Then, after the Bavarian chocolate cake had been cut, Eleanor had wordlessly passed Teddy a beautifully wrapped box. Teddy opened it, smiling as he found a heavy, gold watch, far too large and ostentatious for any high schooler. It was a typical Eleanor present. She always bought Teddy and Miranda lavish gifts, which only felt to Miranda like consolation prizes for the fact their parents were gone.
“Thanks,” Teddy had said, slipping it on his skinny wrist. Itlooked absurd with his T-shirt and backward baseball cap, like a little kid playing dress up. Miranda looked away. If this was any other year, Teddy and Miranda would privately make fun of Eleanor’s cluelessness.
“There’s something else. It’s in the garage,” Eleanor had continued as Miranda’s stomach had clenched. Would Eleanor be so tactless to get him a boat, as she had done for Miranda? With Eleanor, nothing was outside the realm of possibility, and she just might be clueless enough to think that—despite the accident, despite everything—Teddy should get a bow runner.
But Eleanor hadn’t. Miranda had been simultaneously relieved and annoyed. Why hadn’t she gotten a watch she’d never wear for her birthday, instead of a boat she hadn’t even wanted?
“Ready?” Teddy asked skeptically, pulling Miranda out of her thoughts.
“Yup,” Miranda grunted as she jammed her crutches into the backseat of Teddy’s car.
Teddy made a point of looking away as he slid into the driver’s seat, a smile of contentment on his face as he chewed the still-frozen toaster tart, then reached for another one, before dropping the cardboard box in Miranda’s lap.
“You need to eat,” he said, as he turned the key in the ignition and backed out of the four-car garage.
Miranda shook her head even as her stomach growled involuntarily.
“I’m not a trained seal. I’ll eat when I’m hungry. Besides, the preservatives in those things will kill you,” Miranda said, noticing the way Teddy winced when she said the word kill. But before she could call him out on it, Teddy smiled.
“That’s only if you eat a bunch of them. Which is why you’re totally doing me a favor if you eat one. Because if you don’t, I’ll just eat yours. You know I will,” Teddy said, making a grab for the box he’d left on her lap.
“Keep your hands on the wheel!” Miranda hissed involuntarily. Memories crashed back: The second the boat’s wheel had slipped from her hands, turning back and forth of its own accord. Fletch’s shouting, the cold water against her skin, suddenly being unable to kick to the surface.
Instantly, Teddy put both his hands back on the wheel. “Sorry,” he said contritely. Miranda saw a hint of sadness cross Teddy’s face. It was beginning. He, too, was beginning to treat her like a fragile baby bird.
“Sorry, it’s just that . . . ,” Miranda began, floundering for some sort of explanation. After all, driving down Faunterloy to the ferry dock wasn’t exactly the same as driving a boat in the middle of the ocean.
“I know. I was being an asshole. Sorry about that. But you do need to eat,” Teddy said.
Miranda sighed and pulled one of the pastries from its plastic wrap. She experimentally bit off a corner. The flakes tasted cold and sickeningly sweet in her mouth and suddenly, she wasravenous. She took a bigger bite, trying not to gag at the oily taste that slicked her front teeth.
“Breakfast of champions. Here: Tart me?” Teddy asked, opening his mouth wide.
“You’re so gross!” Miranda said as she placed one of the pastries into his open mouth. She was trying to act like she would the month before the accident: sarcastic, joking, fun -ish. Maybe if she acted long enough it would become real.
But then the car crested the hill and Teddy turned onto Faunterloy. The green and white ferry was docking. Miranda’s stomach plummeted and she felt her heart race. She couldn’t do this.
“I can’t . . . ,” Miranda said, breathing
“Thanks,” Teddy had said, slipping it on his skinny wrist. Itlooked absurd with his T-shirt and backward baseball cap, like a little kid playing dress up. Miranda looked away. If this was any other year, Teddy and Miranda would privately make fun of Eleanor’s cluelessness.
“There’s something else. It’s in the garage,” Eleanor had continued as Miranda’s stomach had clenched. Would Eleanor be so tactless to get him a boat, as she had done for Miranda? With Eleanor, nothing was outside the realm of possibility, and she just might be clueless enough to think that—despite the accident, despite everything—Teddy should get a bow runner.
But Eleanor hadn’t. Miranda had been simultaneously relieved and annoyed. Why hadn’t she gotten a watch she’d never wear for her birthday, instead of a boat she hadn’t even wanted?
“Ready?” Teddy asked skeptically, pulling Miranda out of her thoughts.
“Yup,” Miranda grunted as she jammed her crutches into the backseat of Teddy’s car.
Teddy made a point of looking away as he slid into the driver’s seat, a smile of contentment on his face as he chewed the still-frozen toaster tart, then reached for another one, before dropping the cardboard box in Miranda’s lap.
“You need to eat,” he said, as he turned the key in the ignition and backed out of the four-car garage.
Miranda shook her head even as her stomach growled involuntarily.
“I’m not a trained seal. I’ll eat when I’m hungry. Besides, the preservatives in those things will kill you,” Miranda said, noticing the way Teddy winced when she said the word kill. But before she could call him out on it, Teddy smiled.
“That’s only if you eat a bunch of them. Which is why you’re totally doing me a favor if you eat one. Because if you don’t, I’ll just eat yours. You know I will,” Teddy said, making a grab for the box he’d left on her lap.
“Keep your hands on the wheel!” Miranda hissed involuntarily. Memories crashed back: The second the boat’s wheel had slipped from her hands, turning back and forth of its own accord. Fletch’s shouting, the cold water against her skin, suddenly being unable to kick to the surface.
Instantly, Teddy put both his hands back on the wheel. “Sorry,” he said contritely. Miranda saw a hint of sadness cross Teddy’s face. It was beginning. He, too, was beginning to treat her like a fragile baby bird.
“Sorry, it’s just that . . . ,” Miranda began, floundering for some sort of explanation. After all, driving down Faunterloy to the ferry dock wasn’t exactly the same as driving a boat in the middle of the ocean.
“I know. I was being an asshole. Sorry about that. But you do need to eat,” Teddy said.
Miranda sighed and pulled one of the pastries from its plastic wrap. She experimentally bit off a corner. The flakes tasted cold and sickeningly sweet in her mouth and suddenly, she wasravenous. She took a bigger bite, trying not to gag at the oily taste that slicked her front teeth.
“Breakfast of champions. Here: Tart me?” Teddy asked, opening his mouth wide.
“You’re so gross!” Miranda said as she placed one of the pastries into his open mouth. She was trying to act like she would the month before the accident: sarcastic, joking, fun -ish. Maybe if she acted long enough it would become real.
But then the car crested the hill and Teddy turned onto Faunterloy. The green and white ferry was docking. Miranda’s stomach plummeted and she felt her heart race. She couldn’t do this.
“I can’t . . . ,” Miranda said, breathing
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