It was around eight o’clock when her eyes fluttered open again, landing on the red numbers beside her bed.

“Aw, hell!” she flung herself from the bed and rounded the corner to Laurel’s room. “Laurel, sweetie, wake up. You’re about to miss the bus, so I’ll have to take you. Hurry,” she raised the blinds to let the sun shine through. “Come on, honey, rise and shine.” She left for the kitchen where she set out Laurel’s daily breakfast of Fruity Pebbles, a bagel, and apple juice. After putting it on the table, she returned to her own room, where she pulled on her jeans from the night before and a t-shirt that had been waiting patiently to be picked off the floor all week. She set her alarm for later, and pulled her hair into a ponytail.

“Laurel!” she called again.

“I’m up, I’m up,” the little girl slumped into her seat in front of her cereal, proudly displaying her Nsync concert t-shirt, complete with JC’s autograph on it.

“I know you’re tired honey, and I’d let you stay home, but everyone knows you were going to the concert, and they might get ignorant about your excuse, no matter what I write.”

“Yeah, I know,” Laurel munched on her bagel for a minute. “Why are you so tired?” she noted the dark shadows under her mother’s eyes.

“Because I’ve barely slept for an hour and a half.”

“Why?”

“I had a phone call,” Malinda retreated quickly into the kitchen to hide the grin on her face from her too observant daughter.

“You called him?” Laurel twisted in her seat to look at Malinda.

“Yes. Now eat your breakfast. I’ll tell you about it after school.”

“Yes ma’am.”

When Laurel was finished eating, the two of them jumped into the car so Malinda could race Laurel to school on time. Along the ride, Laurel refused to let the phone call slide.

“So what did you talk about?”

“I said I’ll tell you later.”

“And I said I want to know now.”

“I say you better hold your horses.”

“Buy me some and I’ll hold ‘em.”

“Alright,” Malinda said once they arrived at school, “Rhett is picking you up today, and I think he’s staying for dinner, so you two can start that when you get home. Then when I get home I’ll tell you about the phone call.” She leaned over to kiss Laurel’s cheek before the girl scampered up the walkway into the school. Malinda turned her attention to the clock and heaved a contented sigh, “Oh bed, here I come,” she said aloud.

Not more than ten minutes of shut-eye had passed when the theme song to Inspector Gadget began sounding in Malinda’s ear, causing her to open one eye and squint it at the alarm clock as she answered her cell phone. Almost nine thirty.

“This better be good,” Hopefully it was a telemarketer, and her attitude would scare them off.

“Uh, Malinda?”

“Yes?”

“This is Lindsay. Malinda, I can’t make it to work today.”

“Can’t make it to – Lindsay! You were supposed to be opening half an hour ago!”

“Well, that’s why I’m calling. I can’t make it in to do that.”

“And why not?”

“I just can’t.”

“Well isn’t that convenient?” Malinda mocked in her best Dana Carvey Church Lady voice. “So now I have to go in early, open a store that you were supposed to open, just because you can’t. Lindsay, you… forget it. We’ll discuss it later. Just… you can’t call in to say you can’t come to work when you’re already supposed to be there!”

“I’m sorry –“

“No you’re not, or else you wouldn’t have done it.”

“Well, I –“

Malinda hung up without a word and flung herself face first back onto her bed, where she shrieked into the mattress. After lying there for a moment she finally mustered enough energy to get up. She slipped into black pants and a blue sweater and went into the bathroom to brush her teeth and fix her hair. In her car, at red lights, she applied her makeup, and by the time she arrived at The Pageturner, it was almost ten o’clock, already an hour late for opening.

Grumbling to herself about Lindsay the whole time, cursing her out and telling herself Lindsay should feel lucky that the first couple hours are slow enough that it opening late didn’t make that much of a difference, Malinda quickly set up the displays for the Harry Potter section and the New York Times bestsellers. She noted Lindsay’s absence on the schedule, also adding that she’d only been there for a few months, and technically should have been fired on the spot, this being her third absence during what was still considered her probationary period.

