Page 78 of Elevator Pitch

We used to make friends that way. Some of us still do. I know I still do.

I often wonder if Skye is neurodivergent too or someone close to her is. Either way, it’s nice to have someone who creates a safe space for me when I come on these business trips. Otherwise, they’d really fucking suck. When my day is done, I’ll needto curl up in my room with a book to recover and mentally prepare to do this all over again tomorrow. I’m not a social person. Do I sympathize with social people? No, because they don’t sympathize with us. Audrey gets a pass because her entire life is events and hospitality, but even she has a social battery that needs recharging just like the rest of us. I sink back into my chair and wiggle my feet as I wait for this meeting to end.

When the meeting ends, Skye and I work alongside each other. Our desks sit in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook downtown Portland. We settle in and she sets a warm chocolate chunk cookie on my desk with a napkin. I smile up at her and she scrunches her nose in response, biting into the gooey cookie.

I pity anyone that doesn’t have a Skye in their lives.

33

acts of service

Greyson

Manhattan, NY | January 10, 2024

While I’ve been showingAudrey how to make fresh cream cake from scratch, Eric has been sitting at the island acting as if he’s a spectator attending a live cooking show. After we place the cake pans in the oven, I remind them the exchange was to be learning more about Selah.

“I’ve got some more shit for you to do around here if you’ve got the time.”

I nod. “I’ve got nothing but time. I’ll just need to take my dog out a few times today.”

She stares at me incredulously and asks, “You cleared your schedule to run errands for Selah?”

“You said you were putting me to work, so yes.”

Her brows raise in surprise as she faces me and gently slaps Eric on the shoulder.

“What a good boy,” she praises.

“I still don’t know how to feel about being called that.”

Eric guffaws, “you’ll get used to it.”

After we’ve iced the cake and everyone’s had a slice, we’ve finished eating when Audrey breaks the silence.

“You know, Selah has a bunch of boxes tucked away in her guest room and she thinks I don’t know about it.”

She gestures for me to follow her to the guest room and I see the boxes she’s talking about. Mostly unassembled furniture and I don’t mind putting it together for her. I’m sure it’ll make things easier for her, so I just asked Audrey to show me where Selah would want these things set up before I get started. That’s when she takes me across the hall to her office and I am surprised to see her book collection displayed in few tall stacks on the hardwood floors, rather than on shelves. Especially the books I bought her. As enthusiastic as she is about reading, I don’t like seeing her space like this, but I don’t want to upset her by moving her things around in a way she isn’t comfortable with. I step out of her office and back into the guest room in hopes that some of these boxes are for bookcases and if not, I’m running out to get some today. I know how important her books are to her and I just can’t ignore this now that I’ve seen it. Thankfully three of these large boxes are for bookcases, so I ask Audrey and Eric to help by carefully removing her books while I get measurements to make sure everything will fit in her office. I take on the project of adding a reading nook to a free wall of her home office.

The wide bookcases are mounted to the wall, an oversized sofa chair sits in front of them, and an end table too. Audrey found a lamp that matched the theme for everything else in her office so she placed it on the table. She helped us organize the books in a way she’d prefer before we placed them on the shelves to avoid the possibility of her rearranging them whenshe returned home. While my focus was on the nook in her office, I discovered an unboxed full-length mirror and mounted that in her room. I call Audrey in to get a good look at it after I’ve vacuumed the mess from drilling into the wall, which scared Peach into hiding.

“If she gives you a hard time about this, you can tell her I said she should be able to see how incredible she looks every day.”

Her lips part in awe as she assesses the room and my comment.

“I think that’ll shut her up. You did good.”

I decide to write a little note for Selah to find in her office when she gets back as I take one last look at my project for the day.

I really hope she likes it.

34

i hate surprises

Selah

Portland, OR | January 10, 2024

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