And then there were shouts, a lifeguard diving in the water. Annie’s mom trying and failing to get up on unsteady legs to save her daughter. Little Gabby dragged onto the bank, her body lifeless for a small hiccup of a moment.

The lake at the Kellers’, though it’s the same body of water, feels different, and when Annie dunks her head, she keeps her eyes open, forcing herself to stare at the murkiness, to widen her eyes until they hurt, until her throat begs her to go up to the surface. But she stays under until the edges of her vision fuzz, her eyes closing with the lack of oxygen.

When she breaks the surface, she’s never felt more alive.

She goes to wake up Suzy, and usually, the little girl is already awake, sitting and sucking her thumb, waiting for Annie to start the day. Annie will open the shades, letting the summer sun fall onto that nearly white head. “Rise and shine, baby,” Annie will say, and Suzy, always so happy for another day, will clap her hands.

“Bwekfest,” she’ll squeal. Or, “G’mornin’,” and laugh that jingling laugh. Annie will give her a kiss on the forehead, pull her over the bedrail, and take her to the potty, then walk behind her as she races to the kitchen, slipping onto her big girl chair. Most mornings, Annie will put a cassette in the player, Disney songs or something from a musical. On weekends, Suzy is allowed to watch TV in the den while she eats her breakfast. But Annie is supposed to relinquish her responsibilities Saturday and Sunday mornings, so Suzy associates her only with music.

Sometimes they’ll dance around the kitchen. One morning, Annie gets out her own cassette and pops it into the player. She shimmies across the room to Suzy, Puff Johnson softening Tupac’s reflective voice. She takes Suzy’s hands and they waltz around the kitchen, Suzy thoughtful as the bittersweet words tumble out of the boom box. She smiles, anything to make Annie happy, and Annie rubs their noses together, picking Suzy up and bouncing to the beat. “What do you think, Suze? It’s us against the world, baby.” She kisses Suzy’s cheek and Suzy gazes back, a smile on her face, and claps along. Annie sways like that, cheek to cheek with Suzy, their lashes blinking against one another’s skin. Until Mrs. Keller comes in and shuts it off, removing the tape with two coffin-shaped red nails.

“Let’s stick to The Little Mermaid next time, okay?” and she plunks the tape unceremoniously down on the kitchen table, in a bit of spilled juice, and opens the fridge, grabbing a Diet Coke before going to the back porch and lighting a cigarette.