At precisely 8p.m. I logged onto my laptop and started the meeting. Ruby was in her pyjamas, sitting cross-legged on her sofa eating noodles. Maya was at HQ – had she been working late or come back in? Claude was in her home office, still in her work clothes, and her ginger cat Jim was walking back and forth in front of the camera, tail swishing. Ordinarily, I’d have cooedhello– I adore my fur nephew – but this wasn’t the time.
Niki, seeming chastened, appeared to be taking the call from her quarters. After fucking up so spectacularly, I was surprised she’d had the guts to show up. And a little impressed.
‘Okay,’ I said, ‘so Maya and Ruby, Claude filled you in?’
They both nodded.
‘Do you have any questions before we start?’
Twin head shakes.
‘How about you, Niki? Any questions?’
‘Not a question… I just… I wanted to apologise. I really had no idea that things would escalate the way they did.’
‘You’re a PR specialist, Niki, with what – eight or nine years of experience?’ I guessed, basing my assumption on her age.
Her affirming nod was so slight, I almost missed it.
‘So, youshouldhave known. Hell, Jim here could have figured it out and he’s a cat!’
At the sound of his name, Jim looked right into the camera. I stifled a laugh – I wasn’t done with Niki yet. To her credit, she was still looking at the screen, but it was impossible to miss the nervous lick of her lips.
‘So, this is wh?—’
‘I’ll remove the post,’ she said hurriedly, interrupting me.
‘No, you won’t,’ I said, softening my tone.
She blinked at me, clearly shocked.
‘And this is why. While your execution was misguided – atbest– you had the right intention. And when I checked just now, Aetheria’s account has gained alotof followers.’
‘Three thousand in two hours,’ she supplied.
‘Divorced Diva has gained fifteen thousand,’ said Maya.
‘Oh?’ A spark of hope ignited in Niki’s eyes – no doubt hope that we would escape this fuck-up relatively unscathed.
‘And lost forty thousand,’ Maya added.
‘Oh, shit.’ Niki again, the light of hope instantly extinguished.
‘Exactly,’ I replied. ‘Which is why we’re meeting. But we’re not going to take down the photo. It’s already out there and there’s no putting the genie back in the bottle. Instead, we’re going to lean into it. Claude,’ I said, handing over to my sister.
‘Niki, you and Maya are going to find a way to spin this to Divorced Diva’s benefit. And Maya’s taking the lead.’
‘Okay,’ said Niki, accepting her fate. ‘Just… why do you want me involved?’
‘Because it’s your mess,’ Claude and I replied in unison. We smiled, also in unison. The lessons we learned from our mum popped up at the strangest times.
‘I understand,’ said Niki.
Ruby unmuted herself. ‘Need anything from me?’ she asked.
‘Probably not,’ said Maya, ‘but maybe keep your phone on just in case, yeah?’
‘Course.’ She muted herself again and went back to her noodles.
