Page 24 of Until We Weren't

“Were they trying to break us up?”

“Why? We didn’t bother anyone. I thought everyone liked us,” Destiny said. “Who was on the third crew?”

“Mark,” Faith immediately said, “but he wasn’t really the boss. Kyle had just quit a week before.”

“Oh, that’s right,” Destiny said. “Someone on that team who was about my size and knew about the hoodie must have done it.”

At the same time, they looked at each other and gasped. “Gloria!”

“But why would Gloria do that?” Faith asked.

Destiny leaned back against the wall and sighed. “Because she wanted her own team.” She handed the phone back to Faith. “It all makes sense now.”

“How?” Faith asked.

“Do you remember that Mr. Galloway sent me an hour away that day?”

“Oh, yeah,” Faith replied. “You went to Bastrop to Lost Pines Resort.”

“That’s right,” Destiny said. “I had to do maintenance on the butterfly garden we planted.” In the dim light she looked at Faith. “That sanctuary is one of the best places we ever created together.”

Faith nodded.

“Anyway,” Destiny said, focusing back on the mystery at hand, “I was gone until late that evening.”

“I know,” Faith said quietly.

Destiny looked back at Faith in surprise. “That gave you plenty of time to pack your stuff and move out.”

Faith didn’t say anything.

“Gloria knew I went to Bastrop. She came into the office when Mr. Galloway told me the butterfly garden needed a quick weeding because the resort had a big weekend planned. When did you get this video, Faith?”

“My crew was mowing and trimming over at Camden Place,” Faith said. “I got the video not long after we got there.”

“Why didn’t you call me or text me or something?”

Faith sighed. “I tried to,” she said. “I thought you didn’t answer my text because you knew I’d found out. If you’ll remember, Lost Pines doesn’t have the greatest cell service. There are dead zones by the river, near the butterfly garden.”

Destiny shook her head and released a deep breath. “Mr. Galloway never judged our projects,” she said.

“What?” Faith asked, surprised.

“The next day, he said you had to leave unexpectedly and gave your crew to Gloria.”

“That was fast,” Faith said.

“He was going to put Mark in charge, but he quit and went to work with you,” Destiny said. “I quit a week later.”

“Why? You would’ve had the most senior crew and could’ve picked your jobs.”

“No, I couldn’t,” Destiny said defensively. “He had those competitions, remember?”

“Yeah, but no one could come close to your creativity and knowledge,” Faith said.

“It didn’t matter.” Destiny stared at her hands. “I couldn’t stay there.” She swallowed the lump in her throat remembering the debilitating sadness she felt when she realized Faith had gone and wouldn’t talk to her.

“I saw Gloria today,” Faith said. “She’s working for one of the big firms now.”

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