28

Nine Years Old

Enormous, enchanted puffs of snow are falling outside the living room window. The soft crystals dance dreamily toward the ground, a sylphic balance of size and lightness. It’s the first snowfall of the year, and Salem and Bel are dying to bundle up, run outside, and build a fort, or a snowman, or play no-touch-me with the falling flakes.

“You’re not paying attention,” the instructor says. Vida, Grace, and Daniel have pushed aside the living room furniture so that Sensei Pederson can teach them judo in the center of the living room.

“No,” Bel says. “I’m not.”

Twelve years old and standing up to a stranger. Salem almost yells, she wants to be like Bel so bad. It’s not just Bel’s courage, or the way she picks up the judo like she was born to it while Salem flails around like a grounded bird. It’s not even how TV-show-pretty Bel is.

Well, maybe that is it.

Salem sighs. She’ll never be Bel, but at least she gets to be her best friend.

She couldn’t wait to giggle with Bel about this later. Who in their right mind brings a private judo instructor to their house on a snowy Saturday night? Vida had said it’d be fun, that she and Grace had thought of it on a whim. They were always thinking of stuff like that—agility courses, first-aid training, dragging Bel and Salem to community ed knot tying courses or immersion Spanish workshops at the local high school after hours. This is the first time they’d brought it into the house, though.

“How’s this?” Daniel offers, glancing at Bel, who stands hands-on-hips like a tiny soldier. “You two give Sensei Pederson your attention for the next hour—I mean your whole focus—and then I’ll take you both sledding.”

Salem is sure her dad is the only one of the three adults who remembers what it’s like to have fun. She glances at Bel, trying not to smile. Bel has taught her that you never take the first deal presented, but dang, that’s a sweet offer on the table.

Bel tosses her golden ponytail over her shoulder. “Ice cream on the way back?”

“Isabel Odegaard!” Grace admonishes.

But Daniel laughs. “You betcha.”

Salem grins. She can’t believe it. Bel got them ice cream. In the winter!

She promises herself that some day, she’ll be as bold as Bel.

Some day.