baby birds. She’d found the mother nearby. It looked like maybe a cat or a dog had killed her. I could tell right away they were roseate spoonbills, this really rare species. Cool, right?”
“Right.”
“So I put them under the warming lamp. But the whole time my boss is freaking out because there are six of these birds, when everybody knows a spoonbill will lay two or three eggs at the most.”
“Any third-grader knows that,” Summer said, grinning.
“So I finally told Hal just to go with it, that it’s a mystery, but that in the meantime I could use some help.” Diver frowned. “Did this story have a point? I’ve sort of forgotten.”
“I love your
Animal
Planet
stories,” Summer said. “It doesn’t really matter whether they have apoint or …” Summer stopped. A brilliant idea had just popped into her brain, squeezing out every other thought. “Diver, these spoon birds are rare, right?”
“Spoonbills. In the old days they used to kill them and use their feathers for women’s hats. They’re protected now, though.”
“So these sextuplets would be a major draw, right?”
“If you’re into birds, sure.”
Summer leapt up. “Diver, I am suddenly less confused. About one thing, anyway. And I have you to thank for it.”
“You’re welcome, I guess.” Diver looked up at her, squinting into the sunlight. “So how come I’m more confused?”
“Just one of the mysteries of the universe,” Summer said happily.
Diana jumped when Summer threw open her bedroom door. “Jeez! I was afraid you were Sarah,” she said, hand to her heart. “Quick, close the door. She’s still playing with Marquez, right?”
Summer made her way through the minefield of unwrapped toys spread over Diana’s floor. “Well, playing might be pushing it. She’s been awfully subdued today, have you noticed?”
“I know. I’m worried about her.”
“Want me to help wrap?”
“If you want,” Diana said tersely.
“Are you mad at me about something, Diana?”
“No. Why?”
“You’ve just seemed kind of standoffish the past couple of days. Distant.”
“I’ve got a lot on my mind,” Diana said. “Sarah and all that.”
“And Seth?”
Diana curled a long piece of ribbon with the edge of her scissors. “And Seth.”
“There’s nothing between Seth and me anymore,” Summer said. “You’ve got to believe that, Diana, or you two aren’t going to have a chance.”
“I’m supposed to believe you’re rooting for us?”
“I am. I love you both. I’m not saying it isn’t weird seeing you together. But I do want things to work out for you two.”
“I wish I could believe that,” Diana said softly. “I
want
to believe it, but … it’s so hard. After everything that’s happened between us. I thought I could handle it better. I was wrong.”
Summer grabbed a roll of snowman wrapping paper. “I’m going to tell you something I haven’t told anyone, okay? I still have … feelings … for Austin.”
“Wow, breaking news. Alert CNN,” Diana said in a deadpan voice. “Marquez and I have been telling you that for weeks. What are you, oxygen-deprived? Is your brain even functioning?”
“Well, if you think that already, why are you worried about Seth and me?”
Diana shrugged. “How can I know how things’ll end up with you and Austin? Even you don’t know. Besides, Seth was your first love, Summer. You never get over your first love.”
“Sure you do.” Summer hesitated. “If your second love is the one you want to last forever.”
Diana was surprised to see tears in Summer’s eyes. “Is that what Austin is?”
“Maybe. But I don’t think he feels the same way about me anymore. If he ever did. I know that’s not what you want to hear. But it’s the truth.” She paused. “And it’s also the truth that Seth and I are over for good. Okay?”
Diana gave a small smile. “Okay. Thanks, Summer.” She tossed a roll of ribbon. “Here. Make yourself useful.”
Summer
“Right.”
“So I put them under the warming lamp. But the whole time my boss is freaking out because there are six of these birds, when everybody knows a spoonbill will lay two or three eggs at the most.”
“Any third-grader knows that,” Summer said, grinning.
“So I finally told Hal just to go with it, that it’s a mystery, but that in the meantime I could use some help.” Diver frowned. “Did this story have a point? I’ve sort of forgotten.”
“I love your
Animal
Planet
stories,” Summer said. “It doesn’t really matter whether they have apoint or …” Summer stopped. A brilliant idea had just popped into her brain, squeezing out every other thought. “Diver, these spoon birds are rare, right?”
“Spoonbills. In the old days they used to kill them and use their feathers for women’s hats. They’re protected now, though.”
“So these sextuplets would be a major draw, right?”
“If you’re into birds, sure.”
Summer leapt up. “Diver, I am suddenly less confused. About one thing, anyway. And I have you to thank for it.”
“You’re welcome, I guess.” Diver looked up at her, squinting into the sunlight. “So how come I’m more confused?”
“Just one of the mysteries of the universe,” Summer said happily.
Diana jumped when Summer threw open her bedroom door. “Jeez! I was afraid you were Sarah,” she said, hand to her heart. “Quick, close the door. She’s still playing with Marquez, right?”
Summer made her way through the minefield of unwrapped toys spread over Diana’s floor. “Well, playing might be pushing it. She’s been awfully subdued today, have you noticed?”
“I know. I’m worried about her.”
“Want me to help wrap?”
“If you want,” Diana said tersely.
“Are you mad at me about something, Diana?”
“No. Why?”
“You’ve just seemed kind of standoffish the past couple of days. Distant.”
“I’ve got a lot on my mind,” Diana said. “Sarah and all that.”
“And Seth?”
Diana curled a long piece of ribbon with the edge of her scissors. “And Seth.”
“There’s nothing between Seth and me anymore,” Summer said. “You’ve got to believe that, Diana, or you two aren’t going to have a chance.”
“I’m supposed to believe you’re rooting for us?”
“I am. I love you both. I’m not saying it isn’t weird seeing you together. But I do want things to work out for you two.”
“I wish I could believe that,” Diana said softly. “I
want
to believe it, but … it’s so hard. After everything that’s happened between us. I thought I could handle it better. I was wrong.”
Summer grabbed a roll of snowman wrapping paper. “I’m going to tell you something I haven’t told anyone, okay? I still have … feelings … for Austin.”
“Wow, breaking news. Alert CNN,” Diana said in a deadpan voice. “Marquez and I have been telling you that for weeks. What are you, oxygen-deprived? Is your brain even functioning?”
“Well, if you think that already, why are you worried about Seth and me?”
Diana shrugged. “How can I know how things’ll end up with you and Austin? Even you don’t know. Besides, Seth was your first love, Summer. You never get over your first love.”
“Sure you do.” Summer hesitated. “If your second love is the one you want to last forever.”
Diana was surprised to see tears in Summer’s eyes. “Is that what Austin is?”
“Maybe. But I don’t think he feels the same way about me anymore. If he ever did. I know that’s not what you want to hear. But it’s the truth.” She paused. “And it’s also the truth that Seth and I are over for good. Okay?”
Diana gave a small smile. “Okay. Thanks, Summer.” She tossed a roll of ribbon. “Here. Make yourself useful.”
Summer
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