“I shouldn’t have hired that actor. The whole Swan Lake episode,” she says, waving her hands about, a trail of smoke zipping around her, “it wasn’t cool.”
“We don’t need to talk about it.”
“I know, but I want to.” She bows her head, eyes to the ground. “I feel bad about it. It wasn’t… it wasn’t the right thing to do.”
I stare at her. “Cordelia, are youapologizingto me?”
“What? No. No, I just…” She trails off.
“You are! You’re apologizing!”
“Oh, my God, do you have to make itsucha big deal?” she hisses, checking the other smokers aren’t listening.
“But it is a big deal! You’re apologizing!”
“Who is stupid enough to walk into a lake?” she asks, rolling her eyes. “Why didn’t you question it?”
“I did question it! He was very convincing.”
“He’s a terrible actor.”
“No, he was good. He really looked the part and then he brought your mother into it.”
“Ah, I’d told him to do that. I said you’d hate her being disappointed.” She hesitates. “I wasn’t sure if you’d go in just becauseI’dsaid you had to.”
“Yeah, well,” I say, shifting my weight from one leg to the other. “Did Jimmy show you the video, then?”
“Yes.” She tries and fails to stifle a laugh.
I scowl at her. “Are you going to put it on YouTube?”
“No!” She looks irritated that I’d ask. “Don’t flatter yourself, it wasn’tthatfunny.”
“Jimmy called me a goody-goody. You used that personal information against me.”
“Yeah, well, you gave away your weakness telling me about Graham Slater.”
“You gave away your weakness telling me about Annabel.”
“I haven’t told you a thing about her. That’s why you asked all those questions and started the fight.”
“I did not start the fight!”
“You kept pushing when I asked you not to.” She exhales thoughtfully. “But I overreacted.”
“Is that another apology?”
“Absolutely not.”
“I can’t believe you’ve apologized,” I say, still in shock at this conversation. “But I’m glad you have. I know I pissed you off, but you went way too far with your retaliation.”
“Always been my problem,” she admits. “I’m not very good at controlling my temper.”
“I’ve noticed.”
“Youcare too much about what people think.”
“You know, this doesn’t have to be a competition. You don’t have to point out all your flaws and then start listing mine.”
