Page 40 of Courage, Dear Heart

“It wouldn’t be much different somewhere else. In the US, only about twenty-five percent of female attorneys make partner. My cousins think they have a better chance at a firm run by their family. And they’re not aware of the hidden bias.”

“Seems it’s about time someone exposed their little, dirty secret.”

I smile. “I agree. I’ve been trying to figure out what’s the best way to tell them—Mandy is scary.” Also, this is an excellent way to get back at my father for dumping Josh’s case on me.

EIGHTEEN

Elliott

I leftthe office an hour earlier—I’ve been thinking of what Jillian said since our impromptu lunch two days ago. I didn’t want anyone to catch on that I’m having lunch with my cousins. I want to get back at my father, yes. But it’s more than petty rebellion. I’ve been blind to how misogynistic he is. I’ve always known he’s an asshole but never quite grasped how deep his lack of kindness and fairness goes. And that’s on me. I’ve spent years either trying to gain his approval or staying out of his way. But my eyes are finally open now. I’ve removed the blinders once and for all. I could walk away and not be financially hurt. He’d never forgive me, though. I can live with that, but it would force Mom to take sides, and I can’t do that to her. I know she’d choose me, like she chose my sisters when they went their own way. My father bitched about it but eventually let go because he never saw them as his legacy like he sees me. A poor extension of himself. Lacking in all the things he sees as qualities to succeed. I’ll never be a shark likehim and I’m good with that. Better than good. I don’t want to be anything like him. I don’t know why I tried so hard to get his approval for so many years. Has to be some kind of childhood fixation. But I’m so done. Things will change. Starting with my cousins. Time to level the playing field.

I asked the girls to meet me here, thirty minutes away from the office and at a hole-in-the-wall Greek joint that no one in my office would be caught dead in. The food is made by a pair of grandmas and is as authentic as it can be. It’s on par with five-star restaurants I’ve been to. I’m sipping on water when they come in. Their gazes dart every which way. Nikki sees me first and beelines to my table with Mandy close behind her.

They sit down and before I have a chance to say anything, Mandy speaks up.

“What the hell is going on?”

Nikki, always the calmer of the two, reaches out and pats Mandy’s hand. “Give him a chance to speak. I’m sure Elliott has a reason for all the secrecy.”

“I do. And before I say anything, I need you two to promise that whatever we talk about here today, stays here.”

Mandy leans into the table. “I’ll promise no such thing. If you killed someone, I won’t be an accomplice.”

I laugh. If anything, she’ll be the one doing the killing and I’ll be the accomplice.

Nikki hushes her. “Mandy, lower your voice.”

A server stops by and fills their glasses with water. I can almost see smoke coming out of Mandy’s ears. As soon as the server steps away, I scoot closer to the table, and they do the same.

“No crime has been committed, but once I tell you twowhat I found out, you’ll be very angry. And I know you’ll want to rush back to the office and raise hell. But that won’t solve anything. And I don’t want fingers pointing back at me. So I’ll ask again. Can you two promise to leave me out of it? Can I trust your word, or do I need to get an NDA?”

“We promise,” Nikki assures me.

I pointedly look at Mandy.

She sighs. “Okay. I promise whatever is it you tell us, we’ll never give up that you’re the informant.”

The server comes back with steaming hot pita bread and hummus. As many times as I rehearsed the words in my head, there’s no way to say it nicely. I rip into a pita and dip it into the hummus. “I was talking to Dad a few days ago. You know how they get about who’s making partner first.”

Nikki follows my lead and dunks a chunk of pita into the hummus. “Yes, I think they have a running bet on it.”

“I think they do, too, but I can’t say for sure. Anyway, I brought up that it’s more than me and Josh in the run for it. That the two of you are also part of the firm.”

Mandy snorts at my use of the nickname. She also likes to use Josh instead of Joshua to annoy him. “Yeah, and?”

I took a sip of water. “When I told my father that you two could make partner before one of us, he told me that it would never happen.”

Nikki shrugs. “He’s probably right. One of you two will make partner before us. I didn’t really expect to be first.”

“No, that’s not what he meant. He said that neither of you would ever make partner because, and I quote, ‘the girls will never be made partners, they’ll get married, retire, andhave babies.’”

“What the fuck?” Mandy’s grip on her glass is so intense I fear it might shatter.

Nikki takes the glass from her and moves it to the side. “Are you sure that’s what he said?”

“Yes. And I even prodded him for more information. I asked, what if you didn’t get married or had babies or even if you did and still wanted to work.”

Mandy leans in closer still. “And what did he say?”

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