MadMatty: WE’RE SO PROUD OF YOU.
LarryBerry: Take pictures!
Before I set my phone down, another, separate message popped up.
MyTyGuy: Good luck today! I miss you!
I smiled.
“Good news?”
I looked back up at Marina as I silenced my phone. “Just some friends wishing me luck.”
She smiled knowingly. “It’s good to have people, isn’t it?”
“It is.”
She nodded. “It’s one of the reasons I believe in this place. I want to make sure others know they have that too. In this day and age when things are so uncertain, it’s nice to know there’s a place these kids can go and be themselves, free from judgment. Many of them don’t have the support network they should and, even worse, can be targeted for just existing at all.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. She tapped on the screen for a moment before holding it out to me. “Case in point.”
There was a stark headline across the screen on a website I didn’t recognize.
WHY ISN’T THERE A HETEROSEXUAL PRIDE MONTH?
I rolled my eyes. “The straights are at it again.”
She shoved her phone back into her pocket. “I won’t subject you to the rest of the drivel, but I try to read everything so I can see all sides. It’s nonsense, of course, but it just goes to show how far we still have to go. The internet has vast resources and can connect people from all over the world, but it can also give people hiding behind cartoon avatars the ability to be racist, homophobic, and misogynistic without any repercussions. And it’s certainly not helping that our current political climate is….”
“Unreal,” I said.
She smiled tightly. “That about sums it up. But that’s neither here nor there at the moment. What’s important is the work we do today so th
at it turns into something grand tomorrow. And I’m happy you’re here to help with that.”
“It probably helps too that I’m a diversity hire,” I said dryly.
She laughed loudly, head tilting back. “Oh my, I knew I liked you for a reason. Yes, I suppose that’s one way of looking at it. Biracial, bigender, sure. That looks good for us. But what matters more to me is that you’re a good person. I couldn’t care less about all the rest, though the higher-ups might disagree with me. I knew from the moment I met you that you’d make a great addition here, regardless of whether you ticked those extra special boxes. You’re fierce and funny and bright. Exactly what this place needs. Don’t ever think otherwise.”
I was touched. I wasn’t used to people I didn’t know very well being so kind.
She glanced down at her watch again. “We should probably get you over to meet with the director. I’ve got phone calls to make, donations to solicit. The usual. It never ends.”
I thought hard. “What about Jack It?”
She looked surprised. “What, really? You think they’d do that?”
I shrugged. “I don’t see why not.”
“Do you know anyone over there?”
I snorted. “You could say that.” I was above name-dropping. I was above name-dropping. I was above— “One of my best friends is Helena Handbasket. And I know the owner. Well, Helena knows him better, but I’ve got an in.”
“Whoa,” she breathed. “That’s impressive. I’ll have to think about it. Can I get back to you?”
“Sure.” I almost hoped she’d say no so I wouldn’t have to go talk to Mike at any point. I didn’t like to remember that he existed, much less think about him.
We stopped in front of another door just down the hall from our office. There was an open transom window above it resting on gold chains. I could hear more voices coming from out in the front of Phoenix House. They all sounded young.
“Ah,” Marina said. “Sounds like the cavalry has arrived. I’ll go deal with them while you’re meeting with Jeremy.”