Rocky Road Ahead

by Coco Simon

  “We should do this all the time!” said Sierra.

  “Hmm. Careful,” I cautioned. “A super-dense scoop of ice cream might be giving away more ice cream than we really want to each time.”

  Tamiko raised her eyebrows at me and wiggled them. “Are you trying to rip off our customers?”

  “No, but you know what I mean. It’s the same way that we don’t want the scoops to be too giant. The profit is in the details here. Plus, we don’t have time to make a perfect scoop every time, especially when we’re busy. That’s all.”

  Tamiko pushed her hair off her face and sighed. “True. Sometimes I wish we had one of those soft-serve ice cream machines in here. Wouldn’t it be so much fun to squirt those wiggly ice creams into cones?”

  “Yes! Totally,” agreed Sierra.

  “Soft serve is huge in Japan,” said Tamiko. “They call it ‘soft cream,’ and they sell all these cool local flavors too. Just think of what your mom could come up with, Allie.”

  “I know. It would be fun to have one. We should research it.”

  “When I go to Japan this summer, I’ll do some research. I think it could be amazing for sundaes, too. Hey, Allie, have you firmed up any plans for summer yet?” she asked.

  “No, not yet. I haven’t really had time. . . .” I wasn’t sure how to negotiate a plan between my parents, now that they were divorced. It would be best if I could talk with them at the same time about it, but it always seemed to be a rush when they were together these days. I didn’t want to speak to them separately and get separate answers and then have to be the go-between. I sighed. I hated not having a plan.

  “Don’t worry,” said Sierra, patting my back and then pushing her hair off her forehead. “You’ll find something cool to do.”

  “I hope it’s cool!” I said. “Because it gets so hot here in the summer!”

  We laughed, and Tamiko began to get us organized for sorbet scooping, which was a little different from ice cream scooping.

  Tamiko had to readjust her ponytail before she leaned into the case, and it made me glad that I had on my polka-dot headband . . . the one Colin had admired the other day. It seemed like a million years had passed since then.

  “Guys! I just thought of something!” I said. “We should all wear headbands for the shoot!”

  “Cute idea!” agreed Sierra.

  “Yeah,” said Tamiko, coming up out of the case with her hair hanging in her eyes. “And more sanitary, too.”

  “I’ll get some to match our colorful outfits,” I offered.

  “Great.”

  Tamiko pressed the scoop of sorbet into a cone, and it looked a little ragged.

  “Hmm,” I said, evaluating it.

  “Not as pretty,” said Sierra.

  Tamiko sighed. “Trying again.”

  She dumped the first scoopful back into the tub and pressed it down, then re-scooped. She deposited the second scoop, and . . . it was still kind of lame-looking. The edges were ragged, and the scoop was a little chunky.

  We all looked at it critically.

  “If we could just smooth this part out . . . ,” said Tamiko, carving at a side of the sorbet ball.

  “Yeah, and even out that other ragged area where it’s breaking apart,” said Sierra, gesturing at the other side of the scoop.

  “Maybe we should premake the scoops? Freeze them on a cookie sheet?” I suggested.

  They turned to look at me.

  “Genius!” cried Sierra.

  “Love it, sistah!” said Tamiko.

  Tamiko set about making a few perfect Lime Sorbet scoops by rolling them into dense snowballs while I got a cookie sheet and lined it with parchment paper. Soon Tamiko had four perfect scoops arrayed in a grid on the paper. She stowed it in the massive Deepfreeze in the back, and we’d check on it later to see how the scoops had held up.

  We helped a family who came in, and then we turned to our final challenge: the perfect unicorn sundae.

  “Okay, we want colors that pop!” said Tamiko forcefully.

  “Pop!” echoed Sierra, clapping her hands.

  “And contrasts that sizzle!” cheered Tamiko.

  “Sizzle!” cried Sierra.

  “And height, volume, and sparkle!” shouted Tamiko.

  “Sparkle!” yelled Sierra.

  By now we were all really laughing hard.

  My mom came out from the back. “What’s so funny up here?” she asked with a smile, ready to join our laughter.

  “Just Tamiko and Sierra,” I said, shaking my head and catching my breath.

