her croissant when I slide

e doesn't look up from her surgica

ehind." I flag down a waiter. "Eggs Benedict.

a long sip, leaving a lipstick print on crystal. "Fired three people y

did you fee

photos." She tears off a piece of croissant. "The lawsuit guy can rot. An

sip. We've been doing this since Columbia, when brunch mea

el?" she as

in

ed' or fine like 'I'm

eggs." I accept my champagne from the wai

signals for more champagne.

ll w

studies contracts-looking for the clau

t it." She pivo

k me twenty minutes to explain gravity to a four-year-

eres

marry frogs." I take a sip from my glass of champagne. "Apparently the frog pr

soft. "Remember when we believed in that stuff?

ere i

nother piece of croissant with focu

hem. I watch steam rise from the hollandaise, buying

y text around 8 AM. Which mea

light, "I organized yo

ses halfway

her croissant. Not looking at me. "Had to go through your desk drawers. The bottom one stuck-you rea

s tight. "Wha

wing. Too gentle. "Arranged by date. In the back of your

rce than necessary. The clatter

dence," I ma

wh

s strategy. I ne

ou for more than ten years. I was there when you built Sinclair Technologies from a dorm room idea and three m

s your

ns forward. "You keep things that matter. Things you're no

've been talking, congealing into something un

cancel. You schedule board meetings around our time. You've rescheduled with

have

no one's looking. You hum in the mornings-Mrs. Patel told me. She said you haven't h

eeds to mind

er hand hovers over mine. "So I'm going to ask you something, and I need you to really th

ng at my cham

venge-will that actually make you feel better?" Her eyes hold mine. "O

I

uchable woman who negotiates bill

gged code at 3 AM in coffee-stained pajamas and pizza boxes. The same girl

lurs. I bli

you're trying to destroy the part of yours

cks. I try again. "He deser

because somewhere between the beginning of that

able. Squeezes my hand. He

leases my hand, stands, drops two hundred-dollar bills on the waiter's table. More than enough

hasn't done since we were kids sharing tha

she l

old eggs and her u

es. "Can I get you

st the

riend a

leaving the untouch

*

takes forty-

t my feet carry me through Central Park instead, past couples

take selfies with the angel statue. Watch a little girl cha

nner tonight? I'm off at six. Been thi

nd probably talk about our future. Who's been patient while I'v

't re

e probably busy. Just wanted to say

e. Just Adrian being present. Exi

without responding

e is silent except for the sound of my own breath

fice. Pull open

. Arranged chronologically. Each

you laugh at something your assistant said. I'd forgotten w

e one. Let each word sink in

m window, staring out at Central Park where I

hen he finally breaks, wil

years, I don't know the answer.