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“I told myself under no circumstances would I let his response get to me. Now his lack of one has made me feel like I’ve been rejected all over again.” She sat back in her chair and rolled her lips in, gazing on the back wall in refuge. “When I opened the mailbox and found thatletter, the air left the room. I’d been punched and literally sat in the lobby of my building like a shell for half an hour.” She took a sip of her iced water. “Sometimes I feel like such a loser. Why did I have to send that letter? I set myself up for this.”
Jamie leaned in. “Because you’re a person just like all the rest of us. You have every right to have feelings and thoughts and wants in regard to how other people treat you.”
“Yeah, I guess so. I just have expectations for myself and who I let in. I should never have tried to open that door because now I feel like a nobody.”
Jamie leaned to her right, interrupting Leighton’s session with the wall. “Look at me and listen up.” Leighton took a moment but shifted her focus begrudgingly. Facing Jamie while in the emotional trenches left her feeling exposed. She didn’t like it. At the same time, it was Jamie, and she couldn’t look away.
“In a sea of millions, you shine the brightest, okay? And you know that after all we’ve been through that I have trouble giving you that kind of credit, which means it has to be true. You’re an amazing person.”
Leighton blinked, surprised by the compliment.
Jamie wasn’t done. “Everyone notices you when you walk through a door, and they want to get to know you even more after speaking to you for a few minutes. You leave an impact.” The intensity with which Jamie said that last sentence resonated, because at one point she’d left a horrible one on Jamie.
“I didn’t mean it that way,” Jamie said, covering Leighton’s hand. She clearly understood where Leighton’s mind had drifted. “What I said is a compliment. It means you matter to people. Me included.”
“You matter to me, too.” She tried to smile, but the emotion forbade it. “And thank you.”
“And that guy? Your father. We won’t saydadbecause he’s never been that. But what he doesn’t realize is that he’s dimmed his own life experience by leaving you out. He’ll never know the light you bring, okay?” Jamie sat back in her chair, and Leighton couldn’t take her eyes off her. The way she’d tossed her hair with such authority as if telling someone off in that perfect way everyone dreamed of. Her eyes blazed blue, and Leighton’s skin lit up with tingles. She was something, this woman. The kindest spitfire you’d ever meet.
“I’m buying you dinner,” Leighton said quietly. “Because that was a good speech.”
“And tomorrow, too?”
“Don’t push it, okay?”
“I could write another speech.”
“We’ll see.”
Jamie had been the perfect person to turn to after the bad day she’d had. She always came with the right combination of insight, vim, and kindness. They spent the rest of the evening bouncing between topics, never an uncomfortable lull. The more time she spent with Jamie, the more she grew to lovethem. They were a good duo. Jamie brought Leighton’s sillier side out in a way no one else ever had, with the exception of Courtney back in junior high.
“What are you laughing at now?” Jamie asked around her bite of truffle mac and cheese. She had every right to ask. Leighton had found Jamie’s stories highly amusing that evening. Not that it was anything new. Her job put her in the path of some interesting individuals and exchanges.
“I’m thinking back to that guy talking on the phone through his AirPods and you thinking he was talking to you the whole time.”
Jamie shook her head. “So apparently I wasn’t the hottest chick he’d ever seen dance on a pole.”
“There’s always next time.”
Jamie nodded. “Guess I have to practice more.” She grasped an imaginary pole and flung her hair to the side, which was the best. More laughter. Jamie was going out of her way to cheer her up, and Leighton happily accepted the effort.
“There won’t be poles, but there’s one of those holiday street fairs in my neighborhood this weekend, if you want to swing around uptown.”
“Rich people like the holidays, too?”
“I’ve heard rich people love any opportunity to throw money around, but I wouldn’t know anything about that.”
“Pshh.Not like you randomly bought a coffee and wine bar on a whim.”
“Who does that?” They shared a laugh.
“So, if you’re up for it, there’s something I want to speak withyou about. Just some thoughts that have been percolating. Little coffee analogy.”
Leighton nodded. “Sure. I’m definitely up for it. What’s going on?”
“Okay, let me figure out the right words.” Was it just Leighton or did Jamie look nervous?
“Okay, this is getting weird.” Leighton looked up to see Helen standing a few feet away in a green and white striped sweater dress, a Chanel bag on her arm.
