I Was Told It Would Get Easier(73)

I turned my head to the side and got comfortable. I was just going to close my eyes for a minute.





EMILY


Mom had fallen asleep in the back. Helen was singing along, enthusiastically warning the world about the man-eater. Watch out, boy, she’ll chew you up is pretty much the only lyric I know, but I joined in on that one.

Helen looked over at me. “Is your mom asleep?”

I nodded.

“She fell asleep pretty much every time she rode in the back, it was a known thing. She was one of those kids who liked to work late at night, despite the fact that class was early.” She smiled at me. “Are you like that?”

I shook my head. “No, I’m a ‘get the homework done as soon as possible and early morning’ kind of person.”

Helen grunted. “How unusual.”

“Yeah, well, not all teenagers are the same.” I gazed out the window at the other cars on the freeway, wondering what everyone else was talking about. “What was she like, at college?”

Helen flicked on her turn signal, which made an incredibly loud clicking sound, and changed lanes. “She was fun. She was challenging. Argumentative.”

I nodded. “She’s still like that.”

“Is she happy, do you think?”

I shrugged. “I have no idea. She doesn’t seem very happy with me.”

Helen looked over and frowned. “How do you mean? She’s very proud of you, and she loves you to pieces.”

I shrugged again and said nothing. Then, “She wants me to go to college and be a career woman like her, and I don’t want to.”

“Has she said that?”

“She doesn’t need to.”

“Have you told her you don’t want to?”

“No, because the thing I want to do she probably wouldn’t like. I’m not even sure about it myself.” I sighed. “Can we talk about something else?”

There was a silence, and then Helen said, “What’s your position on gene editing and the relationship between for-profit medicine and pure research?”

I coughed. “Uh . . . I’m not sure I have one.”

She grinned. “Perfect, let’s work it out. Think out loud.” She paused. “And turn down the music a bit, I want to hear you wonder.”



* * *



? ? ?

When we walked into the Manhattan hotel lobby later, many of the kids were sitting there, waiting for me.

Alice was among them, and she saw me first.

“She’s free on bail,” she called, causing a lot of head turning. “I guess her mom sold a kidney after all.” She turned to Casper. “You owe me twenty dollars.”

“You’re lying,” he replied.

Mom squeezed my arm. “I’ll go check in,” she said. “See you up in the room.”

Will stood up and walked over to me, pulling me into a hug. Casper and Sam were right behind him.

“Are you okay? What happened?”

I nodded. “I’m totally fine, it was all a mistake.”

That was the story Mom, Helen, and I had decided on, at least publicly.

“Are you going to sue?” Alice hadn’t gotten to her feet, but as we drew closer, she did reach up for a hug. I was surprised enough to give it to her.

“No,” I replied. “It was a genuine mistake. They apologized.” I looked at them. “So, what did I miss?”

Casper answered. “Well, Bard was gorgeous, Vassar was pretty, and the trip to NYC was enlivened by a massive argument between this one”—he jerked his thumb at Alice—“and her mother.”

I made a face at Alice. “Sorry to hear that,” I said. “About what?”

“You, actually,” said Alice. “But now you’re here and everything’s okay, so I’m going up to my room.”

“I’ll walk you up,” said Casper.

I watched, doing my best to keep my mouth closed, as she smiled up at him and took the hand he offered. They walked off to the elevator bank, and I turned back to Sam and Will.

“I’m off, too,” said Sam, looking at his phone. “My mom and I are going to the opera.”

“Of course you are,” said Will.

Then it was just the two of us.

We sat there and looked at each other for a minute.

“What really happened?” he asked. “If it was a mistake, why did it take all day?”

“It didn’t,” I replied. “The FBI part was the beginning, then Mom and I played hooky from the tour and got our nails done.” I waved my nails at him.

“Why do girls paint their nails? I totally don’t get it.”

“You’re not supposed to, it’s not for you.”

He frowned at me. “And you’re sticking with your FBI story?”

I shook my head. “No, I can tell you the truth, but you have to swear you won’t tell anyone, or text it, or put it out on social media in any form.”

“Agreed.” His eyes were steady. “Unless this is one of those stories that is going to result in my getting chased across four continents by international law enforcement.” He tried an uncertain smile. “I’ve seen Enemy of the State, knowledge can be dangerous.”