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daughter lived in Georgia, and she had a girl age nine and one little boy who was loved immensely by a family full of girls. Her life raising her daughters made me realize just how dysfunctional my life with Jessica would sound. I imagined my life being as full and normal as Ms. Mary’s. I knew I could one day make a life just as full of family and love as she seemed to have. I often daydreamed of a life like the one she told me about.
    My first afternoons with Mr. Greg began a little tense since he wasn’t real fond of having a teenage girl helping him, but after a day of not having to get on his arthritic knees he seemed to appreciate my being there. After my fourth day, Mr. Greg and I sat and played chess out in the gazebo when our workdays ended. He beat me each time, but I picked up on it and promised him my skills would improve, and one day I would beat him. I saw Marcus in the evenings when we all sat around the table and enjoyed a bowl of soup and salad. Ms. Mary always sent a plate of food home for Jessica, and I suspected she sent it for my sake. Somehow without my telling her, she seemed to understand how my life at home functioned. After Marcus got off work, he always drove me and my bike home. Ms. Mary hired another server Marcus suggested. He was working out well, and things seemed to run smooth with the staff and family. Sunday morning arrived before I knew it.
    I lay in bed, covering my face from the bright sunlight streaming in the windows. It was good to not have to jump up and get ready. I enjoyed my job, but I also enjoyed sleeping late. I yawned and stretched. Today, I would be going out with a friend. I was more excited than the normal person would be, but I couldn’t help it. I sat up and rubbed my face, trying to wake up enough to go eat breakfast. It was still really quiet in the house, but Jessica normally slept till eleven every day. I went to the kitchen and fixed myself a bowl of Peanut Butter Crunch, and then went to sit on the piece of slab outside our back door. The sun glistened off the water, and it warmed me as I enjoyed my bowl of cereal. Today felt like my first real day of summer. Today, I would be able to go do something a seventeen year old would do.
    “What are you eating?” Jessica asked as she walked out the door, or more like waddled out the door.
    “Peanut Butter Crunch cereal,” I replied and took another bite.
    She sank down in the lawn chair beside me and sighed. “Do you love me?”
    I rolled my eyes, knowing what words would be next. “Yes,” I replied and took another bite.
    “Then will you have pity on me and my enormous stomach, and go fix me a bowl when you’re done?”
    This was an old game. She thought it cute to ask if I loved her before she asked me to go get her something. I ate the rest of my cereal and drank all my milk before I stood up.
    “Going to get your cereal,” I said as I walked back in the
    door.
    “Thanks, honey,” she replied not opening her eyes.
    I fixed her a large bowl, so I wouldn’t have to fix her a second one, and took it to her. I needed to tell her about Marcus before he got here. I gave her the bowl, and she sat back up from her reclined position in a chair that did not recline and took the bowl from me.
    “Thanks a bunch,” she said, smiling.
    I sat back down. “I have made a friend at work, and he is coming to get me today to show me around and hang out.”
    Jessica put the spoon full of cereal back down. “A boy! You?”
    “He isn’t a boy I am dating. He is just a friend. He is from around here and wants to hang out today.”
    She smiled and took a bite of cereal. She’d barely swallowed when she said, “I can’t believe you talked to someone enough to make a friend. Or is he a recluse too?”
    I stood up, not in the mood for my mom’s teasing. She loved to remind me how I lacked social skills.
    I started back inside, and she laughed. “I’m just teasing, Sadie. Don’t get so upset. I’m glad you’ve got a