“No, I didn’t. But Ilena—”
“Here.” Ilena pads out of the bedroom in a white faux fur robe that doesn’t quite close thanks to her round stomach. “Did my no-booze willpower break? I feel like I did when I shattered my record for most Jell-O shots in one night.”
“New Year’s Eve, 2005. Epic before epic was a thing.” Mallory presses a hand to her temple. “But when did we get home? I don’t remember getting home.”
Aubrey sits in the armchair across from her. “What do you remember?”
“The last thing?” Mallory contemplates. “A lot’s jumbled, but I’m clear on the outing that we just had—”
“A week ago.” Aubrey places her phone on the coffee table so she can show them the date.
Mallory’s brow furrows as she looks to Ilena, who excitedly totters forward and sinks into the couch beside Mallory. Shepoints to the date on the phone. “Ooh, is this a prank? Did Felix set this up? Like some kind of babymoon bachelorette party.”
“Splendid opportunity to message that stripper I accidentally swiped right on,” Mallory says.
“Accidentally, my hemorrhoidal ass,” Ilena cries. “Bring it, Aubrey!”
Jonah’s theory of coherence link gave a hypothetical reason for how the transfer between universes could happen. But he didn’t know what it might mean for their consciousnesses, for who would know what, who might remember what. He did say one set of memories might supplant another. That’s what it seems has happened, leaving nothing but a blank in this Ilena’s and this Mallory’s memories. Jonah also seems to be spot-on about the improbability of a “swap.” These women didn’t “go” into Aubrey’s original world—or if Jonah is wrong and they did, they have no memory of it. For them, it’s as if the past week didn’t exist. Aubrey was right that they’d need her.
She’s going to have to tell them everything. “Um, it’s none of those things. The outing really was last week.”
“Christ cakes, what was in those drinks?” Mallory says. “I haven’t been this fuzzy since homecoming freshman year. Weed gummies and blackberry schnapps. Don’t, take it from me, and just, don’t.” She nuzzles Ilena’s stomach. “Did you hear that, Singleton? I got your back, kiddo.”
Aubrey tries to cover her surprise at Mallory’s enthusiasm. Ilena, though, taps her belly and says, “Listen to your aunt. Well, not on everything, but this, yes, listen.” She then shoves Mallory off. “Aubrey’s just doing a test run for the listing. If I promise not to let Mallory drink so much the night before that, can we skip this?” Ilena reaches for the TV remote. “The humidity, is it going to be like this all day?”
“Ilena, wait—” Aubrey says, but on the screen is ShandyShane, the AIM logo hovering next to her head with anXthrough it.
“What the hell?” Mallory says. “Turn it up.”
Eyebrows pinched, Shandy Shane begins,“Frowns all around this morning as the news comes in that Wall Street darling AIM has gotten cold feet. In a move that industry experts call ‘unprecedented’ and ‘alarming,’ AIM has canceled its direct listing mere hours before it was to begin. While no official statement has been made by AIM or its founders, it’s hard to imagine this last-minute decision and the shocking news of the death of one of the company’s largest investors are unrelated. For more on—”
“Investor? Who?” Mallory leaps off the sofa, jarring Ilena. “My phone, where’s my phone? I’m always losing that damn thing. This has to be a mistake, all of it. Or a PR stunt? Ooh, that company we hired must be building buzz. Especially because today isn’t the day of the listing, it’s only...” Her eyes fall on the date on the television screen. “That’s not... Aubrey, you aren’t doing a test run?”
Ilena’s glowing cheeks dull. “I should call Felix. He must be able to explain... Is that my suitcase?” As she turns, her hand reflexively goes to push hair off her shoulder but meets only with air. “Did someone cut my hair?”
“We’re all looking for answers,”Shandy Shane continues as a photograph of Mallory and Grayson appears on the screen.“But they won’t come from CEO Mallory Latham. The live interview with Ms. Latham and Mr. Fields that was to air tomorrow has been canceled.”Shandy’s face turns grim. She presses a finger to her earpiece.“But what’s this?”She pauses, listening, or pretending to listen. What she’s about to say reached the morning show before the program began. Noreen assured Aubrey it would.“In an unexpected turn, the behind-the-scenes cofounder we see so little of, Aubrey Miller, will be joining us next week.Sothe plot thickens,AIMers, and you can be sure of one thing. You’ll see it unravel here first. In other news—”
Aubrey shuts off the television.
“Aubrey,The Shandy Shane Show?” Mallory circles the coffee table. “You’re going to be on it?Iwas supposed to be on it? With Grayson? I’d need an outfit. Did I have an outfit? Hot damn, the PR team nailed it! Ella was right to have us hire them. But they canceled? I don’t understand. Ilena?”
Her palm bounces against the short ends of her hair. “I’m... confused.”
Aubrey lifts herself out of the armchair to stand beside Mallory. “This isn’t the way I wanted you to find out, but it might actually make this easier.” She looks at Mallory and then Ilena. “Let me just confirm, the last thing you both clearly remember is the outing?”
Mallory nods, as does Ilena, who says, “Aubrey, what does that have to do with all this?”
“Everything.” A ding comes from Aubrey’s phone. A text from Ethan.
Mallory slips on her reading glasses and reaches for the phone. “Ethan Sonders?”
Aubrey’s cheeks grow hot. “It’s nothing. It has nothing to do with this. Let’s just focus on—”
Mallory bites her bottom lip. “Ethan Sonders. Why does that name sound familiar?”
Aubrey tries to reclaim her phone. “We went on a date, a few months ago.”
“The tech guy?” Ilena struggles to push herself out of the soft couch. “The one you met when you bumped into him outside our office? Wait, are you dating again?” As Aubrey’s hand wraps around the phone, Ilena grabs her wrist. “Aubrey! Is this a tattoo? Why didn’t we all go? Get matching ones?”
