Page 76 of Shifting Gears

Nora writes the new proposal anyway. She outlines a retrofitting plan for the warehouses. She even provides a few of her own prototypes with the most potential. Maybe it’s a pipe dream, but something in her needs to see it all on paper, even if the board is going to shout it down. She needs to have something to present when she gets back to Toronto, and it’s not going to be her original project. It can’t be.

Nora can only imagine the look on her father’s face if he knew she was planning to throw this amount of money away. The disappointment. If he were here, he’d tell her she was being frivolous and weak. He’d say she was squandering everything he left to her. He’d absolutely hate Dani.

Somehow, that idea makes Nora smile.

All of it marinates in Nora’s mind as her departure date approaches, and it stays with her as she cancels the moving van and emails Ash and Kayla to inform them of her intent to extend her trip. After sending the email, Nora has barely managed to close her laptop before her phone is vibrating.

“Hey, how are you, et cetera,” Kayla says as soon as Nora has accepted the call, her voice high and sharp. “Couple things to address: Firstly, what the fuck?”

Nora sighs, curling her legs underneath her as she switches her phone to the other ear. Dani is at work, and Nora has set up a mobile office on her back deck facing the water. “I just need two more weeks.”

Ash chimes in. “But you tell us in an email? Days before you’re supposed to be coming back?”

Nora winces. She’s agonized over this decision for days before making it at the last minute, and although she wishes she didn’t need to spring it on them, she doesn’t regret it at all.

She feels better already.

“I know. And I’m sorry,” Nora says, only half meaning it.

“We had board meetings set up! Debriefs!Press conferences!”Ash says, his voice getting consistently more high-pitched, but thankfully Kayla interrupts him before he builds up too much steam.

“What Ash means to say is, we’re really worried about you. Are you okay? It’s not like you to cancel things at the last minute like this.” Kayla does sound concerned, and Nora will grant her that it’s warranted—she isn’t exactly known for making last-minute selfish decisions.

“I’m fine, Kayla. I just need some more time.” It’s a half-truth, but it’s all Nora is comfortable admitting. Even to them. She needs more time to finish her new proposal, and she needs more time to say goodbye.

Not to mention that she still hasn’t told Dani the truth.

“All right,” Kayla says, but she sounds skeptical. “Much longer than two weeks and we might not be able to hold Renée off.”

“What’s my dear stepmother up to now?” Nora mutters, scrolling through the massive backlog of unread emails that probably contain the answer.

“The same thing she’s been doing all summer—questioning the necessity of your trip.” Kayla sighs. “And doing it loudly. Lately she’s taken to insinuating that you’ve been gone for so long because you’ve abandoned your job.”

“She’s always been dramatic,” Nora says distractedly. A glance at the clock tells her that it’s almost one o’clock, when Dani promised she’d stop by for lunch—Nora has a salad waitingin the fridge, which Dani had insisted she’d only eat if it had protein in it.

“It’s been four months,” Ash says flatly.

Nora pauses. Though intellectually she knows she’s been here since early May, it hasn’t felt like four months. It’ll be going on five by the time she gets home. If she were in Renée’s shoes, she’d probably be thinking the same thing.

“You haven’t abandoned us, have you?” Ash continues. “Youarecoming back?”

“Of course I am.”

“At this point, it seems like you want to stay there. If you do, just tell us so we can prepare properly,” Kayla says.

“I’m not staying forever,” Nora says quickly. “I’m coming back. Just…not yet. You’ll see me in September.”

The line goes quiet. She’s sure Ash and Kayla are having some sort of silent conversation.

“We’ll let the board know. You’re going to need to be ready for a fight,” Kayla finally says. “Renée has had a lot of time to butter them up to reject your project.”

“That’s fine,” Nora says absently. “I’m changing my project.”

The line explodes with noise.

“I’ll explain later,” Nora says loudly over their overlapping protests and questions, perking up when she hears the front door open and close and Dani’s boots hitting the mat. “I’ve got to go. Dani’s here for lunch.”

Nora hangs up before they can keep yelling.

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