Ellen couldn’t hide her smile. “Strapping? She said strapping?”

“She did.”

“I hate her.”

“Thank you.”

The oven dinged. Ellen got up and slid in the frozen pizza, then resumed her seat.

“Have you thought about joining another pickleball league?”

“Not really, but I should think about it. Maybe put it on the challenge list.”

Ellen tore off a couple of sheets of blank paper, while Unity dug pens out of her bag.

“Let’s do this,” Ellen said. “Let’s come up with a list of challenges. Things that are scary and fun and help us grow as people.”

“Ugh.” Unity wrinkled her nose. “Sorry. I’m not a fan of change.”

“Me, either, but circumstances being what they are, I don’t think we have a choice.” She pointed to Unity’s paper. “Pickleball. Write it down.”

“I’d rather do something else.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know.” Unity thought for a second. “Skydiving.”

“What?” Ellen lowered her voice. “Are you insane? Skydiving?”

Unity grinned. “Yes, and you should get a tattoo.”

“You first.”

Unity picked up her pen and wrote the word tattoo, followed by skydiving. Her expression turned smug. “Match that.”

“Fine.” Ellen wrote down tattoo on her list. Then she thought about her recent realization that not only hadn’t she been on a date in the past seventeen years, she also hadn’t had sex. Well, at least not with someone other than herself.

Her pen hovered right above the paper.

“You can do it,” Unity whispered.

“What I’d really like is sex with a handsome man. Unlikely, but whatever.” She scribbled the words. “I have no idea how I’m going to make that happen.” She looked at Unity. “I challenge you to think about doing the same.”

“Sex with a man?”

“Or a woman.”

Unity rolled her eyes. “As if.”

“Oh, and in your case, he has to be age appropriate.”

She thought Unity might get upset at that, but her friend only started to laugh.

“I’m definitely not ready for that,” Unity admitted.

“I know, but isn’t that the point? Oh, I have one for you. Get a phone you can text with.”

“Fine. Get some clothes that fit you.”

Ellen winced. “I really should do that.”

“Yes, you should.”

The timer dinged. Ellen sliced up the pizza and set it in the center of the table. Over wine and dinner, they continued to brainstorm their lists. Nearly an hour later, they looked at each other.

“I’m excited and uncomfortable,” Ellen admitted. “Which I think is the point. What about you?”

Unity shrugged. “The same.”

“I’m not sure you’re ready to move on.”

“I’m not, but do I have a choice?” Unity split the last of the wine between them. “I got yelled at in my grief group.”

“Grief group is giving you grief?” Ellen slapped her hand over her mouth. “Sorry. That’s the wine talking.”

“Yes, it is and you’re right. It’s kind of funny.”

“No, it’s not. What happened?”