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"Ill bet Angie would take you. She seemed pretty cool. "
Lauren thought about that. Was it possible? Could she ask Angie for that big a favor? "Yeah," she said, just so David wouldnt worry. "Ill ask her. "
Davids remark stayed with Lauren all the rest of that day and into the next. She was unused to having someone of whom she could ask a favor. It would make her look vaguely pathetic, she knew, might even prompt questions about her mother. Normally that would be reason enough to just forget the whole thing and take the bus.
But Angie was different. She seemed to really care.
By the end of the week, Lauren still hadnt made up her mind. On Friday, she worked hard, moving quickly from table to table, keeping the customers happy. Whenever she could, she caught a glimpse of Angie, tried to gauge how a request would be received, but Angie was a butterfly all night, flitting from place to place, talking to each patron. Twice Lauren had started to ask the question, but on both times, shed lost her nerve and turned away abruptly.
"Okay," Angie said as she was closing up the register for the night. "Spill the beans, kiddo. "
Lauren was filling the salt shakers. At the question she flinched. Salt went flying across the table.
"Thats bad luck," Angie said. "Throw some salt over your left shoulder. Quick. "
Lauren pinched some salt between her thumb and forefinger and tossed it over her shoulder.
"Whew. That was close. We could have been struck by lightning. Now, whats on your mind?"
"Mind?"
"That space between your ears. Youve been staring at me all night, following me around. I know you, Lauren. You have something you want to say. You need Saturday night off? The new waitress is working out. I could spare you if you and David have a date. "
This was it. Now or never.
Lauren went back to her backpack and pulled out a flyer, which she handed to Angie.
"California schools . . . question-and-answer session . . . meet with representatives. Hmm. " Angie looked up. "They didnt have any of this cool stuff when I was a kid. So you want Saturday off so you can go?"
"I-want-to-go-could-you-give-me-a-ride?" Lauren said it in a rush.
Angie frowned at her.
This had been a bad idea. Angie was giving her that poor Lauren, so pathetic look. "Never mind. Ill just take the day off, okay?" Lauren reached down for her backpack.
"I like Portland," Angie said.
Lauren looked up. "You do?"
"Sure. "
"Youll take me?" Lauren said, almost afraid to believe it.
"Of course Ill take you. And Lauren? Dont be such a chicken next time. Were friends. Doing favors for each other comes with the territory. "
Lauren was embarrassed by how much that meant to her. "Sure, Angie. Friends. "
THE TRAFFIC FROM VANCOUVER TO PORTLAND WAS stop-and-go. It wasnt until they were halfway across the bridge that connected Washington to Oregon that they realized why. This afternoon was the big UW-UO football game. The Huskies versus the Ducks. A rivalry that had gone on for years.
"Were going to be late," Angie said for at least the third time in the last twenty minutes. It was alarming how angry that made her. Shed undertaken the obligation to get Lauren to the appointment on time and now they were going to be late.
"Dont worry about it, Angie. So we miss a few minutes. Its hardly a trauma. "
Angie flicked on the turn signal and veered left onto their exit. Finally.
Once they were on the surface streets, the traffic eased. She zipped down one street and up the other, then pulled into an empty parking stall. "Were here. " She looked at the dashboard clock. "Only seven minutes late. Lets run. "
They raced across the parking lot and into the building.
