Free The Next Thing on My List by Jill Smolinski Page A

fund us because they had limited dollars. Bigwood thanked them, and I expected we were going to leave. But then he turned to me and said, ‘ June, do you have anything to add?’
    In real life-that is, my old life, in which I wouldn’ t even be here because I wouldn’ t have been jiggling down the hall and attracting Bigwood’ s notice-I would have made a benign remark such as ‘ I’ m good to go.’
    Instead, I set down the notebook I’ d been clinging to. Lizbeth was never going to listen to my pitch. This was my chance. If I blew it, what was the worst that could happen? I’ d never see these people again, and Bigwood could hardly fault me for failing when he’ d done exactly the same thing moments before.
    ‘ I do have a way we may be able to partner that would be low-cost,’  I said, aiming to keep my voice steady. ‘ It’ ll help you get your feet wet. Once you see the good work we can do, I’ m confident you’ ll want to continue the association at a higher level.’
    Then I pitched the hell out of my free gas idea. I was so focused on what I was saying that I didn’ t even worry that I was braless. Without the graphs and charts I’ d been working on, I knew I was the main show, so I did my best to make giving away free gas sound like the next step in reality TV. I painted a mental picture of happy motorists screaming with glee as we told them they’ d won free gas-of how they would surely thank their generous sponsors for this honor, perhaps even wipe away tears of gratitude. All on TV. And all for the low, low price of, say, a few thousand?
    They loved it-they loved me! Although they couldn’ t commit on the spot-they first had to run it by the powers-that-be-they assured us they’ d do everything they could to make the project happen.

    Later, as we walked back to his car, Lou Bigwood gave my shoulder a squeeze and told me I did a great job.
    ‘ Thank you, Mr. Bigwood.’
    ‘ Call me Lou.’
    That was when it hit me: I was now one of Charlie’ s Angels. Susan was going to keel over laughing.
    I suspected that Lizbeth, however, would be less amused-leaving me to fret the entire way back to the office over how much she’ d try to make my job a living hell.

    Chapter 6

    I woke to the phone ringing. Seven forty-five on a Saturday. Who’ d be calling this early?
    I let the machine pick up, but when I heard it was my mom, I grabbed it. ‘ It’ s not even eight o’ clock!’
    ‘ It isn’ t? Oh, sorry. Go back to sleep.’
    ‘ No& ‘  I rolled out of bed and ambled to the kitchen to start the coffee. ‘ I needed to get up anyway. What’ s up?’
    ‘ I wanted to let you know that Vons has those bags of frozen shrimp on sale for $8.99 a pound.’
    As if I knew how to cook shrimp? ‘ Okay& thanks& don’ t think I need any.’
    ‘ I know, but your father wanted me to call you and tell you to pick some up. They have a limit of five bags. He’ s already been to the store twice, and he’ s afraid if he goes back again, they might catch on.’
    I smiled-my dad loved to find the bargains. ‘ Okay. No problem.’  After my mom warned me that the sale ended Wednesday, she and I were free to catch up. While I made toast and peanut butter for breakfast, my mom gave me what I’ ve come to refer to as the floral report-that is, the state of various flowers in her garden. ‘ So why did you need to get up early today?’  she asked after sharing her haunting story about how the delphinium were at death’ s door.
    ‘ I’ m meeting that girl who might be my Little Sister,’  I reminded her. ‘ The one who’ s fourteen?’
    ‘ That’ s right. You told me that. But I guess I’ m confused. I don’ t remember the list saying you had to get a Little Sister.’
    ‘ It doesn’ t. This is for the one about how I’ m supposed to change someone’ s life.’
    She gave a derisive grunt. ‘ With a teenager? Good luck.’

    Exactly what I was worried about. ‘ What did I get myself