“He liked one of the posts I made about your arm, so I figured he’d check on you.”
“I mean, I did dump him. He might not want to chat. We don’t need to. Besides, he’ll do that sweet thing where he asks me ninety questions, making sure I’m okay and I’ll end up comforting him,” I snap.
“Oh,” Mom says in thatoop, I’ve poked the beartone.
I roll my eyes and look out the window, watching the trees and the gated apartment communities off Jefferson go by. What must it be like to be there out among the people, enjoying life. People heading toward the dog park, the skate ramps. People on their own and groups making their way up the Culver Steps. What it must be like to be so free.
I see a couple heading toward the park and think of the one person I wish would reach out to me. I’d love to hearfrom Heaven Goo-Campbell. In a shocking twist, she’d text me all on her own, because she’s super worried about me. She’d ask if my arm is okay and then ask me if she can come over. She’d be totally fine with watching one hundred episodes ofLove Island, but before I press play, she’d ask me if she can be my first girlfriend, and then we’d kiss, and my arm would magically heal. That’s the connection I really need.
The Whole Foods in Palms is old news, so we head to the new one over on La Cienega. I follow Mom inside, dodging an older man with his giant doodle mix.
“Okay, what do you want, my Saylor baby?”
“A slice of pizza and a whole cake. And one of those three-pound bags of cherries.” Nothing needs to make sense right now.
Mom laughs as she grabs a cart. “Go scope out the pizza and pick out your cake. I won’t be long.”
“I’m gonna get the biggest cake they have. You’ll see.” I leave my mom by the produce section and weave my way past the checkout. When I get over to the pizza, I almost grab for one of the slice boxes, but my cast bumps the little edge on the shelf and I think about everyone buzzing around the hot bar and the deli counter seeing me cry as I drop half a hot pizza on the ground. I’m gonna need Mom’s help with this one. I mentally decide which slice of pizza I want and then head over to the cakes. I’m almost by this group of guys crowding around the sandwich counter when I see some familiar faces rounding the cheese display.
If I had known I’d be running into my dentist and the girlof my dreams, I would have put on some lip gloss or a hint of mascara before I left the house. Or maybe done a full beat to cover my road rash face and put on a prom dress. It’s too late now, though. Dr.G spots me with a smile and wave. I smile back and make my way over. Dr.G is the best dentist in the world. She was so nice to me when I cried before my first filling. It almost doesn’t make sense that Heaven, who is the opposite of bright and friendly, is her daughter. The object of my deepest heart’s desire. Just seeing her steals my breath away. I truly need help.
“Hi,” I say, focusing on Dr.G and not at all on how cute Heaven looks. It’s five million degrees out and she’s in a black crop T-shirt and a baggy pair of khakis. The matching black Vans pull it all together. It’s not my style, but it works so well for her.
“Oh, Saylor,” Dr.G says, holding out her arm for me. I step into her gentle one-armed hug as she lowers her voice. “I saw your mom’s post. Is it okay to say Happy Pride?”
“I will definitely accept a Happy Pride from you. Thanks,” I say, not even trying to hide my smile.
“How are you feeling otherwise? You got pretty banged up.”
“I’m okay. My dad told me to tell everyone, ‘You should see the other guy.’ ”
“A classic.” Dr.G laughs, and then there’s this super-awkward beat where she glances over at Heaven, who is looking at me like she wants the earthquake of the century to hit this Whole Foods and end this conversation.
“Hey, Heaven,” I say.
“Hey,” she mumbles before she nods toward my face. “Was the other guy a mountain lion?”
I laugh and then want to die a little more because it comes out sounding like a bird noise. When she wants to be, Heaven is pretty funny, but again, she doesn’t like me or other humans so it’s not like we get to enjoy it. “I tripped over my own feet playing basketball and ran face-first into a chain-link fence. My arm only kinda broke my fall.”
“Brutal.”
“Are you doing okay?” Dr.G asks, genuinely concerned.
“I’ve been better—”
“Maurene!” I turn and see Mom just past the lady who is handing out hummus samples.
“Hi, Cris!” Dr.G says and then they do the whole mom “I haven’t seen you since the last thing our kids forced us both to be at” dance. I smile and try to ignore the way Heaven is looking everywhere but at the three of us. “I was just asking Saylor how she’s doing.”
“She’s been such a good sport, and luckily none of her teeth got knocked out so I didn’t have to call you.” Mom laughs and moves to touch my face like it’s not covered in fence burn. I jerk my head back on reflex and apparently that’s funny to Heaven because she snorts. Jokes on her because now she has Cristine Ford’s undivided attention.
“How’s your summer going, Heaven?”
“Well, thank you,” she mutters back.
“Got any big plans? We had to cancel all of Saylor’s so she could heal and rest up.”
“Oh. That sucks—stinks,” Heaven mumbles. Does she know this shy thing she has going on is the cutest thing in the world? Would it be a good idea for me to tell her?