The three of us lugged the heavy couch to face the window so we could watch the mist rise off the river. According to my planner it was Monday, June 9, the start of our first full day in Lovesick, and I found myself already nostalgic for this first morning, the thin coffee, Ros’s legs stretched out over me and Touch, the goose egg slowly forming on his forehead. We’d left our dishes out last night, so as I finished my coffee I began to make us a chore wheel—an object of true beauty made with construction paper and markers that I’d brought from home. In addition to the construction paper, I’d traveled with all sorts of rainy-day activities: puzzles, beading kits, skeins of yarn, Magic Markers. “When will the rest of the Baby-Sitters Club be arriving?” Touch had asked last night as I unpacked. “I’m into beading,” Ros said, rushing to my defense. The joke was ultimately on Touchstone: I’d also brought my floral hammer, which had already come in handy when I banged down a spare nail that’d snagged his sock. I tap-tapped the nail down and felt proud, like, just as my mom had predicted, we’d leave the Lily Pad even better than we found it.

For now, I toiled away happily on my wheel, including such chores as water and dust plants and clean bathroom—or else, while Ros and Touch argued about the quality of the coffee, and my heart soared into my chest. This was everything I had wanted, and I had imagined it into existence: a place I could go with my friends and willingly waste time.

“Dust plants,” said Touch. “Where is that coming from?”

“My mom’s plants get super dusty at home,” I said.

“The plant-care dossier did say to clean their leaves,” said Ros.

“You’ve read it already?” I said, surprised.

“Henry wrote the whole thing for us. It deserved to be read. Plus, I was up early,” said Ros. “Needed something to look at.”

“Who takes care of all these plants when they’re not here?” I asked, looking around at all the greenery. I wished I could one day live in a house like this, that seemed to be two parts house and one part jungle.

“I think they pay someone to come take care of them,” Touchstone said. “He told me we were saving him a fortune by being here.”

“Gotcha,” I said. “Well, we can always call that person if we have a plant crisis.”

“We’re not going to have a plant crisis,” said Touch. “Hey, Ros. What’s your plan today?”

“I’m not sure,” Ros said. “I might go into town and see if any place has a help-wanted sign in the window.”

“You don’t have to rush,” I said. “It’s totally fine if you take a day to get acclimated.”