  “What are you girls working on?” she asked, surveying the scene.

  “Trying to perfect the unicorn sundae for next weekend,” I said.

  “Aha! A noble and worthwhile pastime! But, girls, don’t you have homework? I know you’ve stayed overtime today to do this, but I don’t want it getting in the way of your more important commitments,” she said.

  “Nothing’s more important than Molly’s Ice Cream shop!” said Sierra enthusiastically.

  “What she said!” said Tamiko, jerking a thumb toward Sierra.

  My mom smiled. “I’m grateful that you feel that way, but your parents and teachers might not. I think you should call it a night.”

  “We will, Mom, right after we make this sundae!” I said.

  “Okay. Dad’s coming in ten minutes to pick you up, though.”

  “Okay, no time to waste!” I said to my friends.

  Tamiko peered through the glass of the ice cream freezer. “Strawberry?”

  “Sure!” I agreed.

  “Or chocolate?” offered Sierra, a chocolate addict.

  Tamiko looked at us wickedly. “One of each!”

  She scooped and rinsed, then repeated. The brown and hot-pink scoops looked amazing next to each other in the long oval-shaped bowl. Tamiko layered on the toppings: hot fudge, caramel, marshmallow, and a “sprinkle of happy.” Then she plunged a swirly “unicorn horn” lollipop into one end of the sundae.

  “Ta-da!” she said.

  “Beautiful,” sighed Sierra.

  But I wasn’t sure. I looked at it on the counter. Then I turned it in all directions. “We’ll just need to make sure the sauce puddles evenly in the bowl,” I said. “And . . . let’s make sure you put the hot toppings out in little cups before you add them to the ice cream. They need to cool off a bit before you put them on top. See how it melts the ice cream into puddles when it comes in contact with it? It’s too hot to look pretty.”

  Tamiko’s eyebrows were raised high, and she was looking at me skeptically with her arms folded across her chest.

  “Okay?” I said.

  “Sure. That’s fine, Allie. Just . . .” She glanced at Sierra, who was avoiding looking at her.

  “Just what?” I asked.

  “Just . . . chill,” she said.

  “Look, someone has to make sure this all works out,” I said.

  “Isn’t that kind of your mom’s role?” asked Sierra quietly.

  “I guess, but she doesn’t seem worried enough to me!” I said, my irritation flaring.

  My friends shared a look.

  “Listen, Allie—” began Tamiko.

  But just then my dad and Tanner walked in. “Hello, ice cream ladies!” said my dad cheerfully.

  “Hey, Mr. Shear!” my friends chimed. All my friends liked my dad. He was good about being interested in us and then leaving us alone.

  “Wow! Look at that sundae!” said my dad. “What a beauty!”

  Tamiko glared at me meaningfully. I shrugged.

  “Can we get ice cream, Dad?” asked Tanner, tugging on my dad’s shirt.

  “We can get some to go. Why don’t each of you pick a flavor and we’ll take home a pint of each? Okay, buddy?”

  Tanner nodded.

  “I’m going to go chat with your mom,” said my dad, and he headed into the back. I watched him go. This would be a good time to discuss camp with both of them present. My friends were chatting with Tanner, and
he was giggling as he chose his flavor.

  “Sierra, could you please make a Rockin’ Rocky Road pint for me? I’ll be right back,” I said, and Sierra agreed.

  I went backstage, as we called the back of the shop, and I could hear my parents’ voices. Like always, I automatically checked to see if there was stress or anger in their tones. With all the fighting in our house when I was growing up, you had to know how to time things. Like, sometimes you just had to make yourself invisible and go hide in a book.

  But right now it seemed calm. (Most of the time since they’d split up, it had seemed calm, which was nice. Better.)

  “Hey, guys,” I said by way of announcing myself.

  “Hi, honey,” said my dad. “Are you guys ready?”

  “Almost.” I leaned in the doorway of my mom’s office.

  “What’s up?” asked my mom.

  “Um, I was just wondering . . .” I picked at a cuticle that had ripped. I almost didn’t want to ask about camp because it was better to not know for sure and think I still might be going than to know for sure that I wasn’t. “What are you thinking for me for this summer?” I said it all in a rush, like ripping off a Band-Aid.

