Page 99 of What You Wish For

Duncan turned to look straight at me. “What about Kent Buckley?”

“Kent Buckley only thinks he’s in charge. The board is loyal to Babette. They’ll do anything she says.”

“So, what are you saying?”

And here’s where I had to work really hard to be convincing: “I’m saying your job is on the line. And she’s very tempted to fire you. But she won’t… if you agree to some simple terms.”

“What terms?”

“Well, one: She wants you to get into therapy.” I handed over the business card of Babette’s guy.

Duncan took it. Looked down at it. Read it.

Wow. Life sure was easy when you had Babette in your corner.

I nodded. “Two, she wants you to lay off with the changes to theschool—for now. Just put all that stuff on the back burner. No more painting things gray.”

Duncan studied me for a second, then let out a breath, and said, “Okay.”

Looking back, it was maybe a little too easy to get him on board.

But at the time, I just thought,Everything in life should go this smoothly.

“And three,” I said, “she wants you to promise that every single day, you will do one thing that she asks you to do.”

“Like what?”

“Probably something small, like eat a bowl of ice cream.”

“Babette wants me to eat a bowl of ice cream?”

“Or do other things. Maybe something bigger.”

“Bigger, like what?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. Swim in the ocean, maybe? Go fishing? Play mini-golf?”

Duncan frowned.

“Nothing terrible. She’s not going to ask you to murder anyone or anything.”

Duncan considered it.

“Not to be pushy, but I’m not really sure you have much choice here.”

“Because if I don’t agree to her terms, she’ll fire me?”

I wrinkled my nose in sympathy. “Kinda. Yeah.”

Duncan closed his eyes, then looked at me. “Is this for real?”

I suppose, if you hadn’t been at the brainstorming session, this might seem a little random. I shrugged. “It’s not forever. Just the spring semester.”

“What happens after that?”

“Good question. She reserves the right to fire you, anyway. But maybe she won’t. She’ll definitely fire you right now if you don’t go along with it, though. So: worth it to take the deal.”

“What is this called? Is this extortion?” He thought about it. “Bribery? Blackmail?”

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