Page 40 of Until the Last Star Fades

“Unless he wanted to land himself in an orgy!”

Riley threw an empty box of Pocky at Piper and returned to her phone. “He’s only been in New York for a few weeks and doesn’t know anyone, so what was I supposed to do? Leave him in an all-night diner? And he slept”—Riley turned to Piper—“on my loveseat, fully clothed and alone. Nothing happened.”

“Rye’s loss is my gain, Maggie.” Piper leaned into the phone again. “I’m gonna ask him out.”

“Tell Piper I say good for her.”

“Mom approves.” Riley laughed.

“I’m glad you had fun with Erika…” Maggie’s voice slipped into a breathy whisper.

“Mom?” A heaviness squeezed Riley’s chest. “You okay? You weren’t at the ER again, were you?”

“No, sweetheart, but…my results came through.”

“Results…” Her eyes widened. “You weren’t supposed to hear back until next week. They said—”

“Honey, the cancer…it’s no longer responding to treatment. It—it’s grown.”

This can’t be happening. Riley bowed her head and pulled her knees up to her chest, her body retracting into a ball. No! Third time lucky, remember? Third time lucky! A shaky hand met her mouth. “It’s what…?”

Piper leaned into her best friend. “What is it?” Her normally loud voice was barely a whisper.

A lump grew in Riley’s throat, stealing away her ability to answer.

“They called yesterday afternoon,” said Maggie. “I didn’t want to ruin your night out.”

“I’m—” The rail of clothing across from Riley began to blur under a veil of tears. “I’m coming over.” She choked out the words.

“Okay, but be careful. Roads are icy, sweetheart,” said Maggie.

Riley hung up, collapsing into Piper’s arms. Her tears told her best friend all she needed to know.

Seventeen

“Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway.”

– John Wayne

“Thanks for coming with me.” Riley sniffed as they left the shoveled sidewalk on Arlo Road, their boots sliding through the icy slush on the walkway leading to her mom’s apartment. The ninety-minute journey—a walk, a subway ride, the Staten Island Ferry, a bus, and then more walking—always felt much longer when she was in a hurry. “I’m sorry we took the wrong bus. My mind is…”

“Don’t apologize.” Shivering under her fluffy coat, Piper’s eyes hopped across the snow-covered grass from one two-story dwelling to another. “I love the ferry. I always feel like Melanie Griffith in Working Girl, but without the crazy shoulder pads and hair sprayed to high heaven.”

“It’s a classic.” Riley removed her sunglasses, tucking them in her parka’s pocket. The tears had stopped, but her eyes remained swollen and red. “Mom says all her Staten Island friends looked like that in the eighties.” Key in hand, Riley paused on the doorstep, taking a deep breath.

Piper leaned in. “It’s going to be okay.”

Riley unlocked the building’s front door and led Piper down the hall to her mom’s place, a one-bedroom apartment at the rear of the small building. She stuck the key in the lock and opened the door, the aroma of freshly baked cookies welcoming them in. Maggie sat on her sofa underneath a fuzzy, mocha-colored throw.

“Mom…” Riley dropped her backpack, yanked off her boots, and flew across the room, embracing her mother tightly.

Maggie mouthed, “Thank you,” over Riley’s shoulder.

Piper nodded. “I’m gonna head to that café down the street. The burrito I ate on the way needs company.”

Maggie slowly pulled out of the hug but clasped Riley’s hand, refusing to let go. “Piper, are you warm enough? Do you want a hat or mittens?”

“Aw, thanks, Maggie, but I’m good. Text if you want anything brought back, okay?” Piper slipped through the door, leaving the small apartment quiet apart from the upstairs neighbor’s footfalls and the excited chirps of chickadees fighting over the feeder outside Maggie’s window.