Before Hugo left that night, they decided to meet the next afternoon at the Fifth Point.
“The ShopKeeper will know what we have to do,” Alma had assured Hugo.
“Perhaps,” Hugo had said. “But I will do some research on my own as well.” He had sounded delighted by the prospect.
Since the next day was Saturday, Alma had been able to sleep in late, and sleep she had. It was nearly eleven by the time she came downstairs. Her parents were in the living room, doing the “light weekend work” that they always brought home from the office.
“So I think,” Alma told them, “I’m going to go into town.”
The other day, when she had announced that she was going for a walk, her parents had been surprised and concerned. Now they looked surprised and pleased.
“You are really Miss Social all of a sudden!” her mother said.
“Yes, indeed,” her father agreed. “What’s going on in town?”
“I need to meet someone at—at the library,” Alma lied, guilt making her stammer. “A partner. For a project. An Astronomy Club project.”
“Alma Llama Ding Dong!” Her mother jumped out of her seat. Her coffee sloshed over the sides of the mug she was holding, but she didn’t seem to notice. “That’s fantastic, am I right?”
“It should be fun,” Alma said with a small smile. “I mean, in an educational kind of way.”
After lunch, she headed out. She hadn’t been on her bicycle since moving to Four Points, but she used to ride all over Old Haven. Today, she pedaled as hard as she could. The wind—still cold and fierce—was in her hair, and although there were rumblings of thunder in the distance, the sunshine was splendid and warming. She zipped up a hill, and then the center of the town was beneath her, the Fifth Point rising out of it like a magic wand, like an arrow pointing to the heavens.
For the first time ever, Alma felt excited to find out what Four Points had in store for her.