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just friends ?”
Charlotte glanced up.
    “It doesn’t work like that for us. I’m not
allowed to date,” Brynn grumbled.
    “You’re not allowed to date?” Heather balked.
“How is that even possible? And how would your parents know,
anyway? They’re in Sweden. Just don’t tell them.”
    Brynn shook her head. “I wish it was that
easy. I’m supposed to stay focused on, um, on what I’m here to do.
Besides, Henrik sees me as his little brother’s classmate. He’s one
of those guys who gets something in his head and never changes
it.”
    Heather lifted her mug. “I think you just
described all men.”
    “Truth,” Charlotte chimed in.
    “So what are we going to do today?” I
diverted the conversation. “Did the summer orientation week show
you what’s fun around here? So far, I know there’s a forest behind
the house and a Target somewhere that calls to Charlotte with its
siren song. Brynn, what do you know about this place?”
    “Oh, about the same as you,” Brynn chirped.
Her voice sounded slightly off.
    “You okay?” Charlotte looked up from my
nails, and I pulled a hand away to take another hit of coffee.
    “I’m great! Why don’t you two give us a tour
today? I haven’t seen downtown yet.” Brynn folded her hands in her
lap.
    “We need more caffeine first.” Heather stood
and padded to the kitchen in bare feet. She came back with the
coffee pot, and held it up. “Refills?”
    “Yes, please.” Charlotte tilted her head
toward her cup, and Heather poured.
    “Double for me,” I added.
    Heather filled my cup, then her own.
“Brynn?”
    “I’m good.” Brynn beamed. “I had my cup.” She
leaned back into her seiza and perched on her toes. “But if we’re
going to take a tour, I’d better take a shower first. That six a.m.
burn class at the gym was pretty intense. See you guys in half an
hour?”
    “Uh, it takes me longer than that to look
presentable, and we’ve only got two bathrooms.” Charlotte looked up
from my hands. White tips now lined my nails, and she’d begun to
paint the clear topcoat. “Say an hour-and-a-half?”
    “ Perfekt !” Brynn stood and bounded up
the stairs, her curls bouncing atop her head. Heather, Charlotte
and I stared after her.
    Heather walked the coffee pot back to the
kitchen. When she came back into the living room, she brought her
mug to her lips. “Did she say she’d only had one cup?”
    “I think so.” I shook my head.
    “Man.” Heather set her cup down on the coffee
table and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. “It’s going to be a long
year.”
     
    ****
     
    Early that evening, we traipsed through the
front door of our little house, weighed down with shopping
bags.
    “That, ladies, was a highly successful day.”
Charlotte headed up the stairs, carrying a trio of bags in each
arm.
    “The shoe industry won’t know what hit it,”
Heather teased. “How many did you bring home?”
    “I stopped counting after the third pair,”
Charlotte called over her shoulder. “Besides, you’re one to talk.
Those ankle boots are going to look fabulous with your boyfriend
jeans.”
    “I know.” Heather grinned sheepishly. She
followed me into the kitchen carrying the bags of vegetables we’d
picked up at a farmer’s market.
    Brynn bounded into the room as I set my bags
on the counter and started moving perishables to the fridge.
“Speaking of fabulous, I’m so excited to try your chicken parm,
Mia! Can I help?”
    “It’s super easy. But here; you do this.” I
traded spots with Brynn, and she started unpacking groceries. “And
I’ll work up the dinner schedule real quick.”
    “I know Mia suggested we trade cooking
nights, but you guys should probably know in advance that my
skill-set is more boxed hamburger helper and salad in a bag.” Brynn
handed Heather the produce and nestled cereal boxes in the
cupboard.
    “You told me that. Don’t worry, I won’t give
you anything you can’t handle.” I sat at the kitchen table