“Yes,” said Amelia. “Then you’d be around if I needed you.” I’ll always need you, she thought.

Mrs. O’Brien tapped her cards on the table. Amelia couldn’t tell what she was thinking. Her face gave nothing away.

“Are you ready?” asked Mrs. O’Brien lightly, lifting the burden of the day. “Let’s play.”

29 • A Letter and a Cake

That night Amelia fell asleep quickly, as if under a spell. And she slept deeply. And she slept late. When she woke it was almost noon.

Louise called to say that Casey was back at his house and fine and that Amelia should come to the clay studio.

But Amelia stayed home. She stayed near Mrs. O’Brien all day. They cleaned the living room windows. They reorganized the refrigerator. They baked a chocolate cake with buttercream frosting for no special occasion. “Just because,” said Mrs. O’Brien. “Just because.”

When the mail arrived, there was a letter from France, from Natalie. It came exactly when Amelia needed it most.

Dear Amelia,

I miss you!

I’m sorry I haven’t written in such a long time. We were in Paris last week, which was fabulous, except the place we stayed was so small that Hope and I had to share a room the size of a shoebox. She’s driving me crazy. Were we so annoying when we were six? Sometimes I think you’re lucky being an only child. I got you a beautiful silver dish at a flea market. It’s shaped like a clamshell. I’ll bring it when we come home. Did I say I miss you?

Love,

Natalie

P.S. The real reason I wrote this letter (which I never mentioned in the letter) was to say that I hope we’re still best friends.

Amelia read the letter so many times she practically knew it by heart. She couldn’t believe that Natalie had been thinking the same thing she’d been thinking, that she’d doubted their friendship.

Amelia wanted to write Natalie the perfect letter in return. Most important, she’d confirm their friendship. But she would also tell her about Casey and Hannah Barnes. She realized how much her life had changed since Natalie’s family had gone to France.

Amelia went to her room to get paper and an envelope. When she reappeared in the kitchen, Mrs. O’Brien said, “Well, as my grandmother used to say, ‘Be careful what you wish for.’”

“What?” asked Amelia.

Mrs. O’Brien tugged at her shirt, then smoothed it. She fingered the pearls around her neck. “Hannah Barnes is coming for dinner tonight.”

“She is?”

“She is.”

“How do you know?”

“Your father just called. I’d asked him about it this morning before he left for his office. I didn’t expect him to respond this quickly.”

“Tonight?”

“Tonight,” said Mrs. O’Brien. “I’m glad we made our cake.”

“Should we decorate it?” asked Amelia.

“Yes,” said Mrs. O’Brien. “Good idea.”

They mixed green and yellow frosting, and Mrs. O’Brien helped Amelia pipe delicate yellow flowers and buds atop curly green stems. The cake had looked perfectly nice and unfussy before, but now it was beautiful. It had been transformed.