Malinda stopped at the door and made one last sweeping glance to make sure everything was in order before turning on the rest of the lights, unlocking the door for good, and flipping the sign to ‘open’ Grabbing a copy of her favorite V.C. Andrews novel, she clumsily dropped into one of the giant plush chairs and began to read.

An hour later, Malinda was so into the orphan’s plight in Runaways that she didn‘t even hear the jingle of the door of the bell above the door or the ensuing footsteps behind her.

“Okay, so either Laurel missed the bus or someone called in,” the voice behind her speculated.

“GAAAAAHHHHHHHH!” Malinda jumped a mile, sending the hardcover book to the floor where it landed with a thud. She looked up to see Rhett Warrener laughing at her. “Not funny,” she told him.

“I think it is. So which is it? Laurel missed the bus or someone called in?”

“Both. How’d you know?”

Rhett held out a Burger King bag, “You never showed up at breakfast.”

Malinda groaned, “Oh Christ, I’m sorry. I’m going on two hours of sleep, Lindsay’s pissing me off, and I’m swooning like a twelve-year-old over a guy.”

“Um, okay. The first part makes sense, but who’s the guy?” Rhett dragged a little coffee table and another chair to join Malinda’s.

“Well,” she began, but was distracted by what Rhett had treated her with. “Ooh, a double order of hash browns and French toast sticks. You’re a good man, Rhett Warrener. A god among men, in fact.”

“I figured it was probably a rough morning. So tell me about this guy,” Rhett bit into his egg and sausage biscuit.

“Okay, well I met him last night –“

“Wait, is this another guy from work? Mindy, you know what happened last time.”

“No, I didn’t work last night.”

“Oh yeah, the concert was last night. How was it?”

“It was great, but listen –”

“So you met this guy at the concert? What kind of guy can you possibly meet at an Nsync concert? The only ones there are younger guys that got dragged by their girlfriends and only agreed because they thought it would make it easier for them to get in their pants. There’s them, roadies, and the guys that are actually in the group.”

“Exactly.”

Rhett looked at Malinda for a minute. “Right,” he said, returning to his breakfast.

“I’m serious. Actually we met him here. Saturday JC and Lance came in here, and Laurel started talking to them –you know how she is- and then we were talking about places they could go for lunch, and things they should see while they’re here, and JC bought that God-awful poster of them over there.”

“And?”

“Then he gave us backstage passes, and we went back there before the show and we were talking about the songs we liked and stuff, and I mentioned that I liked that one song from the movie, and then JC gave me his cell phone number, and then during the show, they sang the song we talked about. And JC said that a special person had asked for it! Then later that night I called. I didn’t want to, I wanted to wait, but I caved. Hardcore. So I asked him to sing for me, and he did, then we just talked all night.”

“About what?”

“Everything! You name it, it was discussed. It was just so great. You have no idea how good it feels to have a man be interested in me and not be scared away by Laurel.”

“Hey, so what am I?”

“Oh, Rhett, you know that we’re different. I love you to death, but we’re not like that.”

“No, but I care a lot about you, and I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

“Neither do I. I’ve been through enough to last the rest of my life. I don’t intend to be hurt again.”

“Oh my God, Laurel! Wasn’t the concert so amazing last night?” Alicia Parker asked during lunch.

“Yeah, it was sweet,” Laurel replied smugly, leaning back in her seat to display JC’s signature scrawled across her chest.

“Hey, Laurel has her shirt signed!” Emily Thompson exclaimed. “But only by JC. Where are the other signatures?”

“The other guys weren’t flirting with my mom or giving her their cell phone number.”

“What?! Omigod! No way!” the other girls were all ears. “What happened?”

“Yeah, you know when they sang that song that not everyone knew?”

“Yeah?” encouraged the girls that had attended the concert.

"That was for her."

"Get out of here."

