Page 86 of Atmosphere

Barbara walked right into Joan’s bedroom and put Frances in Joan’s bed.

“Barb, what are you doing?”

“Shhh,” she said, shutting the door behind herself. “I have to go, and I need you to watch her this weekend.”

“Go where? What are you talking about?”

“There’s this guy,” she said.

Joan inhaled. “The new guy? Frank?”

“No, not Frank. Frank is terrible. Do you know that man expected me to start splitting the check? Every time? When he invited me out?”

“Well, he never struck me as that much of a stand-up guy, Barb.”

Barbara glared at Joan and then moved past it. “I met someone. Someone very, very special. His name is Daniel.”

“Okay, but why does that mean you need to leave Franny here?”

“I hate when you call her Franny.”

“Just continue, please.”

“Well, something amazing happened. Daniel called and asked me to go with him to New York for the weekend. We’re staying at the Four Seasons, and he’s taking me to a Broadway show. Anything I want to see. He’ll get us floor seats. And he says he can get us a reservation at Le Cirque.”

“I…don’t know what that is.”

“It’s a restaurant, Joan. Read a magazine.”

Joan frowned at her. Then there was a thud from the bathroom, and Joan tensed up.

“Look, I just really need this favor,” Barbara said. “I know this is a lot to ask. I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t really, really need it. I like him. We’ve been on a few dates and it’s going very well. And he’s very successful and he has made it clear that he’s looking to get married. This could really be it for me. This could be the chance to get my life together in a new way. For me and for Frances. This could be my do-over, Joan.”

“A do-over?”

“To fix things.”

“Are things so bad they need to be fixed?”

Barbara frowned at her. “Joan, really.”

“I’m serious.”

“You think I don’t know how my life looks to people? Frances has no father. I’m barely making ends meet as a secretary workingmothers’ hours, borrowing money from Mom and Dad. This isn’t how it was supposed to go for me.”

Joan didn’t know Barbara had been borrowing money from their parents, and she felt stupid for not realizing it. Of course she was.

“Joan, please. I really think this guy could be the one. And I don’t say that often, do I?” Barbara didn’t wait for a response. “Daniel’s a contract lawyer, he comes from a prominent Houston family. Frances and I would have money. I just need some time. To show him that I can make him happy.”

Joan shrugged. “I don’t know why I’m even fighting you on this—I’d love to have her.”

Barbara exhaled. “Thank you. You were taking her all day Sunday, anyway, remember? So it’s really just tonight and tomorrow in addition, and I’ll pick her up from school Monday afternoon.”

“Okay, go, have fun.”

“Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you, Joan. Thank you.”

“Yeah, not a problem.”

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