hug.

“You’re terrible.”

“I am and you still want to be my friend. What does that say about you?” She hooked her arm in mine and Beau flanked me on the other side, draping his arm around my neck and kissing me on the temple.

Everything was going to be fine. More than fine. I was happy.

“About that present,” Ava said.

Chapter 42

Six Months Later

I hung my keys onthe hook just inside the door as I walked into the house. I’d just finished a shift at the Purple Starfish, a diner on Main Street. I mostly cleared off tables and brought people their food. I’d been working there for almost five months, but now that it was summer it was busy.

My parents were standing in the kitchen. I shut the door behind me and looked between the two of them. They held their pickleball rackets.

“Coming or going?” I asked.

Mom was drinking a big glass of water.