"So you're going to quit and go home then?" Vicky asked, interrupting the conversation and earning her a dirty look from her sister and Eliza. "Hey, I'm just sayin' . . . We all know that it ain't gonna happen, so let's see some of that original thinking I've been hearing so much about."

"If all your conventional avenues have been lost to you . . ." started Terillia.

"Then use some unconventional ones," finished Veronica.

"Some people have friends," Eliza said, smiling in spite of herself. "I have a booster club. All right, all right. I'll think of something."

Veronica smiled back. "So . . ." she started with...