Doug started to laugh at Katie, who was pointing to Todd's bed as though she were a game show model showing off the showcase of prizes.

Doug had a clean-cut appearance, with his sandy blond hair that always looked like he'd just had it cut. He was good-looking in a boyish way and appeared younger than his twenty years. The most outgoing of the three guys, Doug was known for his hugs, which he gave out generously.

"Try it," Todd challenged Katie. "Lie on it and see how it feels."

Katie, ever the good sport, lay down on the sand bed as they all watched. She wiggled her back until she had formed the perfect support.

Folding her hands over her stomach, she said, "Okay, I'm convinced. This is the perfect bed. Did you invent this, Todd?"

"Not much to invent," he said. "A couple of boards, a couple of sandbags, and a blanket. I don't think the patent office would recognize it as a true invention."

"You didn't go in our room, did you?" Doug asked.

Katie and Christy exchanged glances.

Christy said, "We'll never tell!"

"I told you we should have picked up," Doug said to Rick out of the side of his mouth. "Todd had the right idea."

"What do you mean?" Rick said. "Todd just threw everything in his closet."

'We could have done that too," Doug said with a smile. "Might have impressed them."

"If I'm going to impress anyone," Rick said confidently, "it's going to be with my other attributes. Not with my housekeeping skills."

"Obviously," Katie said under her breath.

"I heard that," Rick said.

Christy watched carefully to see if anything might be starting up between the two of them.

"And which of your fine attributes are you going to start with?" Katie teased, getting up from the sand bed. "Perhaps your wonderfully coordinated skills on the diving board?"

"No," Rick countered quickly. "My skill at keeping girls off balance." As he said it, he gently pushed Katie with his good hand so that she toppled back into the sand pit.

Katie gave Rick a firm look of indignation, but Christy could tell Katie was feeling honored to have been the object of Rick's teasing.

"Todd," Katie asked from where her bottom was o planted in the sand, "may I show your roommate a handful of your bed? In his face?"

"It's up to you," Todd said. "I'm going to see if Stephanie needs any help with that spaghetti."

"I'll join you," Christy said.

"I'm right behind you," Doug echoed. "What did you need from our fridge? Drinks and what else?"

Christy and Doug followed Todd to the kitchen, leaving Katie and Rick alone. She could hear Katie's m.u.f.fled voice teasing Rick and then laughter. So far, so good.

Doug opened the old gold-colored refrigerator and pulled out a couple two-liter bottles of soda. The rest of the refrigerator's contents looked like they might fit nicely into the penicillin family of molds.

"Do you guys ever clean out this thing?" Christy ventured.

"Todd did once, didn't you, Todd? Couple of weeks ago, I think," Doug said. "We're all moving out next week. We'll dump everything then."

Todd was standing by the card table, shaking the box of cereal and looking inside. "Did you guys find the toy yet?"

"Don't think so," Doug said. "What is it this time?"

"Some kind of plastic gizmo that walks down windows," Todd said, his face brightening as he stuck his hand inside.

Christy could tell by the way his one dimple appeared on his right cheek that he had found the treasure and was pretty pleased with himself.

"Check it out." Todd tore the clear wrapper from the gizmo with his teeth and tossed the critter against the window. "It's Mr. Gizmo!"

Sure enough, Mr. Gizmo walked. The first row of tiny suction cups on its feet stuck to the smooth window for a moment and then released as the next row hung tight. It gave the appearance of "walking" down the gla.s.s.

"Cool," Todd said, sticking the treasure in the pocket of his shorts. "You two ready to go?"

"We're ready," Rick answered, appearing in the living room with Katie in a headlock under his good arm. With his bandaged hand he pinched her cheek.

Christy would have been furious if Rick had ever treated her like that. Katie gave every indication she was in heaven. Maybe they are good for each other.

The group filed out the door, and Christy noticed a large mayonnaise jar half filled with coins on a shelf. Doug had told her about that jar. The guys used it to collect money for a young boy they supported in Kenya. Christy had seen a letter that ten-year-old Joab had written to Doug and the guys. She also knew Doug carried a picture of Joab in his wallet and showed it around as if he were the proud big brother.

