“You don’t like for anyone to be upset with you. You’re a people pleaser. But Cody lost someone very important to him. You’re going to have to let him feel however he feels—about you and about the past.”

“Or maybe you could wear him down with your charm,” Alyssa offered.

“What charm?” Maggie gave a laugh.

Louisa didn’t want to think about it. She didn’t want to admit that Maggie was right—that she absolutely could not stand it when anyone was upset with her. That she would fall all over herself to make sure nobody had a negative thing to say about her, or that Cody had a right to be angry.

“It’s been a long time,” Louisa said. “Maybe he’s moved on.”

“I’m sure he has,” Maggie said, and Louisa felt a little stung at the thought. “But that doesn’t mean he wants to be your friend.”

“Ouch, Mags,” Ally said.

“She’s right,” Louisa said. “But maybe I can win him over?”

“Let it be.” Maggie was obviously not interested in keeping her opinion to herself.

“What about your birthday?” Louisa asked.

“What about it?” Maggie’s brow furrowed.

“You deserve to have everyone back together.”

“Why, because I’m a sick, dying old woman?”

“Don’t say that,” Louisa said.

“Don’t tell the truth?” Maggie scoffed. “You know it and I know it. Otherwise we wouldn’t be talking about a big birthday party that’s more like a see-ya-on-the-other-side party.”

Ally looked confused. “I thought it was a big birthday because you’re a new decade or something?”

“Oh yeah?” Maggie looked at Alyssa. “What decade did you think it was?”

Ally glanced at Louisa, who only shrugged. Truth was, she had no idea how old Maggie was. The woman had more energy than most people Louisa’s age, but her hair was gray and there were deep wrinkles around her mouth and eyes. It was impossible to zero in on a number.

“Don’t answer that,” Maggie said.

Without Louisa’s permission, an idea took hold, and as was usually the case, she knew it wasn’t going to leave her alone—not until she saw it through.

“Maggie, what if I invite my parents and Cody’s family to your party? When they see each other, they’ll realize how stupid they’ve been, and things will go back to the way they were.”

Maggie stared at her, an incredulous look on her face. “Just like that?”

“You know Daniel and Marissa were like another set of parents to me. My mom and dad loved them like family. This not-talking thing has really gotten out of hand, don’t you think? It’s been long enough.”

“Are you forgetting what happened, Lou?”

Louisa went quiet. “Of course not.”

“There’s a lot of history there. You can’t wish it all away.”