“Mr. Davidson said to say, ‘Hang in there,’ ” I told Lucy, while Monty panted hot dog breath into my face.

“Mr. Davidson is pretty great,” Lucy said. “He’s lived here his whole life.”

“He’s a local,” I said, “but he has flair.”

“Other locals don’t have flair?” Lucy mused.

There was a soft tap on the window.

Berry waved on the other side of the glass.

I rolled down the window, shoving Monty back. “Hey!”

“Hey,” Berry said. “Uh, hey. Vice Principal Shirley.”

“Berry.” Lucy put on her cordial principal voice. “Nice to see you.”

“Yeah, uh.” Berry stepped back, slightly shrinking into her coveralls. “My parents want to say hello. So, here we go.” She turned to address the very tall, very hip-looking adults standing behind her. “Okay, say hi and that’s it.”

Berry’s father wore faded coveralls. He had a friendly face and the same hair as Berry, only not tied up and green. Berry’s mom was a little more Greenville standard in khaki shorts and a Greenville sweatshirt.

“Hello.” They waved in sync.

“I’m Harry.” Berry’s father pointed at his chest. “This is Sophie.”

“It’s so lovely to meet you finally,” Sophie gushed, causing Berry to cringe. “We’ve heard so much about you, Anne!”

I stuck my head farther out the window, which was a little squished because Monty was doing the same. “So much! You don’t say!” I waggled my eyebrows at Berry. “Well, that’s pretty cool!”

Berry rolled her eyes.

“I know Anne feels the same,” Lucy confided, out loud, to everyone within earshot. “She’s very lucky to have a friend like Berry.”

“I mean, after all she’s been through with those other girls.” Sophie put a hand on Berry’s back, which might have very well been made of fire from the expression on Berry’s face. “I was just saying to Harry the other day—”

Millie returned with a tray of burgers, giving Berry time to slip away from her mother’s hand and give me a look of solid mortification. I returned the look with a psychic message acknowledging that sometimes we don’t want our moms to speak the things they speak.

Other girls. Like Gilly, I assumed.

And then a thin thread of Monty drool dropped onto my shoulder and I pinwheeled back into the car. “GAH! MONT-STER! OH MY GOD, THAT’S SO GROSS!”

“We’ll let you enjoy your supper,” I heard Harry say as I desperately wiped the pool of drool off my neck with the front of my shirt.

“What a nice family,” Lucy sighed. “You’re very fortunate to find a friend here so fast.”

I nodded, shoving my burger in my mouth before Monty got a chance to slobber on it.

I think the world is a little easier to deal with after you’ve eaten.