When she finally felt she’d done enough, she swam to the side of the pool and rested her arms on the edge, breathing hard and smiling at Polly, who had apparently finished communing with the universe and was sitting on an old wicker chair at the side of the pool. Maggie and Anna had shown up with wine, and Maggie had spread out that morning’s paper and was reading it section by section. Polly was wearing a cotton kimono she had apparently found growing on a tree, and looked as comfortable as she always did.

“You’re an amazon,” she said to Laura amiably. “I was never friends with girls like you in school. Jocks scare me.”

“I’m not really a jock,” replied Laura, wiping the water from her face and shaking the drops onto the side of the pool. They immediately disappeared. “Or maybe I am, I don’t know.”

Polly looked skeptical. “That’s easily settled. Were you on any teams?”

“Uh, in high school?” replied Laura. “Yes.”

“Captain of any?”

Laura nodded. “Sure.”

Polly shook her head, her blue eyes bright in the reflected light of the pool. “Jock.”

“One of them was the chess team.”

Polly snorted. “Overachieving jock.”

“And the Science Olympiad.”

“Nerd-jock hybrid. Rarely seen, but definitely possible.”

Laura grinned. “What were you into in high school?”

“Theater kid,” said Polly.

“Of course,” said Laura. “Why doesn’t that surprise me?” She turned to Anna. “What were you, Anna?”

“Art nerd,” she said. “President of the Anime Society and the Photoshop Club.” She made a face and giggled. “Strangely enough, my social life never got in the way.”

Laura smiled. “And you, Maggie?” she asked. “What was your crowd in high school?”

“Stoners,” said Maggie, without looking up from her paper.

The gate to the pool area swung open, and Asher, Bob, and Libby appeared. Asher was carrying a platter.

“Hey there”—he smiled around—“Mom put me in charge of dinner tonight, so I made sushi for everyone.” He looked at his mom. “Wasn’t sure if you wanted it poolside . . . ?”

“Why not?” replied Maggie. “It seems appropriate.” She paused. “You know, fish, water . . . never mind.” She put the paper aside and looked over the platter. “It’s very pretty.”

Asher put it down and smiled at Polly. “Did you swim already?”

She nodded, hesitated, and then reached for a roll. “Did you learn to make sushi in Japan?”

Asher laughed. “No, Venice Beach.”

Laura was cooling off and wished she’d brought a wrap, too. “I think I need to run in and get changed,” she said. “It’s getting cooler.”

“I’ll grab you something,” said Bob, getting to his feet. “I have to go back in.”