I don't think Wednesday could be going any slower.

I try to act upbeat for Natalie and Katrina but it is hard. All I want is for it to be Thursday already! I miss having Lacy around the house so bad. Not to mention that I'm gathering the courage to talk to Mom and Dad about the... possibility of adopting Genevieve once I get home today.

I slowly get pulled out my my own head by the sound of voices around me.

"Earth to Bridget... This is mission control..." Natalie teases me, making walkie-talkie noises between words.

"Huh?" I say stupidly. I blink and turn to face her and Katrina. Katrina's trying to stifle a laugh to prevent her lunch from falling out of her mouth.

"I swear you've been on Pluto for the last ten minutes!" Natalie laughs, playfully landing a punch on my shoulder. I smile half-heartedly.

"Sorry."

Natalie and Katrina's faces fall a little.

"Hey, what's up?" Natalie asks, genuine concern in her voice.

"Hmm? Oh nothing!" I insist. "Just thinking."

Natalie raises her eyebrows. "A mysterious answer... Alright, alright I see how ya are," she says, the playful spirit back in her voice. Katrina's not convinced.

"Bridget? Is... something happening with Lacy?" she asks hesitantly.

"What? Oh no! At least, not really..." I think aloud. I feel as if I'm trying to make myself feel better as much as reassuring Natalie and Katrina. The vague description of Lacy's health has been kinda haunting me all day. But it's just me and my pessimistic ways.

At least, that's what I keep telling myself.

I blink rapidly again and shake my head as I realize I've spaced off again.
Katrina and Natalie stare back at me, giving me the "we know something's wrong now spill" kind of look.

"Guys, everything's fine!" I push, laughing a little. "I'm just really excited to have her home tomorrow!"

They remain silent for a second. Then Natalie keeps digging.

"Aaaannnnnnnd...?" she prompts.

"And nothing!" I say, getting slightly exasperated.

Natalie puts up her hands. "Alright! But you better not be lying."

I make more of an effort to stay engaged in the conversation, and for the most part, their concern for me seems to subside. But my knees are still bouncing nervously under the table, as I try to plan out what to say to my parents tonight.

     ______________________

I walk home with Natalie after school, hoping beyond home that she doesn't catch on to my nervous mood and start interrogating me again.

But I know there's little hope I'll be able to hide it from her.

"That test was awful!" she groans.

I nod nonchalantly, my eyes wandering everywhere, eyeing the people passing by, but not really seeing anything.

"I never thought I'd see the day, where I was worried that I failed an English quiz," Natalie grumbles on.

I force out a laugh, feeling bad that I'm only half-listening. Natalie eyes me curiously.

"You're in a weird mood," she observes. "Not sad, not angry... Just weird."

I look back at her. "Why do you say that?" I ask, trying to deny that it's true.

"I don't know, cause you just are."

We turn onto Q Street. I straighten my back a little, searching for Genevieve while also trying to think of something to say. Natalie says it for me.

"I'm kind of having déjà vu..." she comments.

I find Genevieve and give her a wave while replying to Natalie with a question. "Whatdoya mean?"

She follows my line of vision.

"Are you back to obsessing over that girl?" She asks it, not really rudely, but just out of plain and simple curiosity as to why I'd care to find out about this girl who seemed perfectly content with her life.

I raise my eyebrows at Natalie. Then I blow some air through my lips and give her a smile. "I haven't told you anything have I?" I realize, rather regretfully.

Natalie raises her eyebrows back at me.

"I knew something was up at lunch today!" she proclaims rather victoriously.

I roll my eyes and shove her teasingly. "Ehhhh... You've got the wrong idea."

"What? Why? Whatdoya mean? What does she have to do with anything?"

"Whoa, there horsey!" I say with an amused smile. Then I run a nervous hand through my hair, not sure how Natalie will respond to what I'm about to say.

"Long story short, I got to know her a little and she kinda saved Lacy's life," I spit out, awkwardly twirling a loose strand of hair.

Natalie stops in her tracks. I come to a halt too and turn around. Yep, I've given her a heart attack.

"She- Bu- I- How- What???" Natalie stammers pointing in Gen's direction. I walk up to her laughing and fling one arm over her shoulders. We start up walking again, Natalie still looking as dumbfounded as a hummingbird who found a baby eagle in its nest.

"And she's kinda the reason we ever found Lacy," I mumble, not sure I've ever even told her that detail.

She looks at me like she doesn't understand English.

"I would've kept you up with everything but it was all so crazy and I-" I apologize.

Natalie shakes her head and finally finds her words. "I'm not mad, Bridget! Just... Wow."

I shrug as if the whole thing is no big deal.

Which is stupid because it obviously is a big deal.

We continue walking, my arm still slung over Natalie's shoulder. We pass Genevieve swinging around the light post across the street. I wish Natalie wouldn't stare so much. Gen stops her dancing suddenly as someone gives her a pair of fuzzy socks. She bows to the man before taking off down the street the moment he turns his back.

Natalie turns her head back in my direction.

"So ummm, what did you learn about her?" she asks.

I watch Genevieve's retreating figure with a thoughtful expression.

"Not enough, Nat."

     ______________________

"Madre! Can I talk to you?" I call the second I walk in the door. Mom looks up from the book she's reading with a curious look.

"Ummm, sure?"

I can't help but feel a little déjà vu myself. Not long ago I had talked to my Mom to see if she knew anything about Gen and her circumstances. Now, here we are again, talking about Gen.

"It's... Ummm... It's about Genevieve," I falter, the words I had so desperately tried to plan out failing to cooperate with me.

Mom sets down her book. "Sit."

I drop my backpack in the entryway and go to pull out a chair. I settle in while Mom waits patiently for me to begin.

I take a deep breath and then as if on cue, Megan, who had left slightly behind Natalie and I, come bursting through the door.

"Oooo momma, do I have a crap-load of homework today," Megan announces, as if we all need to know.

I exhale, my annoyance clear.

"What?" she asks innocently.

Michelle comes running in the moment her twin comes in the room.

"Thank goodness you're back being suspended sucks," she gasps.

"Why?" Megan scoffs. "What's Mom making you do?"

Michelle opens her mouth to answer but Mom cuts in.

"Go on, girls, Bridget wants to talk to me," Mom says with a wave of her hand.

"What's with you and top secret meetings?" Michelle grumbles at me.

Mom gives her a stern glare. Michelle utters an apology and Megan can't help but laugh. The two of them rush up the stairs, their identical pony tails bouncing off against their shoulders as they whisper about whatever the latest gossip is.

Mom returns her attention to me. "You were saying?"

I shift around awkwardly, still not sure how she'll react to this even though I've been thinking about it all day.

"Well... I..."

My words are gone. My plan to ease her into what I'm about to suggest is out the window and probably in Europe by now. Before I realize what's happening, I'm just spitting out the whole point of what I'm trying to say.

"Can we please be the people who care enough to do something for her Mom? A... big something? Mom, she needs a family. Can we... Be that family?"