A summer breeze brushed my face while a butter croissant dipped in raspberry jelly stopped the rumbling in my belly. Derren and Paula finished up with their breakfast. Corin busied herself with a summer day camp in Alewife. I sat home alone counting the bees flying in the backyard. Paula and Derren had suggested back in February that I join my cousin, but I’d been working hard on Optimized Life. If I’d known then how everything would turn out, I would have loved to join. So I missed out on swimming, tennis, dancing, and sailing. Corin had excitement. I collected dust bunnies while waiting for Van to set up a meeting with me.
I didn’t fully trust him. He had swung back and forth with his attitude toward mentoring me, but I was grateful that he stepped up. I wasn’t sure if I could stand on
