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night.”
    “Oh, really?” I stopped at the end of her table. I could hear Sam and Ella taking seats at the next one along. “What’s that? You’re leaving for Europe before graduation?”
    Carla pouted as though her feelings were hurt (which is impossible since she doesn’t have any).
    “We only have five more days of school left, Lola,” Carla informed me. “Don’t you think we could finally call a truce? I for one bear no grudges.” The curls shimmered. “And just to prove it, I want to do you a favour.”
    The only favour I wanted from Carla was for her to leave for Europe yesterday.
    “A favour?” Was this a large, wooden horse being hauled through the gates of Troy by Gucci-clad Romans that I saw? “What kind of favour?”
    “I thought I could bring you back something from London.” Carla smiled at me like the Queen smiling on an African shaman who’s showing her how to perform a rain dance. “You know, like a consolation prize for not being able to go yourself.”
    What a generous girl. She’ll win the Nobel Peace Prize yet.
    My laughter bubbled like Alka-Seltzer. “Oh, Carla,” I gushed, “that is so incredibly kind of you…” The shaman smiled back at the Queen. “But I wouldn’t want you to go to any trouble for me. Especially when we all know how busy you’re going to be.” The shaman knew that a monsoon was about to hit, sweeping away the very piece of land on which the Queen was standing, and was pretty pleased with herself. “And anyway, it really isn’t necessary. I’m happy to be able to say that the gods have already compensated me for my temporary disappointment.”
    Alma, Marcia and Tina all glanced at Carla, but Carla didn’t blink. “Really?” One eyebrow rose like an inquisitive snake. “And how have they done that? Shut down Brooklyn College?”
    “Oh, Carla … you don’t know how much I’m going to miss your sense of humour.” To prove this, I gave a very good impersonation of the Santini laugh of tiny glass bells knocking against each other in a high wind. “But it’s actually something that’s happening right here in Dellwood.”
    “Here?” The disciples’ eyes were flipping back and forth like tennis balls at Forest Hills, but Carla’s eyes didn’t move from mine. “In Dellwood? Don’t tell me they’re reopening the Red Barn Theatre and you’ve got a job as an usher.”
    The Red Barn Theatre was once suburban New Jersey’s answer to The Globe. Every summer it would put on old Broadway plays performed by professional actors (though largely ones who were household names only in their own homes), but it dropped its final curtain (though of course it didn’t actually have curtains) before I got to town.
    “Close.” A warm feeling, almost of affection, towards Carla filled my heart. How was I ever going to find someone in the hometown of Walt Whitman and Junior’s cheesecake who could replace her? “And it’s almost as good.”
    “Well come on…” She exchanged smirks with Tina, Marcia and Alma. “Don’t keep us in suspense.”
    “Well, you’re not going to believe it,” I leaned my arms on the plastic table top, making myself comfortable, “but it looks like they’re going to be shooting a Hollywood movie right here in dear old Dellwood!”
    A wave of excitement ran through the student sea – but failed to even lap at Carla’s toes.
    “Really?” Her smile was steady as concrete. “I didn’t hear anything about this.”
    “No?” I shook my head sympathetically, baffled by a world that could behave so strangely.
    “Well I do think that Daddy would’ve been told. He is one of the most important men in town.”
    “And don’t I know it?” The only people who didn’t know it were in the cemetery. “I guess your father was probably too busy buying you cars and trips to Europe to keep his eye on everything else in town.” I gave her a consoling smile. “Anyway, I think they’ve just made their final decision, so they’re