Outside, we give each other our usual goodbye hug. “Let me know how it goes with the trial coach?”
She takes a few steps away, walking backward. “Only if you let me know all about your first day in Oakland.”
My stomach twists at the reminder that we won’t be skating together anymore, but I push away the feeling. “Deal!”
Mom’s in the kitchen when I return. “I thought we’d have a special treat before your big first day.” She waves me over. “Help me mix the batter?”
Soon, the griddle’s hissing. I stand next to Mom, collecting plates and silverware for dinner.
“I’ve set the alarm for six tomorrow.” She nudges her spatula under the first pancake, then flips it. “Alex arranged a car pool with a family who just started taking lessons with him. Mrs. Park drives to Oakland every day with her daughters, Faith and Hope. They’ll pick you up at seven thirty in front of my office.”
“I know Faith. She competed against me a few times last year.”
“That’s wonderful.” Mom covers her mouth to yawn, but it’s not because she’s bored with our conversation. She works all day, plus teaches Mandarin to private school students on weekends and evenings. Nowadays, she’s almost always tired.
Flipping the final pancake, she turns to me. “Start setting the table, Ana-Marie, please?”
I look down so Mom can’t see my frown. I wish she’d just call me Ana like Alex and Tamar do, but I’m not sure how to tell her. We spend a lot of time apart now. Talking to her doesn’t feel as easy as it did last year.
“Are you excited about tomorrow?” Mom asks.
My eyes dart over to her, then back to the plates in my hands. My stomach was a little fluttery with Tamar in the hall, but now it feels like it’s performing somersaults.
“Yes.” I head for the table.
“Nervous?”
I chew on the inside of my lip and lay out two place settings. “A little.”
Okay, a lot. It’s weird how you can want something so much but still be all jittery when you finally get it.
We sit down across the table from each other, under our apartment’s only window. A light breeze makes me shiver. Hot days are rare in San Francisco, even in June. For me, summer is less about warmer weather, more about being done with my online homeschool classes until the fall, plus skating lots with Tamar. It’s also when Alex puts together my new program before Regionals in October.
Except now I’ll be at a different rink and have a choreographer.
My stomach flips again and I fidget, rubbing the charm on the necklace I always wear. My phone chimes in my pocket. Mom looks at me.
“Sorry.” I silence it.
“Would you like to say the blessing tonight?” she asks.
“Sure.”
We never used to recite a blessing before meals, but I started practicing prayers in Hebrew school a few months ago to prepare for my bat mitzvah. Mom thought it’d be a good idea to recite some at home, too.
As soon as I’m done, Mom picks up where she left off. “Alex will arrive in Oakland by midmorning, after your off-ice classes.”
I take a bite of my pancake.
“I’m sure Faith and Hope will help you get settled in beforehand.”
Swallowing hard, I try to imagine tomorrow. New skaters. Different rink. A choreographer I’ve never met. I overheard Alex tell Mom on the phone that she’s flying in from Florida. Mom turned off the speakerphone when he mentioned her choreography fee, but not before I heard we’ll be splitting her travel costs with the other skaters who hired her.
I glance past Mom, beyond the kitchen, and to our bunk beds on the opposite side of the apartment. Our entire studio could fit into Tamar’s living room.
“How are we going to pay for everything?”
I can’t help asking, even though she’ll probably just tell me that it’s her job to pay for things and mine to focus on training. But I know a low-income families sports voucher made it possible for me to learn to skate, and that she split Alex’s coaching fee with Tamar’s parents for a year after we passed all the levels in our skate-school.
Mom looks at me like she’s trying to decide something. “Do you remember that big case I helped out with last April?”
“When I stayed at Tamar’s house for, like, a week?”
“Yes, exactly. Work just won a large settlement. My boss gave me a bonus to thank me for my help.”
“Seriously?” I lean forward. “That’s awesome!”
Mom doesn’t smile. “This doesn’t make us rich, Ana-Marie. Far from it. I’m only sharing this with you because you’re old enough to understand the costs of your training, and I don’t want you to worry. Focus on your skating, and train hard this summer.”
“Okay.” I sit up a little taller. “I’ll train hard. Hard squared.”
“I know you will.” Mom keeps her eyes on me, pausing long enough to make me wonder what’s going on. “Now I have a question for you: If you had the chance to help pay for your skating, would you be willing?”
“Yes.” I don’t even have to think about it.
“Good.” Mom nods, as if she’s made a decision. “I’ve already paid for your practice ice tomorrow. Alex will explain more later.”
“Explain what?” How am I possibly going to get any sleep between my current nerves and this new mystery?
Mom smiles a little, and I know she’s amused by my impatience.
“Eat, Ana-Marie” is all she says. “It’s almost time for bed, and you’ll need your rest. You’ve got a big day ahead of you.”
Chapter Three
I wake up an hour before my alarm is set to go off. Closing my eyes, I steady my breaths and roll from my back to my side, but sleep feels out of reach. My head swirls with thoughts.
Nationals. The Oakland rink. Cars honking on the street. The high-pitched whine of bus brakes. Money. New choreography.
For a while, I stare
