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I hear Glenda’s office chair creak under her. “Oh, Jude, I’m good as gold. Right as rain. Happy as aclam.”
“That’s a lot of idioms,” I say with a chuckle.
“You want to know why I’m calling you, I bet.”
Caroline mouths, “What does she want?”
I ignore her. “Yes, that’d be swell.”
“Swell! I feel swell. Because Jude, we’re reinstating the art program.”
My chest puffs with an invigorating breath. “What?”
“I know it’s hard to believe. And it’s very last minute, but –”
“I thought you said that the state pulled funding for –”
“It did, it did.” Glenda pauses, regaining her bearings. “We’ve received a donation to keep the program going. A huge one.”
I shake my head in disbelief. “A donation? For the art program?”
“For the art programspecifically. It’s an endowment. The donor was anonymous, so it doesn’t have a name but I was thinking –”
“The Ulster Endowment,” I say with a smile, thinking of my old mentor.
“Read my mind, Jude. Read my little mind!”
I glance at Caroline. She’s leaning on the steering wheel, rubbing her chin and shaking her head, a knowing smile on her lips.
“So, like I said,” Glenda goes on. “Last minute, but –”
“Of course. I’ll be there. Monday. First day of school.”
Glenda laughs giddily. “I knew I could count on you, sweet pea, I just knew –” She stops short. Another voice in the background, asking a question urgently. “Oh, fudge, Jude, I’ve gotta take care of something, but we’ll plan on seeing you on Monday. We’ll get all the paperwork straightened out that afternoon and –”
I grin. “Sounds perfect. Better than perfect.”
“Great. Buh-bye, now.”
The second I hang up, I look at Caroline. “I can’t believe you.”
Her eyebrows jump. “Me? What did I do?”
“Don’t play dumb. Seriously, Caroline. Paying for my medical bills is one thing, but to grant a huge endowment, I mean, that’s a recurring thing. And… oh my God, I would never be able to pay you back for any of that. Ever.”
Caroline laughs, lips curled to the side. “Jude, I promise you, I had nothing to do with that.”
I furrow my brow in confusion. “Are you – seriously?”
She nods.
“Don’t lie, Caroline.”
“Why would I lie? Trust me, I would want my flowers for getting you your job back.”
I shake my head. This doesn’t make any sense. “I don’t – why would –are you sure, you didn’t –“
“Jude! I’m sure I didn’t.” Caroline sighs and shakes her head. “But I think I know who did.”