"Seriously. When we were backstage, Momma was saying if they sang some of the songs from like, soundtracks, that it would be cool. She said she loves the songs from On The Line. And then when they introduced the song, they said-"

"They said that it was from On The Line. I remember 'cause I have it, and I thought they were gonna sing the other song," Alicia said.

"So he must have said that to make sure your mom knew he was talking to her. How exciting!"

"Didn't you say he gave her his phone number?" Emily asked.

"His cell phone number," Mandy Kiebler corrected.

"Yeah, so did she call him?"

“Well, Aunt Gina was pretty sure she was gonna call as soon as we got home, and Momma kept saying she wasn't. I fell asleep as soon as I was in bed, so I couldn't try to listen, but his morning Momma was sleepy, so I asked her why. She said she just got off the phone, and she tried to hide her smile, but I saw it."

"Oh, how romantic! What did they talk about?" Hannah Buchanan wanted to know.

"She didn't tell me," Laurel shrugged. "She said she'd tell me after school."

"Call me when you find out," Emily demanded.

"Yeah, me too," Alicia chimed in.

"And me," Hannah added.

"Call us all," Mandy and Stacie said together.

"Just think, Laurel," Hannah said, "One day, your mom could marry JC from Nsync!"

"Marry someone from Nsync? Her mom? Ha!" Ashley Erikson tossed her hair over her shoulder and sat down, uninvited.

"Nobody asked you," Laurel said boldly.

"I don't need your permission to speak, half-breed!"

"She is not a half-breed!" Mandy defended her friend.

'Well then what is she? Her mother's not white, she's not black, and who knows what her father is. What does that make you?" Ashley asked of Laurel.

"My mother is mixed. And my father is white. I have met him, you know."

"How can you be sure that he's the one? I bet your mother doesn't even know."

"I will not sit here and listen to you talk about my mother like that!" Laurel snapped and jumped to her feet. "I'm out of here," she stalked off, her friends right behind her, leaving their garbage all over the table.

"Maybe you should listen! God only knows what kind of stories your mother makes up!" Ashley shouted after her. A second later the lunch monitor asked her if she would mind cleaning up her table.

"Hi Rhett," Laurel threw her backpack into the backseat and slammed the door of Rhett's Explorer.

"Aren't we the chipper one today?" Rhett commented as he pulled away from the school. "Did you want to go home or stop at the shop? Or do I really need to ask?"

"Home. Please."

"Okay," Rhett eased his vehicle into main road traffic. "Did, um, something happen at school today?"

"No," Laurel responded too quickly and gazed out the window, watching the scenery pass.

"Rhett?" she opened the conversation again after a few minutes.

"Yeah?"

"Is, um, the man Momma said was my father really my father?"

"I'm going with yes on that Laurel. Your mom wouldn't lie to you about that."

"Did she like... you know... with a lot of people in high school?"

Rhett's eyebrows shot up somewhere in his hair. "First of all, this is something you need to talk about with your mom, but no, as far as I know there was only your father. She's barely even been on a few dates since then. You know that. And secondly, where are you getting this stuff from? What are they teaching in fifth grade nowadays?"

"Momma always says I'm too smart for my own good."

"And Momma's absolutely right. But really, where's this coming from?" Rhett shut off the engine as he parked outside the Gracie's apartment building.

"Nowhere. I was just wondering, that's all."

"Riiiiight. And I believe that for all of two seconds. What's on your mind, kiddo?"

Laurel sighed. "Nothing. Did Momma tell you about JC?"

"Yes she did. And for a minute I thought I was back in high school," Rhett rolled his eyes. "She actually giggled. Giggled! That high-pitched, squeaky, walking past the quarterback and he waved at her kind of giggle."

Laurel cracked a smile. "But she's happy.”

"That she is. And I'm glad. She deserves someone who will make her happy.”

"Rhett I'm not stupid," Laurel crossed her arms over her chest.

“What are you talking about?"

"I know you hate the idea of someone taking Momma away from you.”

“What are you saying?"

