Page 71 of Enzo

Maybe Miss Turlington can nominate someone else. I’m not the right person for this.

Yours,

Molly Dean

I hit SEND, and sit back, feeling relieved that I finally did it. It’s the same email I typed out five times before, only this time I had the courage to send it.

I pick up my bowl of now-mushy cereal and lift a spoonful to my mouth. The soggy wheat biscuit looks even more unappetizing.

I set it back down on my coffee table when I see that Penelope has already replied.

Can I call you?

Penelope

I panic and scramble for a lie. I can’t handle a phone conversation with the smooth-talking and smart Penelope. I need to hide behind the safety of email.

I quickly reply:

Now is not a good time because I’m wearing a mud face mask.

She fires off a reply minutes later.

Molly,

I think you're misunderstanding your part in this.

Nobody's asking you to design a building.

We need you to advise us on things like:

What do the children need?

What would make the space useful in winter as well as summer?

What would make a five-year-old come back?

You probably haven’t seen the old depot that Enzo worked on in New York a few years ago. You should see it.

Mr. Valizar saw what Mr. Knight did with this development and that’s one reason he wanted him.

Mr. Knight took something abandoned and saw what it could become.

I'm in Boston until Wednesday. I have meetings in New York on Thursday anyway, but before you make the decision to leave the team, I invite you to come and let me show you the depot.

Don’t worry about flights or a one-night hotel stay. I will take care of it.

Please think about this and let me know.

Sincerely,

Penelope

Her email leaves me speechless. I’m not sure I read that right. So I read it again, then triple-check that Penelope actually wrote New York.

She wants me to go to New York to see the project Enzo worked on before.

My life has gone completely insane.