River started, and Mrs. Crabtree interjected here and there with her own tidbits she’d found online. “So, basically, I waswondering if you might be able to help us make a stink about gentrifying neighborhoods.”
Madison nodded thoughtfully. “It’s a big issue, but it’s not something I’d usually take on. I’m also heading out to do some work in the EU next week. But…” She scrolled through her phone. “Adriana might be around.” She hit call and walked out of the café.
Mrs. Crabtree nodded. “Good. Someone who doesn’t say they’ll make calls once they’ve left. I didn’t know you had friends in circles like that.”
“We dated briefly a million years ago. It was a fling for both of us, and we’ve stayed friends who talk every once in a while. She’s good people.” Madison’s high-profile marriage had been in all the queer news, and River was happy she’d found someone who could handle her nomadic life. River had never had any desire to live anywhere else or to do a whole lot of traveling. Other countries felt like they might as well be other planets.
Madison came back in. “Right. Adriana is available and will meet you here next week. She’s going to do some digging beforehand, and then you’ll film a segment with her. She’s got a massive following online, and she’s known for taking on local issues. Her stuff is huge with the twenties and thirties demographic, and it’s those people who are going to feel the most for your cause. I’ve given her your phone number and email.”
River took her hand. “Thank you. I can’t tell you how much it means to us.”
Madison smiled, squeezed her hand, and let go. “Thank you for giving me the heads-up on it. I’ll keep my ear to the ground while I’m gone.” She leaned forward. “Do you see anything I need to pay attention to?” she said softly and made a vague gesture to the air around her.
River opened that bit of herself and scanned Madison critically. “You seem to have a lot on your mind, but that’s not surprising.” She narrowed her gaze on the bit of energy that seemed off around Madison’s knee. “Arthritis?”
Madison laughed. “Yup.”
“Come to the shop. Audrey has a great tea to help with the inflammation.”
Together, the three of them walked to Echoes and Insights, and Audrey greeted Madison like an old friend. She gathered up some looseleaf tea and the means to brew it.
Madison got out her wallet, but River stopped her. “Consider it a thank-you gift for helping us out.”
She tipped her head and accepted the package. “I know better than to say no to a gift like that. Good luck with everything.” She kissed River’s cheek, shook Mrs. Crabtree’s hand, and headed out.
“What a whirlwind.” Audrey blew out a breath. “I couldn’t keep up with all the thoughts flying around in that head.”
“Yeah, she’s something.”
“You have a type.” Mrs. Crabtree pointed at her. “You like powerful girlie women who are ambitious and smart.”
“There are worse types to have,” River said, shrugging.
“Sure.” Mrs. Crabtree moved toward the door. “Except those types don’t tend to stick around, do they? Too busy climbing ladders to stay still and love someone.”
“Madison’s happily married.” But River knew what Mrs. Crabtree meant.
“Sure. To someone else who is climbing her own ladder. They match because neither of them has to sit still.” She leaned on her cane as she opened the door. “Mr. Crabtree and I matched because we were happy in the same place together, and neither of us would ever leave the other behind.” She waved and left.
“You’ve been uncharacteristically quiet,” River said to Audrey, who was busy looking at the calendar.
“Just listening.” Audrey frowned in that way that meant she was trying to work something out.
“And what are you hearing?” River asked.
Audrey hesitated. “I’m not sure yet. I’ll let you know when I figure it out.”
River nodded and went about her day. She knew full well that trying to force understanding when your gift was trying to tell you something didn’t work. You had to wait for it to come clear, like a building in the distant mist.
Her phone buzzed, and she checked the text. It was from Adriana.
Hey! Looking forward to this story. Can you get plenty of B-roll for me before we meet next week? Show viewers the neighborhood. The shops, the people who are going to be affected, that kind of thing. Send over whatever you get so I can start messing with it. x
Wow. River hadn’t expected Adriana to move so quickly, and it was reassuring. She shouldn’t be surprised that a contact of Madison’s would be on the ball though. She sent a thumbs-up emoji, which she figured would suffice until she had anything to say. She also took a picture of the letter from Black Pinnacle and sent it over.
“Are you ready for this?” Audrey asked softly as they started to close up at the end of the day.
“What do you mean?”