"It's no secret that you like each other, Rhett. And you might not be a couple, but there's still time for you to be.”

Rhett only stared at her for a minute before speaking. “What kind of eleven-year-old are you?"

"A smart one."

"And a smart-mouthed one too," Rhett grabbed Laurel in a playful headlock and tousled her hair as they walked into the house. "So what do you want to do? Watch a little TV? Homework? Study for exams? Make your mom a nice dinner?"

"Okay, first of all, there is nothing good on TV right after school. Second, I did my homework in school, and exams are two months away."

"So we're making dinner," Rhett backed into the kitchen. "Sweet Christ you are so much like Mindy it's scary.”

"So?" Laurel countered.

"I never said there was anything wrong with it."

"You just said it was scary!"

"I said it was scary how much you were like her. I never said you were scary."

"It's the same thing!"

"No it's not!"

"Yes it... is'" Laurel hurled her nearest weapon, a plastic cup, at Rhett while his back was turned.

He sputtered in shock. "You just... I can't... holy... Laurel Gracie!"

“Wait, wait, let me translate," Laurel cleared her throat. "You just threw a cup at me, I can't believe it, holy something I probably can't say, Laurel Gracie."

At that, Rhett charged across the room, picking Laurel up and tossing her over his shoulder, and ran into the living room, where he hip-tossed her onto the couch, and proceeded to tickle her.

"Oh my God! Rhett! I'm sorry, I didn't mean it!" Laurel screamed in laughter.

"You didn't?"

"No, I didn't mean it," Laurel said and Rhett released her. "Yes I did! I'd do it again!" she shrieked and tried to run before Rhett pinned her on the couch again.

"Say it! Say it!" Rhett continued to tickle laurel, refusing to let her up.

"No, you can't make me!" With an evil laugh, Rhett flicked off Laurel's shoes and focused on the soles of her feet. Laurel screamed.

"Okay! Okay! Rhett is the coolest, most awesome guy in the world, and the best hockey player to ever live."

"Rhett who?"

"Rhett Warrener!"

“What about Rhett Warrener?"

"He's the most awesome guy and best hockey player in the world. Ever!"

"You mean it?"

"Yes!"

"Okay. I guess I can let you up then.”

"Yeah! Yeah you can."

Rhett pulled Laurel to her feet and pushed her to the kitchen. "Okay. What's for dinner today?"

Around six-thirty, Malinda turned to her co-owner, Tyler Price, who had just come in to oversee the closing shift.

"I'm gonna go in a little while. I may be cooking dinner today. It all depends on what kind of mood Laurel and Rhett are in."

"Are you absolutely positive Rhett's not gay?" Tyler asked as he bent to pick up a fallen book.

"He's definitely straight," Malinda laughed.

"Are you sure? Have you ever seen the movie The Next Best Thing? With Madonna?"

"Ty."

“Well come on. How else would explain the fact that you two haven't hooked up yet?"

"How do you know that we haven't?" Malinda arched an eyebrow, and slung her bag across her shoulders, walking out the door, leaving a stunned and sputtering Tyler with the night crew.

On the ride home, Malinda reflected on what Tyler had said. Maybe she and Rhett could do... that. It could be interesting. She worried about Rhett sometimes. She knew they could never love each other like husband and wife, and yet they took care of each other as such. Malinda was in no rush to get married, but what about Rhett? How would he find someone if he spent so much time taking care of Malinda and Laurel?

Malinda sighed when she cut off the engine next to Rhett's car in the parking lot. She could see Rhett up in her living room window, trying to stay hidden while watching out for her. He's going to make some woman very happy someday. She'll be one lucky girl, she sighed again and headed up the stairs.

"So Momma, it's after school, after work, you're home," Laurel bounced around in her seat.

"So?" Malinda looked at her child like she'd lost her mind and heaped another scoop of macaroni and cheese onto her plate.

"Soooo, you said you'd tell me about JC when you got home."

