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“She’s a little dramatic,” Emmy says with a wince. “But she’s a Larrabee. She’s got that ‘don’t take crap from anyone’ gene.”
I take that for what it is, teasing.
“She’s always been like that with the people she loves. We’re lucky to have her.” Emmy smiles.
“Well, I don’t want to be on her bad side, that’s for sure. I’ve been there. It’s not pretty.”
She finishes off her cupcake, then takes a swig of water. “I told her about us being friends.”
“Oh yeah?”
She nods. “I hope that’s okay.”
“Why wouldn’t it be?”
She shrugs. “Not sure you wanted her to know.” I see a twinkle in her eyes. “Might ruin your street cred.”
Is she making jokes? At least her sense of humor is still intact.
“Emmy, I didn’t say anything to her because you didn’t want me to. Not because I cared if she knew.”
Emmy frowns. “Really?”
“Yes, geez. How shallow do you think I am?”
She shrugs. “You did get engaged to Lindsay.” She waits a second before busting out in laughter.
I raise a brow. “Are you finished?”
“Sorry,” she says, and I don’t believe her for a second. “It was clever, though. Right? I’m clever?”
“Yeah, you’re a real treat,” I muse, through a smile.
She keeps piping the cupcakes. “Okay, so tell me about this lieutenant thing. That sounds like a great opportunity.”
So, I do.
I not only tell her that. . .I tell her everything.
I tell her about the fight at my previous station. About losing my job. About my dad calling in the favor that gave me this second chance. And about the test and why I don’t want to take it again.
I tell her everything.
And it feels good to say it all out loud, knowing she won’t judge me for any of it.
As I talk, Emmy stays busy, but not the kind of busy where it’s obvious she’s not listening, like scrolling on her phone or something. The kind that lets me talk without feeling like I’m being watched or studied or judged.
And when I’m finished, she stops moving and looks at me. “So, you’re doing it, right?”
I look away.
“Failing a test because you didn’t study is one thing, but failing because you didn’t have the right accommodations is something completely different.”
“I don’t want to use the accommodations,” I admit.
“Why?” She waits a few seconds, and when I don’t answer, she says, “Ohhh, I get it.”
“Get what?”
