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lose your member pricing on lessons and other amenities.”
    “Of course I do.” Carmen looked up at the gymnasium’s fluorescent lighting, hoping it would dry her eyes before she gave Cruella…um…Corelle the satisfaction of an emotional response. “Don’t you think this is a conversation you should have with my dad?”
    “I’d love to, but he’s not here. Which, since you’re no longer a member, means you’re trespassing.” Corelle pushed her glasses back in place. “We’ll make an exception today, but in the future you’ll only be allowed to use the club if you’re accompanied by a member.” The country-club Nazi turned on her heels and strode away.
    How typical. If it could go wrong for Carmen, it would. She faced Zach. “You wanted me worked up so I’d be powerful on the courts? I guess it can’t get any better than right now. Oh, but it won’t do us any good; I have to leave.” She spun around toward the locker room. Hold the tears until the shower. Don’t cry in front of Zach.
    Zach reached out a hand and clutched Carmen’s wrist. “Surely your Dad will work things out for you. It’ll be okay. You’ll see.”
    She shook her hand free. “Don’t count on it.”

    Dear Nellie
,
    Sigh. I’ve talked to you about Tiffany before. I really shouldn’t give her the brain power it takes to even write this entry. But she’s got me so angry! Surprise, surpise. I know. But you’ll never believe what she did. Well, at least what I think she did. She told the country club I’m not living here anymore, so now I can’t play tennis there. Can you even believe she’d do such a thing? I don’t even think Dad will or can do a thing about it. There goes tennis
.
    And she picked us up today in her fancy car. People were leaning out their windows to look at her. Gross. I think I’m going to spike her drinks with something to make her fat. Then I can sit back and watch her head spin when Dad drops her
.
    She needs to go back to Philadelphia, or there’s no hope of Mom and Dad getting back together. How can I get rid of her?
    Love,
Carmen

    Carmen snuggled in her favorite deck chair wrapped in the well-worn wedding-ring quilt Grandma had made when Carmen was a baby. The pool spread out before her. Carmen watched as the tranquil water flowed over the rocks and into the hot tub. The rushing of the falls soothed her rattled nerves. Where was Nate? She needed to see him. How could he be late when they hadn’t seen each other in days?
    The french doors off the sunroom opened, and an angel stepped out. Carmen’s breath caught as she saw Nate standing across the pool. The midmorning sun shone behind him, and his reflection reached across the water and almost touched her on the other side.
    He leaned on the doorframe and stared at her. His eyes went right into her heart and soul. Like he read her from the inside out.
    He seemed so far away though. Separated by a world of water. In the moment and in life.
Come closer
. But at least her pool…um,
Dad’s
pool…wasn’t the Hudson River, which divided their states. If she closed her eyes, maybe she could freeze-frame the image of Nate filling the doorway looking at her.
    SPLASH!
    Carmen raised her arms to shield against the wave rising from the deep end like a tsunami. It rained down a torrent big enough to almost reach her spot on the deck. Had Nate jumped in? No. There he stood, stunned and drenched, in the same spot he’d been before Carmen blinked. Carmen glared at the surface of the water and waited until the intruder came up for air. Who was it? A flash of red appeared in the water near her, and then Kimberley’s head broke the surface.
    “What’s your boyfriend doing just standing there? It’s creepy.”
    Argh. Kim. Carmen rolled her eyes at Nate. “Can you believe this?”
    He grinned.
    “What are you doing swimming in that icy water? It might still technically be summer, but it’s freezing out here.” Carmen stood and reached a towel toward her