  My dad’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, and he looked at my mom. Her mouth had dropped open. “Oh my gosh.” She found her voice first. “I haven’t even focused on summer yet!”

  “Yeah,” I said, shrugging. “It’s coming up.”

  “Were you thinking about going back to Holly Oaks again this summer?” asked my dad, referring to my camp up north.

  I tried to read their expressions. I didn’t want to say yes, only to find that there was no way they could afford it or spare me. But I didn’t want to say no and risk not going if they could make it work.

  “I don’t know,” I said.

  “Have you thought about doing anything else?” asked my dad.

  “Not really.” I shook my head.

  “Do you feel like you’ve outgrown camp?” asked my mom, studying my face.

  “Yes and no,” I said truthfully.

  My parents looked at each other, then back at me. “Why don’t we discuss it tonight?” offered my dad. He looked at my mom, and she nodded.

  “Good idea. Let me know what you two decide,” she said.

  “We’d better get going,” said my dad as he turned to leave.

  My mom followed us out to say good-bye to Tanner and send my friends home.

  “Psyched for next week, Mrs. S.!” said Tamiko as she put her apron into the laundry bin.

  “Yay Gourmet!” cheered Sierra.

  My mom laughed. “Thanks, girls! Looking forward to it!”

  Outside, Tamiko’s dad was waiting to drive them home. I waved at their car until they turned a corner and I couldn’t see them anymore. I loved spending time with my Sprinkle Sundays sisters, but the time always went by so quickly. I missed them already.

  CHAPTER SIX

  THE CUTE COUPLE

  After we returned to my dad’s apartment and ate dinner, my dad insisted that we take a walk. We went on a walk almost every time Tanner and I visited. The air felt refreshing, but I didn’t like how my dad was trying so hard to make it a new “family tradition.” It just reminded me of all the family traditions we had lost since my parents had split up.

  “So, Allie, tell me what you’re thinking for summer,” said my dad.

  It was easier to talk with him when I didn’t have to look right at him. I sighed and watched an airplane cross the sky. Did I want to go all the way up to New Hampshire again for the summer? Suddenly it seemed like a huge effort.

  “I don’t know. I love camp. I love the weather and the people and all the traditions. But . . . maybe I’m getting a little too old for it. And maybe . . . Mom needs me here, like, to watch Tanner and stuff.”

  “Hmm,” said my dad. “I wouldn’t worry about what Mom needs. What do you want?” he asked.

  “I think it would be fun to maybe do a few different things,” I said, suddenly realizing as I said it that this was true.

  “Does the camp have a half session? Like, three weeks instead of seven?” my dad asked.

  “Yes!” I said, looking at him. “It does. I could do that!” I said. Why hadn’t I thought of that?

  He smiled. “Okay! And then when you get back, you’d just need to find something to do the rest of the time.”

  “I could babysit Tanner and work at the store,” I said.

  He nodded. “But I’d like to see you do something in addition to that. I’d like you to get a little more out of the summer. Maybe there’s a local camp you could go to?”

  I scrunched my nose. “I’m a little old for day camp,” I said.

  “I’m not!” piped Tanner. I hadn’t realized he’d been listening.

  My dad laughed. “That’s right, bud! And I think you should go to that awesome one again that you liked last summer.”

  “Cool,” said Tanner.

  The sky was beginning to turn orange and pink. “Let’s go home,” my dad said, then turned to me. “Why don’t you look around town and see if there’s a fun camp or program you could do, okay, honey?”

  “Okay,” I said. “And I’ll get the info on the half session for camp.” I felt a huge relief and sense of excitement at having at least part of my summer in place.

  “Perfect. And I’ll organize it all with Mom,” said my dad.

  “Thanks, Dad,” I said, hugging him.

  As we turned back to the apartment, something caught my eye up ahead. There were two people walking about half a block in front of us, a boy and a girl about my age. The boy had a black backpack with a neon yellow lightning bolt down the back, just like . . . Colin’s. And the girl was carrying a guitar.

  My heart sank. It was Colin and Tessa, and this was the only way back to my dad’s from here without going blocks out of the way. We’d have to pass right by them.

