“And I thought you were here to do good. Not to do.... to do...her!” She didn’t have a plan, and it showed.
“Look, Harp, chill.” As Kai said this, he gently nudged his other girlfriend off his lap and she backed off a few paces, watching the scene unfold.
“I’m not going to chill. I’m going to.... leave!” And in that moment, she decided it was high time to get back to America and restart her life. Turning to the other woman, she said in perfect Portuguese, “Boa sorte.” Her nanny had been from Brazil, and she’d learned a few phrases from her. “Good luck” was one of them.
Then Harper turned and walked out, her head held as high as possible.
What really upset her was Kai had acted like it wasn’t a big deal. He didn’t even try to get her to stay. He’d just let her walk away, even though she’d changed her entire life plan for him. This is what she got for that? The humiliation and the heartbreak crushed her.
Back at her hut, she started stuffing clothes into her oversize duffel. Then she picked up her phone and thought of having to call her parents to confess that her great plans had all fallen apart.
“Call Dad,” she said to Siri, grateful to still be on her dad’s international phone plan. She winced in anticipation of the conversation she was about to have.
He picked up on the first ring.
“Harper? Are you okay?”
Her voice broke as she heard his voice. “I’m fine. But, you were right, Dad.” Those were tough words for her to say. She’d blown off her parents’ concern about her decision to throw in with Kai and go to Africa without any real plans for what would happen if it didn’t work out. She braced for the “I told you so,” but it didn’t come.
“Aww, Harper. It’s okay. Come on back. We’ll figure it out.” He reassured her, and she was so grateful he was her dad. She knew he was glad that this adventure was over.
By the next morning, her parents had sent her details for her flight home. Coach, no upgrade.
She decided that was fair.
Her parents said they’d pick her up at JFK, and she was so glad to see their old Volvo hybrid pull up to the curb. Her dad put the car in park, and her mom jumped out to wrap her in a hug. As much as she frustrated them with her breezy impulses, they loved her big heart and felt protective of her.
“I’m sorry, pumpkin,” her mom said into Harper’s hair as she held her tight. “You were too good for him anyway.”
When she moved back into her childhood bedroom and unpacked her duffel bag, she felt safe and like a kid again, even though she knew there was no going back. She took an unending amount of teasing from her older brother, Ernest (yes, her parents thought it would spur their kids to great heights if they were named after famous authors). Her dad pulled a few strings and helped her land a teacher aide job at the Van Buren school. She considered enrolling in an online Master of Education degree program so that she could eventually get a full teaching job.
For once, though, luck was on her side. Her teacher got a dream job at Dalton and Harper got bumped up for the rest of the school year. But still the job didn’t pay enough to cover her expenses, so she supplemented her income by tutoring or babysitting. Out of some semblance of pride, she tried not to ask her parents for money. At least not every month.
Harper couldn’t believe that everything she’d thought and dreamed about had turned out to be wrong. Even her goal of writing a novel seemed so rearview mirror. She wanted to write great fiction but knew that in order to do that she needed to see the actual world outside of the five boroughs. Going on this adventure with Kai was supposed to give her two things she wanted—a chance for love, and a look at the real world. But now, when would she have time to write when she was constantly working on her lesson plans, grading papers, and dealing with the parents of her entitled and spoiled students?
And now Miles Lascher’s parents were demanding to meet with her. The mom had emailed Harper explaining that Miles’s tutor hadn’t had a chance to work with Miles because the family helicopter out East had malfunctioned. Harper almost couldn’t believe that was their story.
As she sat down in the meeting room with Edith Thistlewood, the school principal, Mr. Lascher looked a little embarrassed or maybe bored, but the shiny, creaseless face of Mrs. Lascher hid deeper contempt. Harper explained why the paper didn’t merit an A. The mother went through her litany of complaints and excuses, she had even tried to book the tutor a private helicopter service to get him out to the South Shore, and everyone turned to the principal.
Who didn’t back Harper up.
“Can we find a way for Miles to redo this assignment, Harper?” Ms. Thistlewood asked, signaling what Harper needed to do. “I’d love to be able to tell the headmaster that this small matter has been settled.”
Harper felt trapped. She didn’t think it was right to change the grade because they gave money and had the privilege to complain.
But she needed the job. She looked down and agreed that Miles should have another chance to rewrite. And she knew thatthatpaper would get an A.
“That’s great to hear.” Mrs. Lascher nodded. All her jewelry shook with her.
Harper stood as tall as she could and squared her shoulders, mustering any dignity she could find. She thanked the Laschers for their time and gave Ms. Thistlewood a fake nod of gratitude. Her poker face lasted until she got to the faculty lounge, where there was no sign of Brad Tam. There, when she was finally alone, she let a couple of tears fall. Then she blew her nose, grabbed her jacket, and walked out of the school. It was just over two miles crosstown to Dot’s place, and Harper had plenty she needed to walk off.
RIGHT AT 7 P.M.,Mary and Harper met at the entrance of the Buckley. They hugged each other and Albert sent them right up. “She’s been waiting for you,” he said.
The two of them talked at the same time and Albert wondered how either of them understood the other.
“Oh, to be young again,” the doorman said to the empty foyer as he stepped back out into the crisp fall night.
Chapter 6