Everyone: "..."
They all looked over at Holly Winslow. Chase Hawkins said, "Shouldn't our sister-in-law be treating us to a meal?"
Holly Winslow nodded generously. "Deal. I'll treat you with Mortimer Quincy's allowance."
At that, the whole group burst out laughing.
After saying a word to the girl at the counter, Boris Owens led them out to eat.
The group chattered away about what they'd been up to lately. Their impending graduation didn't seem to cause them any distress, a testament to their underlying confidence.
Holly Winslow took a sip of orange juice, then looked at Mortimer Quincy and whispered, "Honey, this is so nice."
'This life is so good.'
'I've worked hard to keep up.'
'In my past life, even though no one made a big deal about my education, I always felt a sense of inadequacy whenever I attended these gatherings with Mortimer Quincy's classmates.'
'Mortimer Quincy was so obviously outstanding, while I was just... average.'