"Guess what, Doug?" Christy said as Todd locked the door and they followed Rick and his crutch, Katie, down the corridor. "I wrote to the organization that set you up as a sponsor for Joab. My family and I adopted a four-year-old girl from Brazil. Her name is Anna Maria. I never thanked you for giving me the information. So thanks."

"Awesome!" Doug slipped his arm around Christy and gave her a quick Doug-hug. "Isn't it amazing how little it takes to feed and clothe those kids?"

"Steph," Rick called out at the door of apartment number ten, "open up! It's the Rickster. I've come to collect your sympathy."

"Yeah, right," Stephanie said, opening the door and giving Rick a playfully disgusted look. "Like I'd ever give you anything, least of all sympathy."

Rick let go of Katie and stepped into the apartment, continuing his lively flirtation with Stephanie as if Katie didn't exist.

"Aren't you going to kiss it and make it better?" Rick held out his sore paw to her with a pout on his handsome face.

"When pigs fly!" Stephanie tossed back at him.

Rick then wrapped his good arm around Stephanie's shoulders and walked into the living room, still pleading for her sympathy.

Oh no, look out, Katie! When you put your heart out there on the edge of the wall, it doesn't take much for it to do the ol' Humpty Dumpty crash.

Katie seemed fine. She went in the kitchen and stirred the pot of spaghetti sauce as if she had been asked to do so. Christy had never admired her resiliency more than she did at that moment.

"We brought some sodas," Doug said, offering the two bottles for Stephanie to see before he placed them on the counter.

"Want me to finish making this garlic bread?" Todd picked up a knife and sliced the loaf of French bread where Stephanie had left off.

"Sure," Stephanie said, turning her back to Rick and joining them in the kitchen. "Christy, could you help me get a salad going?"

Todd, Stephanie, Christy, and Katie all worked together in the narrow kitchen while Doug and Rick planted themselves on the sofa and turned on the TV.

'Their home away from home-in front of my TV," Stephanie said to Christy, motioning to Rick and Doug over her shoulder. "If you ever want to make sure you have lots of attention from guys in your apartment complex, all you have to do is be the only one who gets cable."

"I'll remember that." Katie helped Todd wrap the pungent garlic bread in foil. Katie waved her hand above the bread to clear the strong aroma and asked sarcastically, "Are you sure you used enough garlic, Todd?"

"It's good that way. You'll see. It's my secret recipe. b.u.t.ter, mayonnaise, and lots of garlic."

"And only three thousand calories a slice," Stephanie said with a wink as she turned on the oven and handed Katie a cookie sheet for the bread. "It's good. Trust me. Todd's made it before. That's why the kitchen wallpaper is starting to peel."

Even though she knew Stephanie was kidding, Christy glanced at the wallpaper. There was nothing wrong with it. Every little peach heart stood in place.

Christy liked the way Stephanie used lots of hearts in decorating the kitchen. She especially liked the heart-shaped basket hanging on a nail above the sink. Peach ribbons were strung through the sides with a bunch of silk flowers attached at the bottom.

Christy liked colorful decor like that and thought how fun it would be to decorate her own apartment some day.

When they all sat down to eat a little while later, she decided one day she would have straight-back wooden chairs with padded cushions at her kitchen table, just like Stephanie's. And she would serve her guests on blue and white dishes, just like Stephanie.

Todd was right. The bread was delicious, as was the spaghetti and everything else. The conversation around the tightly packed table remained lively. Everything about this gathering made Christy feel grown-up and included in her circle of college friends. It felt completely different from being a sixteen-year-old living at home with her parents and eleven-year-old brother.

Oh no, Christy suddenly remembered. I promised I would call home as soon as we arrived!

"May I use your phone?" she quietly asked Stephanie.

"Sure. There's one in my bedroom."

Christy slipped into Stephanie's room and closed the door. She felt awful for being so forgetful.

Mom answered, and Christy quickly explained about the guys not being there, the keys being locked in the car, meeting Stephanie, and Rick's sprained wrist. When she finished, there was an uncomfortable pause on the other end.

