Free Barefoot Girls by Tara McTiernan

upright in her seat. “Wait, that’s it! That’s perfect! Awesome, Zo!”
    “Wow,” Pam said, leaning forward and putting her beefy arms on her knees. She nodded slowly. “That is. Daniel loved Captain’s. He’s a natural islander, you can tell. And, Keeley, you have to admit it would be a good intermediary step between now and when you two talk. Maybe you could go out to the island and talk to her in person when you’re ready.”
    “Wait a second!” Keeley said, shaking her head violently as if trying to shake something out. “Wait! That’s our house. No one goes there but us. And Hannah, she’s gotten used to it now. That would mess everything up. Next thing we’d know our husbands would be hanging out there. No more Barefoot retreat! This is a terrible idea! Are you guys kidding?”
    Zo said, “No! No! This would just be now, just for her next book. Just for her and Daniel. We could make it a condition about Daniel, too. He has to spend time on the island with her or no dice.”
    Amy said, “Yes, but he probably won’t be able to be there the whole time. Maybe not even half. He told me he’s got a pretty heavy flight schedule.”
    “Hello?” Keeley shouted and waved her hands in the air. “Can anyone hear me? This is all wrong. We’d be breaking our tradition and that’s a slippery slope, you know. I’m serious. I just don’t think it’s a good idea. And we wouldn’t be there, and that’s who she wants to be with: us.”
    “Aha!” Zo said, seeing her chance and diving in. “It may be true that she wants to be with us, but she was looking for anything about us, and if there’s a place on this earth that is more about us than our little house on Captain’s, I don’t know where it is. All those photo albums and things we’ve collected over the years she could look at! And I could talk to her if she needs to ask any questions about the stuff there. Amy? Pam? Will you guys talk to her if she wants to ask questions?”
    Pam smiled and nodded. “Of course, count me in!”
    Amy’s smile faded. “I’m sorry you guys. But I’m a little mad at Hannah myself. I’m the one who co-signed on that lease of hers, and gave her my old Honda, and she never called me to explain what happened with the review. Well, not until Keeley had already ripped her a new one. I’m here for you guys and Hannah, but I really think Hannah’s got to learn to be a little more considerate of other people. And I’m going to tell her that. I promise. I’ll be calling her. But giving her the Barefoot history? No. Not right now. I’ve given her a lot lately and I’m worn out.”
    “ You’re worn out?” Keeley said, slapped down her drink on the table, and sat back in her chair, her arms folded over her chest. “I hear ya!” She paused and looked around at each of them, looking last into Zo’s eyes. She asked, her voice soft. “So this is what we should do? Is this the right thing?”
    Zo looked into her friend’s eyes and said in an equally soft voice, “Yes, it’s the right thing.”
    Pam leapt to her feet, holding her glass in the air. “To Hannah and Daniel and the Barefooter house!”
    Amy jumped up, too, and stretched her arm high to touch her glass to Pam’s. Zooey unfolded herself from the low chair, hearing her knees crackle and pop, and stood. She grabbed her glass from the table, touched it to her friends’ glasses and looked down at Keeley, who was still seated with her arms folded. “Hear, hear!”
    Keeley looked up at them and remained seated. “What about the weather? It’s going to be cold soon and there’s no heat. What about a bed? Where are they going to sleep?”
    Pam said, “They can stay at my house, we’ve got all of that. It’s only six houses down.”
    “Perfect!” Zo crowed. She looked down at Keeley. Please. Let this work. “Keeley? We need you on this. It’s going to have to come from you.”
    Keeley looked down at her lap.
    Zo felt her heart shoot down through her