“No problem.” Jake bent to his knees so he could look Eddy in the eyes. “I’ve got a niece about your age who likes to scooter. And you know what I’ve told her? She can scooter ahead, but she has to stop where the buildings stop. Then if she misses the brake, that gives her time to find it. What do you think about trying that?”

Eddy nodded. Audrey found herself nodding as well; that was good advice.

“Thank you both again,” the mom said. Audrey just waved it off. She felt guilty that she hadn’t moved fast enough—that she’d been stuck in shock.

“No worries. I’ve had practice with scooter crises.” Jake looked embarrassed at the mom’s gratitude. The light changed, and he quickly crossed.

Audrey followed him, still quivering from the near-accident. Her phone rang again. This time, it was Winnie.

“Hey, what’s the important news?”

“I heard a rumor that litigation isn’t doing well. They might only make two partners instead of four. I was going to wait and tell you tomorrow because you deserve a night off, but then I thought I’d better call you.”

Audrey stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. “That’s not good.” Only two? All this effort and I’m not even going to make it? She leaned against a stone wall of the steps of a brownstone, her leg muscles jittery. “But Tim and I got the Popflicks case.”

“It’s not going to be enough. Two cases suddenly settled, so that means Colette and several other attorneys are no longer billing those crazy amounts, except that Colette is sure to get on another case soon. She’s not one to sit around,” Winnie said. Colette had joined the firm two years ago. She’d rebuffed Audrey’s friendly overtures; they were both in consideration for partner, but she was friendly with Tim.

“That’s game-changing.” She had to do more, but she was already working more cases than anyone else. And if she made partner, it would be even worse. She sank down onto the steps. Her hand gripped her phone tightly, as she stared down at the paper garbage littering the street.

Audrey shook her head. She had to think positively. It wouldn’t be worse. She would make it—be judged and found to merit becoming a partner with the best and brightest legal minds of the country. It was the final rung on the ladder. She would prove herself as one of them. She took a deep breath, stood, and strode forward. Eyes on the prize. Don’t be deterred by doubts. Her mom’s favorite expression, other than “be nice.” Kevin had often imitated her mom saying that, and not in a nice way.

Kevin, who she’d broken up with four years ago, who’d said she’d never make partner.