I gave her the bowl. She set down the cookie and began eating the oatmeal. It seemed like she was always hungry. I wondered if girls just ate a lot. The only female I really knew was my mother and she never ate much. “How was your night?”

“Good,” she said between bites. “It wasn’t too cold.”

I sat cross-legged across from her. “My dad says it’s always warmer before a storm. There’s supposed to be another big snowstorm this week. Bigger than yesterday’s.”

“What day?”

“I’m not sure. I think Wednesday.”

She took another bite of oatmeal. “Figures.”

“Why figures?”

“Wednesday’s my birthday.”

“Really? How old will you be?”

“Sixteen.”

This surprised me. We were in the same class and I was just fourteen.

As if reading my mind she said, “People start school later in Hawaii.”

“So what are you getting for your birthday?” I asked. She looked at me with a pained expression. It was a stupid question. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay.” She finished eating the oatmeal and handed the bowl back to me. After a moment she said, “I miss how my birthdays used to be. For breakfast, my mother always made chocolate chip pancakes. Then she would take off early from work and we’d go somewhere, like the zoo or the park.” A distant look came to her eyes. “It’s been a while. My last birthday she gave me a Twinkie with a candle in it because Stan was taking her away for the day. I could tell she felt bad about it. Stan plans these ‘outings’ whenever something important in my life comes up. It’s his way of showing who’s the boss. He’s big on who’s the boss.”

“I’m sorry,” I said. Again.

She looked at me and forced a smile. “But I’m here now, so I don’t have to worry about that.”

“You must have been real hungry.”

“Because I’m eating so fast?”

“No, because the plate is empty.”

“I put the cheese and meat outside in the snow to keep it cold.”

“Outside?”

She nodded.

“That’s not a good idea.”

“Why?”

“There are a lot of animals around here. Rats and raccoons and stuff.”

“Rats?” She turned pale. “I didn’t know.”

“Where’d you put it?”

“Just outside the door, around the corner.”

I looked out. The platter was still there, but the meat and cheese were gone, and Saran Wrap littered the snow.

“Looks like they got it. I should get you a bucket or something. You could fill it with snow, like a refrigerator. That’s how they used to keep things cold.” I looked at her. “So I was thinking today we could go exploring.”

“Where?”

“Just out back.”

“Are you sure no one will see me?”

“My dad’s still in bed. Mom and Joel won’t be home for a few hours.”