"Oh," shooting a glance at Rhett, Malinda sipped her Sprite. "How about after we're done eating?"

"How 'bout you quit stalling?" Laurel spoke sharply, narrowing her eyes.

“Well that was kind of rude," Rhett said.

"Sorry Momma. But can't you just tell me now?"

"Sweetheart, can't it just wait a little longer? There's really not too much to tell, anyway."

"That's not what Rhett said," Laurel sang.

"And what did Rhett say?" Malinda eyeballed him.

"I didn't say anything," he shook his head and continued eating.

"He said you sounded like a giggly high school girl," Laurel laughed.

Malinda's face darkened. “Well, Rhett was mistaken. Because I stopped being a giggly high school girl in ninth grade." She finished her dinner in silence, rose, rinsed her plate, and retreated to her room, leaving both laurel and Rhett stunned.

After a few minutes of silence, Rhett groaned, "I never should have told you that."

"I'm sorry Rhett, I guess I shouldn't have said anything."

"It's not your fault. I didn't think she'd take it that way," Rhett paused and shook his head sadly. "Ninth grade," he sighed.

“What? What's ninth grade?"

"That was when she met your father."

The door to Malinda's bedroom was slightly ajar. Laurel crept up to it and nudged it partway open, "Mommy?" she called softly into the dark room.

The figure on the bed rolled towards the voice.

"Hey baby, come on in," Malinda said and Laurel made her way in. “Where's Rhett?"

"He just cleaned up the kitchen and now he's sitting in the living room. He said he's not leaving until he sees if you're okay."

"Go on and tell him I'm fine then."

"No Momma, he said he wants to see you and check on you."

Malinda sighed, "He needs to get out someplace and meet somebody."

"But he has you."

"He won't always have me, Laurel. He needs to find someone else."

"But why?"

"Laurel."

Taking the hint, Laurel sat up against her mother's pillows. "So what did you and JC talk about last night?"

Sighing happily, Malinda smiled. "Everything. Every little thing. He sang to me too."

"He sang to you?"

"Yeah. Well, I asked him to, and he did."

“What else, what else?"

“Well, let's see. About our families, about people we've dated... or haven't dated, about the news, the weather, everything."

"And for a long time."

"Yep. Like three hours."

"And when are you going to talk again?"

"Hopefully in the next couple of days."

"And when's he coming to see you?"

"Laurel." Malinda laughed.

"Okay, okay... next week?"

"Isn't it past your bedtime?"

"No! But I do have to call my friends. Oh! Alicia invited me to spend the night at her house Friday."

"Yeah, so?"

"Momma! So can I go?"

"I'm surprised you even have to ask. You practically live at each other's houses."

"Okay, I'll tell her tomorrow. Thanks Momma," Laurel kissed her mother.

"Goodnight. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight, Sweetie. Um, send Rhett back here, okay?"

"Alright."

A few minutes later, Rhett tentatively approached Malinda's bed in the dark. Something jumped on him, tackling him onto the bed.

"A giggly schoolgirl, huh?"

Rhett laughed, glad that Malinda was no longer upset. "I didn't mean it like that. Not like giggly naive airhead. You were just kind of silly."

"Oh, so not I'm not stupid, just silly."

"No! Mindy, no. That's not what I meant."

"If you say so," Malinda took her weight off of Rhett and stretched out next to him.

"You really like him," Rhett rolled over to face her after a minute. It wasn't a question.

"Yeah. I think so. I just hope things work out." Rhett's arms slid around Malinda and she snuggled into the cradle in which she felt safe. Rhett's voice rumbled in his throat as he rested his head on top of Malinda's.

"If he hurts you...,"

"He won't."

"How can you be sure?"

“Well, I can't."

"Exactly. And until you're sure, it's my job to protect you."

Malinda sighed sadly, thinking again that he should be worried about someone else. “What would I do without you?" she asked, only half-joking.

"Hopefully you'll never have to find out," Rhett answered, dropping a kiss on top of Malinda's head.