“Let’s do it,” Kimmie says. She straightens her back, shifting her position in her chair, and suddenly she looks much more relaxed. “We probably shouldn’t go back to Chelsea, though.” She makes a face, and I can’t help but laugh. Last year, we got kicked out of not one, and not two, but three bars for being underage.

“Why don’t we go to Hell’s Kitchen or something?”

“Done,” she says. “I’ll let Adam and Darryl know.”

She smiles at me. I return the smile, and just for a second, I feel a little more like myself. In the back of my mind, I think about the fact that by Friday, my dad’s future will have been decided, and if we’re lucky, at least part of this nightmare will be behind us.

When I walk into Jorge and Amy’s apartment later in the day, Sophie is waiting for me by the door.

“Pa called,” she says as soon as she sees me. “You just missed him.”

“What did he say?” I ask. I can’t help the way my heart starts pounding, preparing for bad news.

Amy turns toward me. She’s sitting on the couch, cradling the baby. Lately, she doesn’t seem to want to put Ellie down for more than a few minutes at a time, and I think I know why—she’s supposed to be going back to work at the art gallery soon. “Just that he’s been preparing for his hearing next week,” she says. “And the lawyer is coming over tomorrow, so you can also get ready for speaking in front of the judge.”

A nasty feeling starts swirling in my stomach, threatening to shoot up my throat. “That’s good,” I say, trying not to show Sophie how scared I am. “I’ll need all the help I can get.”

I take my backpack off my shoulders and set some of my books down on the kitchen table. I start doing homework, and after a while, Sophie and Amy join me.

“Hmm, that’s not quite right,” Amy says softly to my sister. “Come on, let’s try counting with our fingers. One, two, three…”

Watching Amy help Sophie with her homework makes me feel all kinds of things. I’m relieved, because not having to do this myself means I get to focus on my own stuff. It also warms my heart a little to hear the way they speak gently to each other, as if they’re trying hard to figure out what tone of voice is the most appropriate to use. Mostly, though, it makes me a bit sad, because this is exactly what Ma used to do, and the fact that Amy has had to step into her shoes is just a reminder that she’s been taken away.