Page 16 of Old Money
“It’s a huge step up too,” she added. “If I stayed here, I wouldn’t make director for five years.”
Her voice brightened as she carried on about her exciting new role. Gone was the pretense of a chaotic, last-minute move. Gone was the somber tone and stress over her parents, so desperate for her help. That might’ve been true, but she certainly hadn’t “dropped everything,” and fled across the country to pitch in. She’d taken her time. “It’s been in the works for months,” she’d said. I imagined leisurely interviews, some higher-up flying out to have lunch with her. Had she even applied, or had they been courting her? And if so, had she balked even once at the thought of working for them?
“Wow,” I said, interrupting. “Congrats on the dream job.”
Susannah stopped.
“What?” she said. “I don’t follow.”
“It sounds like a great career move, really. You could’ve just told me that,” I said. “You could’ve just told me the truth, I could’ve handled it.”
She inhaled sharply.
“You know what, Alice? I don’t think you could.”
From there, we were off to the races. I called her out for eliding the truth about this new job. I told her it was obvious she’d compromised herself, and she clearly knew it too. Why else would she avoid telling me? Why blame it on her parents, like a child? It wasn’t blame, Susannah said; it was responsibility—something she claimed I knew nothing about it. She laid into me about my stunted, selfish mindset.Yes, what happened was terrible, but it was time to move on. She wasn’t going to spend the rest of her life avoiding the village, and she certainly wasn’t going to turn down an opportunity like this out of some childish sense of loyalty to me.
“Okay, fine!” I shouted—we were both shouting by then. “Forget me, what about Caitlin?”
“What about her?! She’s dead and it’s awful, but Jesus, what am I supposed to do?!”
“Literally, workanywhereelse maybe?” I answered through hot tears. “Takeanyoneelse’s money.”
“These people didn’t kill her! They didn’t know her! And shit, Alice, you barely knew her!”
I went still, standing straight-backed in the middle of the bathroom, my nose and eyes streaming.
“What the hell does that mean, Susannah?”
She sniffled on the other end, crying herself.
“You—”
She cut herself off, pausing for a breath. I could hear her thinking, then deciding to say it.
“You act like Caitlin was the most important person in your life, and that her death was the most important thing that happened to you. The most important thing that happened, period.”
My head felt numb and unwieldy on my neck. I shook it silently, not knowing what to say. She was just completely wrong.
“I remember listening to you talk about her one night a few years ago—maybe on her birthday, I’m not sure. And I suddenly thought,Caitlin’s the one who died. This isn’t just a thing that happened toyou, Alice Wiley. ”
“A few years ago?” I finally replied. “You never said anything. I wish I’d known how you felt.”
A sad, ragged laugh came through the phone.
“No, you don’t, Alice,” Susannah said. “I love you, but that’s bullshit. You wanted my support, my validation—my actual thoughts and opinions? Not so much. Not if they challenged yours.”
“That’s not true,” I answered, stunned and mumbling. “That’s not fair.”
“Fine,” she sniffed. “Fine, you win, you’ve got dibs onfair. I’d rather be honest than fair anyway.”
Chapter Eight
“Piggy attaaaaaaaack!”
I see a blur of blond hair as Simon leaps off the couch. I reach back, catching him just as he crash-lands onto my back.
“Simon!” Jules steps out of the kitchen, sponge in hand, looking her youngest in eye.
