Page 41 of Five Years

“You’ve lost me.” Leah’s tone sharpened.

“I was sort of hoping you’d be okay to accompany Ariana to Chicago?”

Leah nearly spat her apple juice all over Ezra.

“You’ve got to be joking.”

“The thing is, I was going to go, but Ezra’s sick, and...well, you know it’s her birthday next week, right?”

As if Leah could ever forget.

“Yes, Iknowit’s her birthday.”

“Well, she’s back in New York, and we won’t see her, so last night I was thinking—what if we plan a surprise party for her here, tonight? But I need time to set everything up, get a cake—basically, I need her out of the house.”

“So that’s where I come in?”

“Exactly!”

“I don’t know about this, Grace. We can handle short interactions, sure—but a full day? Alone? What if it gets awkward?” Leah whispered, turning away from Ezra, whose eyes were slowly closing.

“You’ll be fine. I saw you two chatting earlier, and on the beach the other day—and do I need to mention the weird yoga?”

“The yogawasn’tweird until youmadeit weird.”

“Sure, okay.”

Grace didn’t believe her. Truthfully, Leah was grateful for her interference—it had curbed the arousal.

“I can’t believe you dragged me in here, gave me a glass of apple juice—which youknowis my favourite—told me sob stories about this beautiful child, got me all nostalgic with duck stories...and it was all one big ploy!”

“I’m sorry,” Grace laughed.

“You can’t be trusted anymore. Gone are the days of genuine friendship,” Leah scowled. “I’m deeply disappointed.”

“Can you be deeply disappointed in the car in, like, fifteen minutes?” Grace grinned.

“Fifteen fu—” Leah caught herself, glancing at Ezra. “Fifteen minutes?”

“Pleaseeee,” Grace pleaded.

“Why can’t Steve go?” Leah already knew the answer.

“Dad means Kathy. And Ariana would rather poke her eyes out with a pencil than spend a day with Kathy.”

“Maybe Kathy’s just misunderstood. Maybe a day in Chicago couldreallymend their relationship. They could come back the best of friends.”

“You don’t sound the slightest bit convincing.”

“I know!”

There was no hope for Ariana and Kathy. Just then, Ariana burst through Grace’s bedroom door, wearing a red boucle zip-neck sweater under a giant black puffer coat. Her hair tumbled out from beneath her beanie.

“Are you ready to go, Gracey?”

“Slight change of plan—Leah’s going to go with you.”

She didn’t even know!!