Mom got the car unlocked and climbed in the driver’s seat, but I just stood there, resting my forehead against the window, begging my brain to quiet down. I wasn’t sure how much time passed before I felt Mom’s hand on my shoulder, gently urging me to turn around and face her.

WHAT’S WRONG? Mom signed, keeping one hand tight on my shoulder.

WHAT HAPPEN IF COLLEGE CAN’T FIND ME INTERPRETER? I signed as I sucked in a shaky breath of air.

THEY WILL, Mom signed, pointing back at the administration building. PATIENT, she added, tapping a finger to my forehead.

I tried to keep signing, but my hands seemed incapable of cooperating the way I wanted. “I thought I’d tackled the hardest part,” I told Mom. “Getting into college and all that. But now this? I know you say they’ll get me an interpreter eventually, but . . . what if this is a sign I’m not supposed to go into respiratory therapy?”

Mom took my face in her hands and very clearly said, “Adjust . . . expectations.”

She pressed a kiss to my forehead before she let me go and took a step back, and then she signed, LIFE NOT WORK HOW WE THINK.

I KNOW, I signed back quickly. BUT—

NO, YOU DON’T KNOW, Mom signed in disagreement. YOU YOUNG. NEED TIME.

I tried to respond, but Mom kept cutting me off before I could get more than a few signs in.

YOU SAD NOW, I UNDERSTAND, she signed, her movements very firm. BUT YOU NEED FOCUS. THINGS WILL IMPROVE.

She finished making her point by signing, PATIENT, again.

Unfortunately, patience had never been my strong suit.

Chapter 32

CHAPTER 32

It wasn’t the warmest day outside, but I thought I could use a change of scenery during lunch. After the events of yesterday, I wasn’t up for much talk today, and I knew Nina and Beau would want every detail of my visit to Cartwright.

There were a bunch of picnic tables set up in the small courtyard outside the cafeteria, and I had my pick since almost no one was going to venture out into the cold to enjoy their sandwiches. I dropped my backpack onto the ground next to the table on the far side of the courtyard and sat down. Wallowing had never been my favorite pastime, but I couldn’t snap myself out of it.

I just about jumped out of my skin when a hand came down on my shoulder, and the breath I’d sucked in came out in a rush when I saw Beau and Nina standing there behind me, looking as shocked as I felt at their sudden appearance. They both signed, SORRY, while I worked to breathe properly again.

FINE, I signed back, one hand still at my chest.

SURE? Nina signed, taking a spot at the picnic table across from me. YOU LOOK . . .