Only 10:00 A.M., and it was already hot and humid. The morning weather report predicted the day’s high would be eighty-two. She checked the forecast for New York City—rainy and low sixties. Letty wiped a bead of perspiration from her neck.

Zoey had volunteered to pick them up at JFK. She hoped her friend would bring along a rain jacket from the stash of Letty’s belongings she’d been storing all this time.

Clothes were on the list of things Letty had been mentally scribbling all week. Maya had outgrown most of her old clothes that Letty had brought to Florida. She’d need real shoes—no more dollar-store flip-flops or cheap sneakers. And socks. Letty had been studying apartment listings and had narrowed her search down to two viable options in the East Village, both within walking distance of the kindergarten Sammi had recommended.

She pulled the rec room door open.

“Surprise!”

The room was filled with colorful balloons and streamers. All the remaining regulars stood in a circle around a table topped with a cut-glass bowl of red Hawaiian Punch and a chocolate-frosted sheet cake with pink and purple lettering that said GOODBYE LETTY & MAYA.

Letty felt her eyes fill with tears. Maya darted into the middle of the crowd. She was dressed in a fluffy blue satin and tulle ankle-length princess dress, her curls topped with a rhinestone-studded crown.

“Letty, Letty,” she cried, spinning around in a circle and fluffing the multiple layers of tulle skirts. “Miss Ruth and Miss Billie made me a present because I am going away on an airplane. Look! I’m Elsa.”

Letty was speechless.

“Billie designed it and sewed it herself,” Ruth Feldman said proudly. “I found the crown at a costume store and bedazzled it.”

“She insisted on putting it on right away,” Billie said. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“It’s fantastic,” Letty said. “Billie, Ruth, what a wonderful gift. We can’t thank you enough.”

“Hey, let’s give Letty our present now too,” Oscar Jensen said loudly.

“Let’s cut the cake and have punch first,” Merwin said. “I’m taking Trudi to get fitted for her new walker in half an hour.” He tapped Letty’s arm. “And don’t worry. I’m not gonna ask you to pay for it.”

“Only because I read him the riot act,” Trudi said, leaning heavily on the back of a folding chair.

Ava DeCurtis emerged from the rec room kitchen with a stack of paper plates and cups. “Okay, come on everybody. We’ll present Letty with your gift, and then cut the cake and let her get on her way to the airport.”

Isabelle brought out a large flat package wrapped in silver paper with a silver bow. “This is for you and Maya, Letty. Everybody here chipped in. Even some of the regulars who already went home.”