Page 103 of Betting on the Brainiac

Madison looks at her like she can’t even believe she asked the question. “Because you’re still on their team. Still their spy and enforcer. Still think it’s more embarrassing that I run around in this fringe than it is for Dad to be greedy and unscrupulous.”

Kaitlyn is quiet for a while, petting Big Stripey. Finally, she says, “I should have figured that out sooner. About Dad. It didn’t click until I took a business law and ethics class last fall. The professor asked to meet with me before the semester started and let me know that she’d be using Jeneze as a case study of failed corporate ethics. Didn’t want me to be blindsided and said I could transfer to a different professor. I stayed.”

Madison doesn’t say anything to this. She keeps her eyes on Tabitha. Scratching. Scratching. Scratching.

“I started reading everything I could find on it,” Kaitlyn says. “It was messed up. I had no idea how much.”

“Then why do you still work for Armstrong Holdings?” Madison asks.

“Do you know what I do there?”

“Director of something, I’m sure. Marketing?” Madison guesses.

“I work for the compliance officer,” Kaitlyn says.

Whoa. I didn’t see that coming. The compliance officer makes sure a company is meeting all regulatory and legal requirements in every territory they operate in, as well as making sure employees are compliant with internal policies.

Madison knows it too, but she’s not giving an inch. “Sounds like having a fox guard the henhouse. But so fitting for you. Professional tattling.”

That was mean and low, and I keep my eyes on my mug and force myself to keep out of it.

Kaitlyn sets her mug on the coffee table and returns each kitten to the cat cave.

“You protested by bailing.” She stands. “I chose compliance because I want to make a difference. Take us back to the good intentions of Patricia Armstrong, before she died and Dad took over. Dad can’t pressure or bully me the way he could anyone else in that job because it won’t work on me. I’m working therefor a year, then going to law school so I can eventually become our chief compliance officer. Thanks for the coffee. Sorry I can’t finish it.”

She heads for the door, and I will Madison to stop Kaitlyn, to apologize, to dosomethingto acknowledge that her sister wants to be an ally in reforming the company. I’m about to burst and ask Kaitlyn to stay myself, but as she reaches the door, Madison finally speaks.

“I didn’t bail. I was hibernating until I could get the money to do something meaningful. When I get the rest of my trust, I’m going to use it to establish a victims’ fund for the factory collapse. You know I work at a fair-trade store?”

Kaitlyn nods.

“I’ve already started doing more with that. Like a community education initiative.”

“The library display?” Kaitlyn asks. When Madison gives her a surprised look, Kaitlyn adds, “Ruby told me. I go over there sometimes.”

“The library?”

“Your house. You aren’t there much.”

“Because I live here.”

Kaitlyn shrugs. “Your plan, your consequences.”

Madison takes a second with that, then goes back to her point. “I didn’t just rebel. I’ve been doing what I can, and the more money I get, the more I can do.”

“But is it as much as you can do?” Kaitlyn asks. “Because that’s the thing, Madison. You give all of yourself to your friends, and that’s it. Just the three other people in your house. Everyone and everything else gets some, never all. You’re all in fostering cats because sooner than later, they won’t be your problem anymore. You work a job where you get male attention without having to be in a relationship. You’ve even figured out how to have a temporary marriage.”

Madison’s eyes spit fire. “That is not fair—”

“Stop,” Kaitlyn says with a bite in her tone. “It is what it is. You do you, sis. I’m trying to change, but I can’t make you see that, and I definitely can’t make you want it for yourself. But you’re right about one thing: I used to be a tattler. Some of us outgrow our bad patterns. And since my therapist is going to ask, I’ll confess: Mom and Dad didn’t deputize me to check on your marriage. It sucked so much to have your wedding photos come to the house and not have been there. So I made up checking in as a reason to come see you. And I like your stupid kittens. And Ilove7-Eleven.”

She slams the door when she leaves, and Madison stares at it, jaw dropped.

Tabitha startles her by hopping from her lap, and Madison turns to look at me, summoning a smile that doesn’t quite stick. “I only need my mom to come over, and you’ll have seen every person in my family yell at me. But I swear to you, I am not the bad guy.”

“I could never think that about you,” I say.

“I need one of those post-family-fight hugs.” Her voice is light, but my heart hurts for her.

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