Brooke picked up her own desk phone to start checking off items on her to-do list. She’d already called Gabe Wynant first thing that morning and arranged the meeting with Josephine.
Next up was Lizzie Quinlan.
“Hi, Lizzie. It’s Brooke Trappnell in Georgia.”
“Who? Oh yeah. The lawyer, right? What’s the word?”
Brooke took a deep breath. “Mrs. Warrick would very much like for you to fly out here this week. The sooner the better.”
“Not happening,” Lizzie said. “I’ve got to finish a piece I’m working on, and then I’ve got a bunch of interviews to do for another piece. I could maybe get out there late next week.”
“Couldn’t you do the phone interviews from here?”
“Maybe, but what’s the big rush?”
“Mrs. Warrick’s most recent scans show several new tumors,” Brooke said. “You might have all the time in the world, but I assure you, she does not.”
“Okay, I’ll come. But she pays all my travel, right? Room and board, everything.”
“That’s correct. I’ll book your flights today. Could you be here by Thursday?”
“This is already Tuesday. Are you crazy? I’ll have to find a cat sitter, finish my magazine article…”
“Friday, then,” Brooke relented. “I’m afraid there aren’t a ton of hotel options here in town. Just chains.”
“I’ll leave it up to you. Just something clean and near a liquor store,” Lizzie said. “And I need to be home no later than Monday. Understood?”
“Perfectly,” Brooke said. “I’ll text you the flight details. See you then.”
***
Felicia Shaddix wasn’t as easily persuaded.
“Friday? I teach a class on Friday. And even if I didn’t, my aunt has a standing hair appointment on Friday. I promise you, she won’t go anywhere without that hair fixed just right. Not even if it was lunch with Barack Obama himself.”
“Isn’t your class an online one? Could it be taped? I’ve got one of the other beneficiaries flying in from LA on Friday morning, and it’s going to be tricky to reschedule her.”
“I don’t know,” Felicia grumbled. “The dean likes the classes to be live, with student interaction. She’s pretty strict about that.”
“Look,” Brooke said, lowering her voice. “I don’t want to upset your aunt, but Josephine really doesn’t have a lot of time left. I was with her yesterday, and she said the latest scans showed that the cancer has metastasized. I’m sure you know the implications of that. I really need to get all of you together with her so we can move forward with the arrangements.”
“Fine. I’ll tell the dean it’s an emergency, and I’ll tell my aunt’s hairdresser it’s an emergency too, see if she’ll fit her in on Thursday afternoon instead.”
“Thanks so much,” Brooke said.
***
Her own mother was the last piece of the puzzle, and a surprisingly hard sell.
“Friday? Oh no. That’s out of the question,” Marie said. “I have a committee meeting on Friday morning. I was going to tell you tonight. I’ll have to head home to Savannah on Thursday.”
“Mom, I really, really need you to meet with Josephine and those other women Friday on the island. I’ve been through hell getting everybody’s schedules lined up. I didn’t expect it would be a problem with you.”
“Sweetie, I’m sorry, but this is my Fresh Air Home board meeting. We’re going through the applications for the children for summer camp. I really can’t miss it.”
“Mommmm.” Brooke knew she sounded like a petulant teenager, but she couldn’t help herself. “You’re the chairman of the committee, so can’t you just make an executive decision and reschedule? Those women don’t have jobs or day care to figure out.”
“Are you saying my friends and I are just idle, rich ladies who lunch?” Marie asked.
