Page 82 of The Rebound
“One time when we were interns, she stood up to our boss and I thought for sure this girl is getting fired. Like for sure. I’ve seen people go for less. But of course with Abby, he thought it was the most wonderful thing.”
“Probably because I was a girl,” I say. “There were only five of us after all.”
“Out of how many?” Louise asks.
“You don’t want to know.”
“Hey, man, discrimination works both ways.” Jess smirks. “He moved her onto his client that day. I couldn’t keep up with her.”
“You did pretty well for yourself,” I mutter.
“I’ve got luck and privilege. You’ve got the talent.”
We eventually reach the peak, timing it just as another group is heading back down, meaning we have the place to ourselves, and we gather a little from the edge, gazing out at the countryside below. As if on cue the clouds part, allowing a sharp bolt of sunlight through before it gentles over the rolling hills, illuminating the green and yellow fields.
The three of us simply stare at it for a few seconds before Jess breaks first with a choice curse word. “That’s not a bad view,” she adds. “I can feel my skin clearing.” She throws her arms wide and takes in a deep breath. “I see why you care so much,” she says to Louise. “Abby said you’re very keen about saving the world. What did you say, Abs? That Louise was the only thing standing between us and the destruction of the ocean?”
I said no such thing and she knows it but she only winks at my glare.
Louise looks embarrassed. A pleased kind of embarrassed.
“We do what we can,” she says.
“Well, it’s more than I do,” Jess quips. “You’re going to have to send me some links. Abby says you’re fundraising for a new boat.”
That perks her up. “We are. We’d be thrilled to have someone like you on board.”
“You mean me and my money?”
Louise nods. “Yes.”
Jess laughs, draping an arm around her shoulder. “I like you.”
I snort, shrugging off my backpack. Now that we’ve paused I realize how hungry I am and I think longingly to the trail mix at the bottom of my bag.
“This is a good spot for a break,” Louise says as my stomach rumbles and I dump my bag down gratefully, rooting around for the snacks.
Jess wanders off to film a video but Louise stays put, handing me a tinfoil-wrapped package as she sits beside me.
“When did you have the time to make food?”
“I knew you’d get hungry. You’re always hungry.”
“No, I’m not,” I say, unwrapping a plain ham sandwich. The bread is a little squashed from the climb but is soft and delicious. I finish it in three bites. “I am,” I admit. “And you always feed me. Even as kids, you’d always give me half your lunch when we were on car trips.”
“That’s because you’d complain if I didn’t.”
“No, it’s because you took care of me.”
She looks surprised. Of course, she is. I’m surprised too but I don’t take it back and she doesn’t correct me.
“She’s not how I imagined your friends,” she says instead, glancing at Jess.
“How did you imagine them?”
She shrugs. “I don’t know. Snooty. Maybe a bit mean.”
My smile fades.Mean like me?
