“But it might have been a coincidence about the toad,” I said. “I really don’t think that’s why you got sick.” I felt like Miriam. Maybe Angelica needed a Miriam.

She shrugged again.

“I’m sorry,” I said again. I looked her right in the eyes. Not because I was supposed to, but because I wanted to. “For hurting you.”

“It wasn’t such a big deal, Bea. I’ve had the wind knocked out of me before. Relax. I forgive you.”

We sat there. I did feel a little better.

“Last year stunk,” Angelica said. “James was so mean all summer. Plus, my parents had been fighting a lot at home, and then at the lake they just totally stopped talking to each other, which was way worse. Everything kind of stunk.”

“Your parents fight?”

She nodded. “Oh yeah. But it’s a lot better now. They started counseling. We all go together sometimes. It’s pretty cool, actually. You know who talks the most in counseling? James! Can you believe that? Anyway, we started having more fun, I guess, even with everyone freaking out about my face problems. This year has been a lot more fun than last year.”

“Wow.” It felt like Angelica and I were having our first conversation ever.

“But New York City really does smell, Bea. I mean, I can’t smell it right now, but—P.U.! How can you live here?”

I leaned back in my chair. A daisy head pressed into my neck. “It does smell sometimes. Especially in the summer. But I like it anyway.”

“So is Sonia coming to the lake this summer? And Jesse?”

“I don’t know,” I said. I’d never thought about that. Why couldn’t they? Jesse and Dad would be married, just as much as Uncle Frank and Aunt Ess.

“Angelica,” I said.

“Yeah?”

“I think you should forgive yourself. About the toad.”

She stared at me.

“Okay, everyone!” Dad called out. “Let’s do this!” And people cheered and started finding seats.

Vows

Dad and Jesse were getting married at the far end of the garden, where Sheila had strung a lot of paper lanterns and daisy chains along the wooden fence. The garden was mostly in the shade now, but the lights made the flowers glow a tiny bit, exactly the way Sheila said they would.

Sonia and I were in the front row, sitting between Sheila and Mom. I asked Mom to sit there with me.

“In the front row?” she said when I asked. “Won’t that be— I don’t know, Bea. Won’t that be strange? Sitting in the front row at my ex-husband’s wedding?”

But I told her strange would be if we weren’t sitting together.