“School dance, huh?”

“Yeah.”

“Who’s staying with the others if you’re out dancing?”

“Marlin’s thirteen now. She’s old enough to babysit.”

“Is she? Well, I wouldn’t know these magical demarcations between twelve and thirteen. Anyhow, what did I tell you about chauffeur service?”

“You owe us for the chocolate chip cookies.”

Al was quiet for a second, reconnoitering. “So I do,” he said finally. “Well, never let it be said I don’t pay my debts. Okay. I’ll pick you up at what time?”

“Six-forty-five.” And right then Fiona, because she was so relieved that he had said yes without fuss, rattled on without thinking. “I told Davy I’d meet him there at seven.”

“Oho!” said Al. “You’re going with a boy, are you?”

“Yes,” said Fiona, blushing and hoping without much hope this would be the end of it.

“Old enough for that, are you?”

“Yes,” said Fiona.

“Well, well, well. A little romance brewing, is there?”

“I don’t really want to talk about it,” she said.

“Nice boy?”

“Yes,” she spat out, losing her control in exasperation.

“I see. Well, why isn’t he coming to get you then? That’s what a proper gentleman does. And comes to your door, doesn’t just sit outside in the driveway honking either. Tell him that.”

“He’s not old enough to drive. He’s only fifteen.”

“Well, why doesn’t one of his parents take you?”

“He isn’t telling his family about us.”

“Ashamed of you?”

She started to reply hotly when she saw he was teasing her.

“And besides, I can’t let him come to the house for obvious reasons. I can’t even tell him about our living situation.”

“I see,” said Al. “Kind of hard to lead a normal life with such a big secret going on, isn’t it?”

“Maybe,” said Fiona.

“Charlie’s not the only one disappointed not to be adopted, I would guess.”

“Whatever. By the way, Marlin said to tell you we’re eating at four-thirty tomorrow and she’s bringing your dinner early.”

“Why?”

“I don’t want to go to the dance on a full stomach,” said Fiona.

Al laughed and then said, “Say, has Marlin sold that ring yet?”

“Not yet. But she’s going to put it up on eBay. I think she forgot to thank you but we all really appreciate it. It was very generous of you.”

“Nah, what was I going to do with it anyway? Any word from Random House?”

“Not yet,” said Fiona.

“Shame to get her hopes up. Okay, well, tomorrow.”

“Thanks,” said Fiona, and turned her back to walk self-consciously away. She didn’t hear Al’s door close and she could feel his eyes on her back all the way down the driveway. Sometimes he could be not so bad, she thought. Almost normal really.

The next morning all the girls were as excited as if they were going to the dance too. All day long they fussed about Fiona, suggesting things she could do to appear more glamorous, but Fiona refused to tease her hair, pluck her eyebrows, or practice walking with a book on her head, the last an idea Charlie had gotten from a TV show. They had found some old bright red lipstick belonging to Martha and that evening Fiona tried it on but decided it looked silly on her. She did let Marlin rub a little into her cheeks.