TY
I swear I was intrigued by your mystery favor yesterday, but my beeper went off and I had to head to the hospital immediately. What can someone like me do for someone like you?
2:42 P.M.
Whew, not Nan. I wasn’t quite ready to text fight with her so soon. Plus, what am I crazy? She’s not Oz. How would she know about my e-mail to Beatrice in twenty seconds or less?
JOSIE
You know you could make some serious money teaching straight men how to text flirt? Might even be able to give up that lame doctor gig you got going on.
2:44 P.M.
TY
But then what would l do with all that extra sleep I’d be getting? My body would be confused if it weren’t in a perpetual state of stress and exhaustion.
2:46 P.M.
JOSIE
Well now I feel guilty asking you my favor since you’re so busy making the world a better place... but here goes. Fairchild is throwing a big party for my aunt Viv who has worked at the school for fifty years. She hates parties, so you can imagine how thrilled she was when I told her about it. After a rough round of Josie-bashing Aunt Viv agreed to go if you were invited and you agreed to show up.
2:49 P.M.
TY
Are you asking me out on a date?
2:50 P.M.
JOSIE
No, Aunt Viv is.
2:50 P.M.
TY
You’re going to be there though, right?
2:51 P.M.
JOSIE
Yes, of course. Aunt Viv will make sure I suffer alongside her or she’ll make me the coat check girl; not sure which one.
2:51 P.M.
TY
Then I’ll be there. Gotta go—someone’s heart just fell out of their chest.
2:52 P.M.
Ty really does give good text, lucky Daniel. Back to e-mail. Ohhh, look at that, Nan’s not online, but Beatrice is.
FROM:Beatrice Pembrook
