Kaelee:I wish we lived in the same place.
Greta:I can visit you.
Kaelee:You have a day job.
Greta:True, but weekends exist. Work on the train. Spend the weekend.
Kaelee:Maybe
Greta:May I officially assign Ian as your editor, Kaelee? I’d also like you to talk to Emily.Talk to legal. I can get that started. Can I do what I can to protect you and me both?
Kaelee:Ian’s great. I read his notes. You can tell who trained him to edit.;) Talk to whomever you need. I want to see more of you without risking either career.
Greta:See you next weekend?
Kaelee:Maybe? Probably.
Despite how much Kaelee guarded her privacy, the idea of letting Greta into her tiny apartment didn’t fill her with the usual fears. Instead, she thought about it with a smile she couldn’t erase.
A while later, Cherie popped into her shared office. No one else was in the office but her and a TA who was grading with earbuds in. Honestly, Kaelee ought to, by rights, no longer have an office since she wasn’t teaching or grading this term, but since she had every other term, no one had pulled her name or access from the office.
“You owe me answers, Cupcake,” Cherie said from just inside the door. She glanced at the other TA and kept her voice low.
“Cupcake?” Kaelee echoed.
“Weneednicknames. It’s an upgrade on our friendship.” Cherie sat in one of the empty chairs and spun in circles, tucking her feet up like a small child. She finger waved at the other TA, who pulled her earbuds out and greeted, “Cher. Carpenter.”
“Hi,” Kaelee said because she had no idea of the woman’s name.
Once the other TA left the room, Cherie said, “Nicknames are a sign of increased closeness. You need one.”
“Wearen’t dating, Cher.” Kaelee put her pen aside and gave her a bemused look. “I don’t need a pet name.”
“You call meCher. Nickname. However, I have nothing good to call you when I want to whine. I lack a nearby sibling or cousin, and I missed you. It’s like not-quite blood sisters.” Cherie folded her arms. “Oh! I could start calling you Sissy.”
“I wouldn’t recommend it.” Kaelee stood up, glanced at the otherTA’s grading stack. “She’s in here working, so we probably need to leave since I’m not going to get any peace unless I talk to you.”
“I was sad about the lack of yams, Sissy. Evander’s friend brought those soggy-bottomed ones with fluff on them. I couldn’t even eat them. I like your yam and apple dish.” Cherie pouted as she spun in another circle. “Yam-less. You left me yam-less, and we both know that means that something happened.”
Cherie plopped her boots onto the floor with athunkand stared at Kaelee expectantly. “Sissy!”
Kaelee rolled her eyes. “Coffee shop, brother?”
“Low blow.” Cherie jutted her chest out to accentuate her breasts. “Nota brother. Look at these!”
A laugh escaped Kaelee, and she felt lighter because Cherie was at her side. “Those are lovely, but I am not going to answer toSissy.”
“Cupcake it is.” Cherie hopped up. “Whatcha going to call me?”
“Menace.”
“I like it. Cupcake and Menace, BFFs forever.” Cherie had the sort of chirpy joy that was either infectious or obnoxious. Luckily, Kaelee found it spirit-lifting.
As calmly as she could, Kaelee filled her in on the envelope and its contents, as well as the letter and Julia’s requests. While she spoke, they crossed campus.
By the time they were standing in line at the little coffee and pastry shop on campus, Cherie was vibrating with rage. “A fucking memorial? What coldhearted brand of monstrosity are these people?”
Kaelee shrugged. “I guess they find my lesbianosity too much to face. They are shamed by my existence, appalled by my literary successes, and generally being sourpusses,butthey kindly suggested that we can all move on if I just return to the fold and marry a nice conservative man they will find for me.”
