I was pretty sure the summer before senior year was going to be the best of my life. Thanks to a friend, I had a job lined up in food service on the set of the next big blockbuster, and my mom wouldn’t be home for three weeks. This meant parties, cute boys who were about to become famous, and little supervision. Not that my mom was around a whole lot anyway, but the cute boys part would be new.

My birthday party was set to be the real beginning of summer. School had ended three days earlier, and I had invited nearly everyone I knew to my place for a pool party. Couple that with the fact that my new black bikini made me look like I had just stepped out of Maxim, and I was good to go.

Of course, my mom had other ideas.

I woke up that morning ready to decorate, order some pizza, and space out in front of the TV until people started showing up. When I rolled over to see my mom sitting on the bed next to me, I knew something was about to go wrong. She wasn’t the type of mom who brought you breakfast in bed on your birthday.

“Lacy.” Mom gave me the sort of smile I had come to hate. I called it her ‘sorry, but I really f-ed up this time’ smile. I groaned and shoved my head under my pillow.

“Oh come on Lacy. Don’t be like that,” Mom said. She pulled the pillow away from my head. I pushed myself up, taking in the sun shining through my windows and thinking what a great pool day it would be. “Lacy,” Mom said, and I looked at her.

I guess she was pretty for her age. Alright, truth is if I only looked half as hot as her at forty I would still be doing okay. She worked out every day, ate only the healthiest (read: low in fat and calorie) food, and dressed like any self respecting personal stylist would.

“What?” I asked.

“We have to talk,” she said.

“I figured,” I said and lay down on the bed again. I threw an arm over my face, blocking out the light. “What is it this time? Did you lose my college money again? Need to borrow for the mortgage? Please don’t tell me I need to go with you to the gyno again.”

“None of that,” Mom said, waving me away. “Listen I was on a winning streak.”

“Uh huh.” My mom was rarely on a winning streak. She was more the sort to lose a lot, and then win huge. I couldn’t count the number of times her gambling had taken us to the brink of poverty only for her to win big at the last second.

“I had a great hand, and the pot just kept growing until it was down to me and one demon.”

“Mom,” I said with a groan. “You promised you were going to stay away from those games.”

“I know, I know,” she said. “But then Georgie was talking about this game and how people have been walking away big winners. I just couldn’t resist.”

“Just tell me what you lost so I can start getting ready for my party,” I said.

“There won’t be a party, sweetie. I already canceled it.”

“Mom,” I said, sitting up. I let my jaw drop open, astounded that she would cancel my party.

“It’s just that you won’t be here,” Mom said. She was wringing her hands, not looking at me as she spoke. “You have to pack, and then you’ll be spending the summer working in the underworld.”