Compatible Gardens

Bella hates the bus. She plays the Stranger Game to pass the time—a game of invented names and stories for the people she encounters. When Mr. Widebottom pushes Ms. Greencoat’s body and hand into her lap, the hand lingers, and every bump in the road is a push in the right spot. With her destination several minutes down the road, Bella must decide whether to play the game, and if winning is worth the prize and judgment of the other passengers.