"Honest, Mom, that's what happened, and that's why I didn't think to call."

"Oh, I believe you," Christy's mother answered. "It's just that with all that has gone on during the last few hours, I'm not sure I'm ready for all the adventures you may face between now and when you come home tomorrow night."

"Mom," Christy tried her best to sound mature and responsible, "there's nothing to worry about. I'm really sorry I didn't call sooner. Everything is fine, and I'm sure the rest of our visit will be uneventful. I'll call you tomorrow before we leave to drive home. I really appreciate you and Dad letting me spend time with my friends like this."

"Well, have a good time and remember all the things we talked about."

"I will, Mom. Don't worry. I'll be fine."

Christy sat for a moment on the edge of Stephanie's bed after she hung up. She couldn't help feeling a little like a baby in this group where all of them were living on their own except Katie and her. Katie's parents not only let her go on this trip, but they also gave her the car with a full tank of gas and told her to have fun. Katie didn't have to check in with them.

Christy felt fully aware of that ever-present invisible rope that connected her to her parents. The older she became, the more rope they let out and the more they encouraged her to go exploring on independent experiences like this overnight trip to San Diego. Still, that invisible rope kept her anch.o.r.ed to them. In situations like this, when she had to check in, the rope seemed to pull awfully tight, right around her stomach.

Then she had a thought that was even more sobering. Really soon I'm going to be eighteen. I'll be in college and living on my own like Stephanie. What will it feel like for that rope to be cut?

Christy decided to be grateful for the linkage while she had it. She felt secure, knowing that the invisible rope to her parents was intact and taut. It would be gone soon enough.

Katie doesn't seem to have any ropes attached to her, Christy thought. That must feel scary. Like you wouldn't know for sure if someone is going to be there to pull you in if you go too far.

Joining the others, Christy pitched in and helped to clear the table and dry the dishes. Doug washed and Todd put them away.

"Look how lovely my hands are after using this new dish soap!" Doug said in a high-pitched voice, holding up his bubble-covered hands.

"How's this for squeaky clean?" Doug rubbed his finger over the back of one of his plates, continuing to act out his commercial.

"Wait, I have an idea." Todd s.n.a.t.c.hed the plate Christy was drying. He pulled Mr. Gizmo from his pocket and threw it on the back of the plate. Mr. Gizmo started to walk down the plate.

Doug whistled his applause. "Good show, good show! Now try it on the refrigerator."

Todd did, and it worked again.

More cheers and whistles came from Doug, and Christy joined him with eager applause.

"The oven door," Doug challenged.

Mr. Gizmo met the challenge.

"Now the true testa"can he walk on the ceiling?"

Todd tossed Mr. Gizmo onto the ceiling.

Fwaaap! He stuck perfectly, but he didn't walk. He didn't move at all.

"Boo! Hiss!" Doug appraised the immobile Mr. Gizmo.

"What are you guys doing in there?" Stephanie called from the living room.

"It's the Mr. Gizmo Olympics," Doug said. "And our favorite contender just experienced a major setback."

"I'll get it down," Todd offered, pulling over one of Stephanie's chairs with the flowered cushions.

"Don't stand on that," Christy scolded. "It's too nice to stand on."

"What do you suggest?" Doug asked. 'Waiting for gravity to keep its law?"

Christy had an idea. She twirled the dish towel in her hand and snapped it toward the ceiling, just missing Mr. Gizmo. But the towel gave off a loud, cracking sound.

"Good thinking." Doug s.n.a.t.c.hed another towel from the handle of the refrigerator and snapped it in the air. "Take that, you Mr. Gizmo, you!"

"You missed," Todd told him, reaching for a towel and giving it a try.

Before Christy knew what was happening, she was stuck in the middle of a towel-snapping war between Doug and Todd.

"Whoa! Wait a minute! How did I get between you guys?" she cried out, trying to break loose from the circle. It was no use. They had her surrounded.

Christy began to snap them back, but they were faster and more experienced at this. On impulse, she scooped both her hands into the bountiful soap bubbles in the sink. With a mound of the white fluff, she glanced at Doug and then at Todd.

"Okay, who's going to get it first?"