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“What’s on your mom’s menu tomorrow?” I ask her

“Oh, I forgot to tell you It’s off My Aunt Anita is in the hospital in Phoenix and my parents are there with her”

“Oh, that’s too bad What’s going on with her?”

“The doctors think she has a bacterial infection She’s really sick I’ to stay with her, but I’d iine until my aunt is better”

We both screw the lids back on our water bottles, preparing to resume the hike

“Should we send flowers?” I ask Ro

“That’s a great idea, Gia! Yeah, I’ll do that”

“I’ll pay for them Just let me kno much”

“You don’t have to do that”

I shrug “I can afford it You work a lot harder for youron your rainy-day fund”

“Ha! It’s up to 104,” Ro says, sighing “I can afford a very light five-minute mist”

“You knohere you’re going Getting yourself through college and dancing at the saet there”

She’s walking at a slower pace now, beside me rather than her usual ten feet ahead

“Thanks,” she says, hesitating before quietly asking, “What about you, Gia? Where are you going?”

“Hopefully back to the car,” I quip

“I’m serious What’s your plan for your future?”

I keepI can’t tell her what my plan is, because she’d tell me I’m crazy

“I’ how far I can get in poker”

“You make a lot of money, don’t you?”

“What’s a lot to one isn’t

She turns her face to look ataround with lots of ht”

“Don’t worry about that I’rand”

“What about this hockey player?” she asks “Are you going to go out with him?”

An ie of Maverick flickers into my mind His dark wavy hair That playful smile His tall, powerful body I’d love to find out what those ertips, and discover what o crazy in bed But I wouldn’t be able to do that and stay focused on why I caas to start with

“No I told hih”