“I do…not. If my mother could’ve wrapped me in a blanket to protect me from anything that might cause physical injury, she would’ve.”

“No football for you, then?”

He laughed. “Are you kidding me? She thought baseball was a contact sport.”

“Poor Delbert.”

“Del.”

“Uh-huh.”

“You did a great job in there, Nora. You were right—we were losing them by giving them too many things to focus on. You cut right to the heart of it and they heard you.”

“Thanks, Del. I really appreciate the compliment.”

“Listen. I know some of the guys have been giving you a hard time. Frankly, I find their lack of respect appalling. Don’t pay them any mind. They’re threatened by the idea that you and the girls might show them up.”

“What about you? Aren’t you feeling threatened?”

“Heck, no! If these girls succeed, we all win. This isn’t a competition. It could be life or death.” They reached the bus stop. “I’m in your corner, Nora. All the way. I believe in you, and that means I believe in them.”

She hugged him briefly. “I can’t tell you what that means to me, Del. These five months have been hard for me. Your friendship has been a blessing.”

“I feel the same way, my friend.”

For the first time since she’d arrived, Nora’s heart felt lighter. She understood that Del would be spending most of his time now at Berkeley, with only an occasional trip back to the Reservation. But she would enjoy his company for those times when he was here.

Mary yawned and stretched. The early afternoon sun streamed in through the bus window, and she squinted. They were pulling into a bus station.

“Knoxville,” intoned the driver. “Knoxville Depot.”

Knoxville? Holy cow! This was her stop. Mary gathered her sweater and purse, stepped into the shoes she’d kicked off hours earlier, and picked her way past the other passengers to the front of the bus. The driver helped her down the steps and retrieved her suitcase from the storage area.

“Mary! Yoo-hoo, Mary! Over here.”

She shielded her eyes and spotted her cousin jumping up and down and waving at her. She hoisted the suitcase and ran in that direction. “Oh, Louise. It’s so good to see you.” Mary had forgotten how pretty she was. Louise favored her father. She was several inches taller than her, with dark, wavy hair and soulful brown eyes.

“Give me that.” Louise relieved her of the suitcase, which she set down on the sidewalk. Then she hugged Mary tightly. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too.”

“Let me get a look at you.” Louise released her and held her at arm’s length. “You’ve lost weight, and you didn’t have any to lose. You’re practically melting away.”

“Oh, posh. I am not doing any such thing.”