RING!

"Someone get that!" Called Janessa from the bathroom.

"It's Jessie!" Tracy cried. "I'll get it!" She jumped up off the couch that she'd been sharing with Anna, and Shanna, and rushed for the nearest phone. They had been waiting all day for Jessie to call them from the States where she was in her second year of university. "Hello?" She gasped out of breath as she picked up the phone.

"Trey?" said Jessie uncertainly.

"Uh-huh."

"You guys got my letter?"

"Uh-huh. What's this 'big news' you were going on about?"

"Oh you'll never guess!"

"Yeah, that's why I asked what it was! What's the news?"

"I'm so happy!" Jessie exclaimed. "It's so great!"

"I'm glad for you," said Tracy. "Now tell me why I'm glad for you!"

"Guess what!"

"I give up. What?"

"I'm engaged!"

"What!"

"I'm getting married!"

"To whom?"

"Oh he's the greatest guy," said Jessie enthusiastically. "I can't wait for you guys to meet him! You're just going to love him—but don't forget, he's mine!"

"No problem. He yours—got it. Right. Now what's this about meeting him?"

"Yeah, we're flying up there tomorrow. Can you guys by any chance do me a

huge favor? Pick us up tomorrow at about midnight at the airport in Ottawa. It'll save us renting a car."

"Sure," said Tracy quickly, then rethought her answer. "Wait a second—now's not the best time to come visit."

"It's the perfect time! Summer vacation just started!"

"That's not exactly what I mean. I don't think it's a good idea for you to come here right now."

"Why?"

"It's a long story. Y'see—"

"I don't have the money for a long long distance story," stated Jessie. "Tomorrow night, midnight, Ottawa airport. Thanks—gotta go."

"But—" Click. "She hung up on me!" Tracy exclaimed to Shanna, Anna, and Janessa who had taken her place on the couch.

"What's going on?" asked Anna anxiously.

"Jessie's coming to visit tomorrow—"

"She's coming here? Tomorrow?" Interrupted Janessa.

Tracy nodded her head and continued. "—And she's bringing her fiancé."

"Her what!" Exclaimed Shanna. "She's engaged!"

"Yeah. And we have to go pick them up—at midnight tomorrow in Ottawa."

"Oh goodie!" Exclaimed Anna. "I'm driving! I LOVE driving to Ottawa!"

"Please don't let her drive," pleaded Janessa. "She's gonna be the death of all of

us one of these days." But Anna had already made her decision—SHE was going to drive to Ottawa, and back…assuming that they all made it to Ottawa in one piece.

"On the plus side," said Shanna, "we have been meaning to go to Ottawa for a little shopping—now we have a reason."

"True," agreed Tracy. "But Jessie couldn't have chosen a worse time to come back for a visit."

15 minutes of small talk later the group decided to head back to their apartments to turn in for the night. The four girls had somehow managed to each get a small apartment in the same building. In fact, beside Janessa's apartment was Shanna's, and across from Shanna's was Anna's and beside Anna's was Tracy's.

And as Anna happily drifted off to sleep the others turned and rolled in their respective beds each envisioning nightmares of fiery car crashes and overturned vehicles.