2

Five Years Old

“You’re the luckiest duck.”

Salem sits back on her haunches and pushes her night-vision goggles onto the top of her head. They don’t work very well, but a movie starring children as spies has recently been released, and the secret agent equipment is being peddled at every toy store. Salem’s parents and Bel’s mom have pooled their money to buy the girls all the fun gear—the goggles, an invisible ink pen, a lie detector that’s really an electronic blood pressure cuff. The two of them have built a winding pillow-and-quilt fort and are playing “Escape” during what Gracie jokingly calls “Spy Night,” something they do every Wednesday, with Bel and Salem playing and the three adults drinking wine in the other room.

“Because I got the goggles?” Salem slides them to Bel. “You can have ’em.”

“No.” Bel shakes her head. The quilt fort has slipped at this corner, letting in light, so Salem can see Bel’s fine, reddish-blond hair sway toward the static electricity in the blanket like tiny snakes being called out of a basket.

Salem giggles.

“It’s not funny.” Bel scowls.

Salem wants to tell her that she’s laughing at Bel’s hair, not her words, but she isn’t sure that would help.

“You’re the luckiest duck because your dad is here.”

Salem sets the goggles on the floor in case Bel really does want them. “Where else would he be?”

“My dad isn’t here.”

It’s true. Salem has never met Bel’s dad. Neither has Bel. It’s just how things are. Salem has never questioned it. “Do you want him to be?”

Bel licks her palm and runs it through her hair. It makes a crackling noise. “Kids are supposed to have two parents. Everyone knows that.”

Bel is three years older than Salem. She’s used to Bel knowing more. She likes hanging out with someone so smart. “I guess.”

Bel touches the edge of the goggles. “I’m going to be a police officer. Then I can find my dad.” She adds an afterthought. “I can help other people too.”

Salem smiles. “If I were a spy, we could work together!”

Bel holds out her hand. Salem grasps it. It feels warm and soft. They shake.

“Best friends forever,” Bel says.