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“Mormor bought cinnamon rolls from the place by the station and they were terrible. I ate two anyway because she was watching. Lina’s coming tomorrow and we’re going to the pool even though it’s freezing. And the tram was twelve minutes late yesterday, and Mormor says that never happened when she was young, which is a lie.”

She sounds happy.

Astrid listens without interrupting.

Then Tova asks, “Did the Stampede win?”

“Yeah.”

“Did you score?”

“No.”

“Then why are you smiling?”

“Because some of us understand team sports.”

“You say that when you don’t score.”

Astrid laughs.

I point at the phone. “Your international privileges can be revoked.”

“No, they can’t.”

When Tova says she has to go, Astrid tells her she doesn’t need to call tomorrow if she’s busy.

“I know,” Tova says.

Then, “I probably will.”

The screen goes dark.

Astrid keeps holding the phone.

“She asked about the hoodie.”

“I noticed.”

“You left it there for her.”

“I left it there for me.”

The truth is out before I can dress it up.

Astrid sets the phone down.

My left hand tingles again when I flex it, and her gaze drops to it once, and she sees it.

I decide she’s thinking about something else.

Her eyes return to mine.

She says nothing.

I hate how relieved I am.

Then she comes toward me.