I shivered. It was out of pleasure, out of love—out of a million tiny joys exploding inside me as my uncle’s speedboat rounded a bend.

It was also because of the wind, whispering fiercely in my ear, weaving through my hair, and tickling my spine. The day was beautifully clear and bright, but the wind gnawed at the back of my mind like that painful blister you just can’t forget about.

Here, on the Mississippi—This was home more than any other place to me. I gazed out over the blue water…it sparkled like it had a million tiny diamonds encrusted on its surface. People didn’t think much of Dubuque; it was a tiny town with a casino as its only real attraction, but if they saw the river on a summer day like I did, they would appreciate its calm, majestic beauty.

“Beautiful, eh?” I could hear Uncle Jim behind me, steering.

“Yeah.”

I dragged my fingers in the water; it was cool and smooth as velvet. A light spray tickled my face and made me giggle.

I wanted this never to end, to wind along like the river.