“It’s not, unfortunately.” Ruby grimaced as she glanced at the close-written text. Unlike the rest of the glories in this filing cabinet, this was a sea of mediocrity or, more accurately, C’s of mediocrity. “It’s my high school transcript. Look. The only class I got an A in was gym, and that was because of all the running and yoga I did. I always beat the other kids in the mile.”

Her mom ignored the latter half of her statement. “Your high school transcript? What on earth do you need that for?”

“I don’t know yet,” Ruby said honestly. She turned her gaze on her mother, aware that this next part was going to be even more painful. “Didn’t I win a couple of scholarships at one point? I know those were offered sometimes instead of prize money. A lot of the girls got full rides to college that way.”

“College? Is that what this is about?”

“Where did they go?” Ruby asked as she began searching through the filing cabinet once again. “You kept literally everything else. Look, you even saved my dental bills.”

“I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Her mother tossed her head and tried to pull Ruby away from the cabinet. “You can’t expect me to remember the exact prize from every pageant you entered.”

Ruby leveled her with a hard stare. “Miss Junior Puget Sound, 2006.”

Her mother didn’t want to answer. The firm set of her lips caused her rose lipstick to smear, and she shook her head until her platinum locks tumbled over her shoulders. Like her daughter, however, Laurel Taylor couldn’t resist a challenge once it had been offered.

“Three thousand dollars and a photo shoot with that modeling agency from Portland.” Her mom threw up her hands. “There. Are you happy now?”

“Not really. Little Girl Glam, 2004.”

Her mom didn’t miss a beat. “No prize money for that one. But it did get you entry into Glitz and Rainbows that same year.”

“Which…?”

Her mother sighed. “I don’t know what good this is doing either of us. You only took second, so it was five hundred dollars. That one hurt. You missed three notes of ‘Amazing Grace.’”

Ruby had only vague recollections of those pageants, but she accepted her mother’s valuation as truth. When it came to remembering pageant details, Laurel Taylor was as sharp as they came.

“Where did the scholarships go?” Ruby asked again. “And why did we never make a push to use them?”

“Use them for what?” Her mother released a brittle laugh. It was nothing like the spark of sunshine that usually came out of her when she laughed. “Ruby, honey, take a look at that piece of paper in your hand and ask me that question again.”