She softened. “What’s the matter?” She leaned in to rub my back the way Mom used to. I could think about Mom now without feeling a gaping loss in my chest. Wisewood had done that for me.
“You’re the first person to tell me I’m special. My entire adult life, the question has been how much I have to conform. I never considered I don’t have to change at all.”
“That’s the power of our program.” Teacher clasped my hands in hers, ran her thumbs over my knuckles. “Is that a yes?” Hope crept into her voice.
“I’m in.” I beamed. “A hundred percent.”
“Excellent.” She dropped my hands and rose from the couch. “I’ll have Gordon bring you a contract.” She went back to her desk and resumed writing in her notepad.
I stood on trembling legs. “Thank you for the opportunity, Teacher. I won’t let you down.” She waved in acknowledgment but didn’t glance up. The work was so important to her.
As I turned to leave she said, “I doubt those friends of yours will approve.”
I stopped in my tracks. “April and Georgina?”
“They don’t have your best interest at heart.” She was still scribbling away. “Trust me.”
Had they been talking about me again? “I hardly see them anymore.”
I waited but Teacher didn’t say anything else, so I left the office and hurried down the staircase. I ignored the heaviness in my chest, focused on my happy news instead. I couldn’t wait to tell the others.
I rushed outside into a gloomy October evening. The temperature had dropped to the fifties. The sky was dim by five these days. A bitter draft zipped past me, hinting at harsher weather to come. The motion-sensor lights along the walkway clicked on as I loped through the garden. We had harvested most of the fruits and vegetables in the past couple of weeks. Without the bounty the tracts resembled cemetery plots. I thought of Mom back in California, waiting for me to put flowers on her grave. When was the last time Nat had visited her?
I shook my head. Today was a day to celebrate. This was what it was like to be good at something, to be valued. I let out a small whoop and reached for the cafeteria door. I was starving.
Most of the staff sat at their regular table, all wearing party hats. Was it someone’s birthday? I made a beeline for them. “I have news!”
A grin broke out on every face, though Jeremiah’s was slow to form. I’d have to check in with him later, make sure he was okay.
“Is this what I think it is?” Sofia bounced in her chair.
I nodded and did a silly victory dance. Everyone began to clap.
“We’re so proud of you, dear.” Ruth leaned toward me and winked. “I’m the one who suggested you for the job.”
I’d begun to thank her when Debbie emerged from the kitchen. Her apron was stained with egg yolk, and flour was smeared across both cheeks, but she was glowing as she carried a messy round cake toward us. She held it in front of me. “It’s three layers,” she announced. “Your favorites: chocolate, peanut butter, and cheesecake. Took me a few tries but I think I got it right.” The cake was covered with lumpy yellow frosting—my favorite color. She’d written Congradulations, Kit and drawn a smiley face in purple icing. A lump formed in my throat.
Raeanne peered at the cake. “You spelled ‘congratulations’ wrong.”
Debbie’s face fell.
“I love it, Debbie,” I said. “Thank you so much.”
They had known my job offer was coming, had never doubted that I’d accept. How had they been so sure?
She brightened. “Should I cut us all pieces?”
“Where’s Gordon?” Jeremiah asked. “Shouldn’t he be here?”
Raeanne rolled her eyes. “Probably on another one of his secret missions.”
“Let’s give him a few,” Ruth said. “It’s the nice thing to do.”
“How come he gets to come and go as he pleases,” Raeanne asked, “while the rest of us have to follow the rules?”
“We have to celebrate somehow,” Sofia said. Her eyes sparkled as she shot out of her seat. “Group skinny-dip!”
Sanderson and Jeremiah laughed, but the women didn’t.
“Group balcony jump,” Sofia tried again, prancing on the tips of her toes. I assumed she was joking, but no one was laughing anymore.
“Calm down, dear,” Ruth said. “We’ll have the cake soon enough.”
Sofia shook her head for a beat too long. “We’re supposed to be more alive than everyone else, aren’t we? What happened to leading by example?” When no one answered, she threw up her hands. “Fine, I’ll celebrate Kit alone.” She took off for the door with surprising speed.
Ruth sighed, slumping in her chair. “Every day I break my back for you kids, and this is the thanks I get?”
“I’ll go,” Jeremiah said. Raeanne raised an eyebrow, but he ignored her. “I’m proud of you, kiddo,” he said to me as he jogged after Sofia.
An urge to hug him washed over me—but of course I wouldn’t.
I gestured to the kitchen. “I’m going to grab some food while we wait for Gordon. Thank you guys again.” I grinned at my new quirky family and left to grab a plastic tray. Pot roast again. I filled my plate and was about to head back to the staff’s table when a voice nearby called my name. I swiveled. April.
She was sitting with Georgina, waving me over. I paused by their table. “Maximized day,” I said, trying the phrase on for size. It sat awkwardly in my mouth but I was sure I’d get used to it.
“Eat with us.” Georgina patted the seat next to her. “We haven’t talked in forever.”
I gazed longingly at the staff table. They were deep in conversation, likely discussing plans for the newest course that Teacher wanted to create for advanced students—Increasing Your Pain Tolerance. Resigned, I sat next to Georgina and began to eat.
“What’s with the party hats?” she said. We’d been sitting in silence for at least a minute.
“I actually have some exciting news.” I grinned. “Tea— . . . Rebecca offered me a staff position.” Something told me the two of them would find it weird that I called her Teacher now. I shouldn’t have cared what they thought—fear of rejection was getting the best of me.
“Here?” Georgina said.
“Permanently?” April asked.
I nodded, my smile fading at the doubt on their faces.
“Congratulations,” April said.
“Yeah, congrats,” Georgina echoed without enthusiasm.
We ate in silence for another minute. I could hear April chewing the tough meat.
“So you’re just going to live here forever?” Georgina finally asked.
I shrugged. “As long as it’s working for me, why not?”
April nodded quickly. “I’ve learned a lot here too.” She hesitated. “What about patching things up with Nat?”
“I’ve been trying to get a handle on my own improvement before I rope her in.”
“What about your career?” Georgina said.
I snickered. “What career?”
“Getting married, then? Having kids? Sex?” The joke fell flat when I didn’t laugh.
I shrugged again. “I’m making a difference in people’s lives.” I pierced a chunk of potato with my fork, said to the spud, “I thought you’d understand.”
“If you’re happy, I’m happy,” April said. She reached for my hand. I jerked it away. These two were always forgetting the no-touching rule.