Page 47 of Atmosphere

Vanessa put the sketch back. “Griff does have a crush on you, though,” she said as she shut the refrigerator door.

“Would you stop it?”

“It’s obvious,” she said. “And why wouldn’t he? You’re smart and gorgeous and about ten other things.”

“So are you. Does he have a crush on you?”

“Joan, c’mon.”

Joan looked at her but did not say anything. Vanessa reached out and touched Joan’s shoulder. “Hey, I’m sorry I called it a date, okay?”

Joan looked away. “Thank you,” she said. “I’m sorry I’m sensitive.”

Vanessa jumped up and sat on the counter. “I’m probably looking to pick a fight.”

“Why? What happened?” Joan said, leaning against the opposite countertop.

Vanessa sighed. “Antonio’s going to tell us tomorrow that Lydia is being sent to Toronto to be the first of us to study the RMS.” This was the robotic arm that could be manipulated from inside the orbiter to deploy and control payloads. Operating it was one of the most important skills a mission specialist could be assigned.

“How do you know that?”

“Because he told Lydia last night,” Vanessa said. “And you know that smug little shit can’t keep anything a secret.”

“She probably looked quite self-satisfied.”

“She pretended she ‘hated to break it to me.’ I cannot stand her. I truly cannot stand her.”

“Well, look, we knew she was the favorite, right? And she’s not as bad as you’re making it out.”

“You’re the only one she’s halfway nice to.”

“I’m the only one who tries with her.”

“How am I supposed to try? If I caught fire, Lydia would consider whether she could use me to warm her hands before deciding to put the flames out.”

Joan laughed. “Well, you got me there…I think that’s probably true,” she admitted.

Vanessa laughed, her head thrown back. And Joan wished she hadn’t seen her laugh like that with other people. So that she could take more pride in eliciting the response now.

“But I do think,” Joan said, “that if we included her more she’d put your fire out faster.”

Vanessa squinted at her. “Are your parents divorced?”

“What? No, you know that.”

“I’m just wondering when you became a peacemaker.”

Joan frowned. “Maybe I’m just a nice person,” she said.

Vanessa shook her head. “No, I bet it was because of all the drama with Barbara.”

Joan blinked. “Would you like me to psychoanalyze you?”

“It would be too easy—I’m too rich a subject.”

“Well, don’t do it to me.”

“Fine. What time is it?”

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