Free Seventeen Against the Dealer by Cynthia Voigt

Not right now.
    â€œHow about your landlord?”
    â€œHe’s not insured against theft of whatever’s in the building,” Dicey said. “Just the building.”
    They stood there, the two of them, in the damp, chilly air. Mina was worried, Dicey could see that. She didn’t know what she was. Whatever it was she was, it was clogging her up inside, leaving no room for anything else. She was afraid Mina was going to make an angry, sympathetic speech, but Mina didn’t. “You going to be okay?” was all Mina said.
    â€œYeah,” Dicey said. She didn’t see how she was going to beokay, because without her tools she couldn’t build, and she didn’t have time or money to go around finding another set, not to mention getting them into working shape—whoever had robbed her of the tools had robbed her of the hours she’d spent on them, too—as if they’d taken up a box filled with minutes and hours and days, and stolen it. She didn’t even know what new tools cost, although her guess was she couldn’t afford them. That made her realize she hadn’t built up a big enough savings account before diving into this whole project. It had seemed like so much money, but it wasn’t enough. She should have worked another six months, or at least three. She hadn’t planned it realistically. Dicey didn’t know what she was going to do now. But Mina, who had her own problems, putting herself through college, didn’t need to hear about Dicey’s troubles, especially since there wasn’t anything Mina could do about them. “Yeah,” Dicey said again, “I’m okay.”
    Then, as if repeating it made it true, she knew she would be. She’d faced worse, and gotten through it. She had money in the bank, and a check in her pocket. Besides, maybe no matter how much money you had it wouldn’t be enough, because money itself wasn’t enough. She had her plans and she knew how to work hard. She would be okay, she made herself that promise. “I’ll figure out something,” she told Mina.
    â€œYou always do.” Mina stood there in the darkness, big and warm, sure of what she was saying.
    And why shouldn’t Mina be sure, since it was true. Dicey filled her lungs with energizing damp air. “Yeah.”
    Something made Mina laugh again.
    â€œWhat’s so funny now?” Dicey demanded.
    â€œSometimes, I look at the two of us and—I’m gonna leave old Dexter to his honey babe, and get on with my own life. You never liked him that much anyway, did you?”
    â€œHalf the time I like him a lot,” Dicey said. “The other half—well, he’s so arrogant and you do your supportive-female act and—I don’t mind the arrogance, but I mind you—so I guess no, not that much. Although he’s interesting—”
    â€œOh, yeah, that boy has brains enough,” Mina agreed. “And ambition.”
    â€œFor himself,” Dicey pointed out.
    â€œI know. Being Dexter’s woman—I guess I just don’t want to be any man’s woman. I guess maybe that’s what’s really behind all the jive he says I’ve been giving him. I go back to school tomorrow morning. You know what I wonder? I wonder if all this school isn’t a way of running away. You know? A failure to choose, and get down to the business of life. I don’t think so, but I have the suspicion that a really free woman wouldn’t ever wonder.”
    â€œI dunno,” Dicey said. “Maybe that’s true, but it seems like a lie, because how can you not wonder?”
    â€œWell, I wish I knew how,” Mina said, laughing. “I know what I want to do, and I think I know why I want to, but what if—Oh, well, if worse comes to worst, I’ll work for you, okay? You can hire me. I know I don’t know anything about boats, but I’m a quick learner.”
    Dicey