But it was touching that Nina and Beau had remembered my birthday when I’d completely spaced on it. They paid more attention to some things about myself than I did. I was just beginning to dread whatever was about to come out of Nina’s mouth because I knew that calculating look in her eyes.

“And?” I said, deciding to play it cool so Beau and Nina would see that I did not want to make a big deal out of my birthday.

YOUR BIRTHDAY! Nina signed, giving me this look that clearly said, duh!

“Yes, well, I’m choosing to ignore my birthday this year,” I said, slapping a hand down on the table. “It’s not a big deal.”

“No way,” Beau said with an incredulous look. “. . . turning eighteen.”

“So?”

IMPORTANT, Nina signed, practically squirming with glee. WE NEED CELEBRATE.

“Oh, come on. Really?” I said, trying not to grimace.

YES! Nina signed back excitedly.

I looked to Beau for backup, but all he did was go palms up as if to say, This is Nina’s show here.

REALLY? I signed with an involuntary wince.

“Yes!” Nina said at the same time Beau signed, YOU WILL HAVE FUN.

WANT SMALL, I signed to Nina, and she nodded quickly, signing back, UNDERSTAND.

Hoping the birthday thing would be put to rest, I unwrapped my sandwich and took a bite. Beau and Nina started in on their own lunches, and for a moment I started to temporarily forget everything that had been going wrong lately. I had two people here that I was pretty sure would support me no matter what happened.

As much as I wanted to ignore the whole interpreter situation with Cartwright and focus on more important things immediately at hand, I was telling Kathleen what happened before the day was out.

NORMAL? I signed to her as we stood beside my locker after the last bell. I FEEL COLLEGE SHOULD HAVE MANY INTERPRETER.

Kathleen was nodding along with an inquisitive look on her face. NOT STRANGE, she signed. SOMETIMES THAT HAPPEN. BUT . . .

I felt my breath catch waiting for what she would sign next. Kathleen mentioned a while back that she’d been an educational interpreter for a long time. She had to be in the know where education was concerned, right?

Please don’t let her deliver any more depressing news, I thought uneasily.

I MAKE CALL, Kathleen finally signed, a confident smile taking over her face. I KNOW SOME PEOPLE. I TELL YOU LATER INFORMATION I FIND.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, I signed quickly, and before I could think twice I threw my arms around her in a hug.

I could feel Kathleen laughing by the vibrations in her chest, and she was still smiling when I let her go and took a step back.