Free Jumpstart the World by Catherine Ryan Hyde Page A

next thing I was going to do is go over there and show her these pictures. Which is why I would really appreciate it if you’d please call first. Next time. You know. In case I have plans.”
    She stomped her foot suddenly on my hardwood floor.
    It was unexpected. And kind of funny, actually. Like a three-year-old who can’t get her way by using words.
    “Elle, I think you’re being very unpleasant to me.”
    But I really hadn’t intended to be. I really hadn’t said any of that to hurt her. I just wanted to go on with my day.
    “No unpleasantness intended,” I said. “But like it or not, I have a life now. I think maybe you thought you could have it both ways. You know, like, drop me here to live on my own and go off on a cruise with Donald first thing, and still have it be just like it was before. But it’s not like it was before. It’s not. In any way. And it never will be again. And I think you might just need to accept that.”
    I walked to the door and opened it wide.
    She stormed out without a word.
    I felt like I’d won a major victory. I guess in some ways I had.
    I sat at the kitchen table over at Frank and Molly’s, showing Molly my photos.
    “These are good work,” she said. “Great work for a beginner.”
    I could actually feel the words move down into my gut. Like a warm, tingly glow. They actually had an effect on my body.
    I knew damn well that Molly didn’t throw compliments around lightly, or say anything she didn’t mean. Even though I hadn’t really known her that long. It was just one of those evidentthings. It would be the first thing you would know about her, and the minute you knew it, you would be completely sure.
    Frank was taking a nap on the couch, but it didn’t seem like we had to worry about being quiet. I guess he was tired from working and going to school. He looked different without his glasses. He had dark circles under his eyes. He looked kind of defenseless. Which looked sweet.
    It made me feel almost like I really did love him. Which, between that and the compliment on my photography, well—it was a lot to feel all at once. It almost made me a little dizzy.
    I tried to pay attention to Molly and not stare at Frank while he slept.
    “I made a lot of mistakes,” I said. “These were the only good ones.”
    “You’re supposed to make mistakes. You’re just starting out. Mistakes are a good thing. They mean you were brave enough to try something hard.”
    I could feel one of their cats rub up against my legs. I picked the cat up, and held her in my arms and hugged her. It was Gracie. I loved Gracie. I loved them both.
    “My cat still doesn’t let me touch him,” I said.
    “Be patient.”
    “I am. I guess. I mean, there’s nothing I can do about it. I still sometimes wonder why I picked him.”
    “Maybe because you knew how badly he needed to be picked.”
    “Yeah. Maybe.”
    “Or maybe he picked you.”
    “Or maybe I really was just trying to get back at my mother. I was pretty mad at her that day.”
    “Or maybe all of the above.”
    “Yeah. Maybe all of the above.”
    I watched Frank sleep some more, but Molly was kind of watching me watch him, and that made me uncomfortable.
    “Will you show me some of your work?”
    “Of course I will,” she said.
    She brought out a huge, flat, leather-bound portfolio. I already wanted one just like it. Even though I knew it was way too soon for me to need something like that.
    They were almost all photos of people. Mostly on the street. Homeless people, working-class people. Faces in a crowd.
    They all looked like they were missing something really, really important. Like she was taking pictures of the holes in people’s lives.
    Some looked hungry, or like they had no place they belonged. Or both. Others looked lonely. A lot of them looked lonely. Like, I guess there’s a lot more lonely going on in the world than I’d really ever stopped to think about.
    Some looked angry. But then, even the ones who looked