But I grab both their clubs before she can take her running start. Even though I’m pretty sure my toes are blue inside my boots, I still want a minute to take a mental picture of all of us head-to-toe in red and white like candy canes on the eighteenth hole. My club is across my lap, and I can hear the water from the hose running through the canyon. It’s perfect. It’s the best Valentine’s Day, or any day, really, I’ve ever had.

“What?” Coralee says.

“Nothing, just sizing up my victory shot.”

“Nah, don’t you know the rules? Whoever gets a hole in one on the last hole is the real winner.”

She takes a flying leap, and we all duck when her ball shoots off the bucket of gold on the little wooden train and comes flying back at us. Bert catches it with surprising reflexes.

I, of course, take the hole in one.

We stop at the Dairy Queen on the way home and pick up burgers and chocolate-dipped cones. It’s so cold, even in the van with the heater running, I have time to eat my entire burger before the cone starts to melt.

It’s completely dark when we roll down the gravel drive after dropping off Bert and Coralee. Mom and I sit in the car for a minute. I’m so tired, I close my eyes.

“Did you have fun, sweetheart?”

“Yeah, I did.”

“And you’re glad we’re here?”

“I’m glad we’re here.”

“And school’s better? At least better than it was? The teachers are giving you enough time between classes and you’re all right without an aide?”

“Yeah, Mom. Things are better.”

Better but still not great, I don’t say. People still don’t really look at me or talk to me, other than adults and Bert and Coralee. But then again, nobody really talks to anyone but their own friend group anyway.

“Good, good. I just want to know you’re taken care of,” she says, reaching her arm back and rubbing my knee. “And I’m sorry about last night. I’m sorry you had to find out that way. Grandpa’s not going anywhere for a long, long time. I promise, okay?”

“Okay. Can we go in now?”

I want to believe her. I do. But I can’t get that picture of the Autumn Leaves brochure out of my head. This is the first time all night I really feel the cold.

I spend all of Sunday, the day before my speech, blowing my nose. But I don’t mind because miniature golf finally gave me an idea.

10 Speeches and Ambulances

Speech class with Mrs. Roman is fourth period, right before lunch, which makes my topic just about perfect. But when the bell rings at the end of third, all I want to do is throw up and hide.