Free Point Me to Tomorrow by Veronica Chambers Page B

demanding it.
    The awkward silence that filled the room was indicative of what everyone felt.
    Marisol broke the ice. “So, Lici, is the list of schools you’re applying to the same as it was last time we talked?” she asked her daughter gently.
    â€œUm, yeah,” Alicia muttered, helping herself to a couple of Maribelle’s homemade shrimp dumplings.
    Her parents exchanged glances. Mrs. Cruz had tried. Now it was Mr. Cruz’s turn.
    Enrique took a deep breath, then plunged ahead. “We’re old and slightly senile,” he joked. This was, of course, patently untrue. He was not yet fifty. “Let’s go over the list together,” he suggested, “just for the benefit of the memory-challenged among us. It’s Brown, Columbia, Penn, Yale, and that dinky little school up in Cambridge….”
    In spite of herself, Alicia smiled at her dad’s corny sense of humor.
    â€œHarvard,” she said, finishing his sentence.
    â€œOh, right, Harvard,” her father beamed. “Didn’t the rep invite you to coffee?”
    â€œYeah, I’ve got to call her,” Alicia replied nonchalantly. She’d kept Serena Shih’s business card on her dresser, and she looked at it every day. As soon as she figured out what to say besides I really, really want to go to Harvard , she planned to give her a ring.
    Sensing that Alicia was not enthused about the college conversation, her mother changed the topic. “So, how are things going with the mystery quince ?”
    Alicia smiled. In spite of all the stress and pressure of senior year, the idea of planning a quince for Carmela Ortega was very exciting. “We haven’t heard from Julia Centavo in a while, which is good, because we’re hoping to hire some sophomores to help us out and to take over the day-to-day operations when we go away to college.”
    â€œRight,” her mother said. “I ran into Jamie’s mom, and she told me you were having a contest to find your successors, called Are You That Chica ?”
    Her father reached for his briefcase and handed Alicia a section of the newspaper. “I saved this for you. Yesenia and Carmela Ortega are out of the country—on a diplomatic trip to South Korea.”
    Alicia’s eyes widened as she looked at the picture in the paper of Carmela Ortega and her mother wearing traditional Korean dresses. “How cool is this?” she asked her parents excitedly. “I cannot wait to meet them.”
    Her mother held one hand up, in a gesture of caution. “Don’t get your hopes up, Lici,” she warned. “You don’t know for sure that she’s your mystery client.”
    But Alicia wouldn’t be swayed. “She is. Deep down in my gut it feels right. After all, our birthdays are just one day apart. We share the same astrological sign, which means we’re both awesome. I already feel like I know her.”
    â€œSo, have you decided on a theme yet?” her mother asked.
    â€œNot yet,” Alicia said. “But we’ve got a little time. Usually, when we have enough time to plan, the budget is small and we spend all our time wheeling and dealing. If the budget is big, the client always wants it all done yesterday, so we’re rushing around like madwomen. This quince is a happy medium—generous budget, reasonable timeline.”
    Alicia’s parents looked at each other and laughed.
    â€œWhat is it?” Alicia wanted to know.
    â€œIt’s just that, four years ago, you had braces and your biggest ambition was to show off your dancing skills on a reality TV show,” her mother said teasingly.
    Alicia playfully lobbed a napkin at her mom and replied, “Oh, nice. Well, for your information, four years ago, I was thirteen, and I was, and still am, an excellent dancer! I could so be on TV.”
    Her father smiled and squeezed his daughter’s shoulder. He said, “What your mother is