  Millions of questions swirled through my mind. What was Colin doing here on this street? Why was he with Tessa, just the two of them? How did they know each other, anyway? What were they talking about so excitedly? Colin was gesturing with his hands as he spoke, and Tessa was laughing. I felt sick.

  “Right, Allie?” My father and Tanner had been chatting while I’d been watching Colin and Tessa. I hadn’t even been listening, I was so focused on the scene ahead of us.

  “Huh?” I asked, clueless about the conversation.

  Colin and Tessa stopped abruptly at the bus stop just as we drew near. When he turned to look for the bus, Colin spotted me.

  “Allie! What are you doing here?” he called.

  My heart sank. I closed the distance between us in a few slow steps. “Hey, Colin,” I said.

  “Hi, kids,” said my dad.

  “Um, Dad, this is Colin from school.” I introduced them, and they shook hands and exchanged pleasantries. “And this is my brother, Tanner.” I looked over at Tanner, who was calmly picking his nose as he watched a kid go by on a skateboard.

  “Tanner!” I scolded. Colin laughed, and my face grew red.

  “Allie, you know Tessa, right? From the Wildflowers? At Patrick’s party?”

  “Hi,” I said. I felt so nervous! What was wrong with me?

  She smiled. “Hi, Allie. I’m friends with Sierra.” Tessa actually seemed really nice and friendly, and under other circumstances, I might have liked her. Right then I just nodded. She was dressed in a cute sports outfit, but her hair looked nice and she had on little earrings. I felt like a slob in my messy ponytail and grubby work clothes.

  There was an awkward pause.

  “Allie’s mom is the owner of Molly’s,” said Colin to Tessa.

  “I love that place!” Tessa’s eyes lit up. “I’ve only been there once so far, but the Cereal Milk flavor is amazing!”

  “No way!” Colin cried. “That’s my favorite flavor too.”

  “I knew it would be your favorite too. Great minds think alike!” Tessa said, and they high-fived.

  I wanted to
throw up. They seemed like really good friends—like, the kind of friends I considered Colin and me to be. But suddenly Patrick’s words from class echoed in my head: “a cute couple.” They were a cute couple, not just friends. I could see it from a mile away!

  And here I’d known Colin for months now and had no idea what his favorite ice cream flavor was. In fact, there was a ton I didn’t know about him. I watched Tessa and Colin joke about ice cream and couldn’t think of anything else to say. I felt invisible.

  “Well, I guess we’d better get home before the sun sets,” said my dad. I loved him so much right then.

  Mumbling a quick good-bye, I turned away from the couple.

  “Bye, Allie! See you tomorrow!” called Colin.

  I waved and walked on.

  A few paces out of their earshot, my dad said, “They seem nice.”

  I shrugged.

  “That’s Allie’s boyfriend!” said Tanner.

  My dad looked at me in surprise. I wanted the ground to open up and swallow Tanner right then, or me. Either one.

  “He’s not my boyfriend,” I snarled.

  Tanner looked at me in doubt and then looked at my dad and shrugged.

  My dad was watching me.

  “What?” I asked grumpily.

  “Nothing!” said my dad, all innocent. “He seemed like a nice kid. It makes me happy to see you with new friends who are nice.”

  “He’s not a friend,” I said. “Just someone from school.”

  Because that was how I was sure he thought of me—as just someone from school.

  Before I went to bed that night, I thought about telling Sierra and Tamiko what had happened. It all felt too complicated to explain, though. Instead I texted my besties in our group chat:

  Just remembered. We should all do our nails before the Yay Gourmet interview. Our hands should look good in case they’re in the photos. Not grubby. Okay?

  Okay! Sierra replied.

  K, said Tamiko.

  I replied with the kissy-face emoji and Thx.

  Luckily I didn’t have to ride the bus for the next four days because I was staying at my dad’s and he drove me to school. I saw Colin at school from afar and in the class we shared, but I didn’t need to speak to him. He always looked at me expectantly with a smile, like he wanted to chat, but I turned away. All I could think of now was him with Tessa, and I felt like I didn’t know how to talk to him anymore.