“Okay, first things first,” Caitlin says. “I have to tell you something.” She looks at me. “When you first hear it, you’re not going to like it. That’s a given. But I think you might be grateful to me once it sinks in.”

I arch up my eyebrows. “What is it?”

“I went behind your back at work. I talked to Jack, found out who this week’s guest was on your show. Was relieved to learn it was Harriet Wilton because she and I were on this panel together not long ago. Long story short, I asked her if, as a personal favor to me, she would be willing to postpone the recording of her interview until Friday. She said yes. It’s all arranged. You can take Thursday morning off. I know you’re going to despise me for this for all of five minutes, after which you will want to hug me for five days. Only you won’t be able to because you will be otherwise engaged.”

My mouth droops open of its own accord. “You did what?”

Caitlin turns to Josephine. “I told you so.”

“Caitlin, this is my work. You can’t just mess with that. You can’t just talk to Jack, let alone Harriet Wilton and arrange all of this behind my back. That is just completely…” I’m more stupefied than angry.

“The only reason I did it is because I knew you would never do it yourself and you would surely regret it,” Caitlin says. “Some things are more important than work. They just are, Zo.” She locks her eyes on mine. “And yes, I know I had no right. But I did it anyway. I did it for you, because you are my friend.”

“Am I understanding this correctly?” Camille asks. “You will have Thursday morning off?” Her smile is so wide but at the same time, if the dim lights of the restaurant are not playing tricks on me, I can spot the onset of tears in her eyes.

“Looks like it.” I can’t say anything else. I can’t tell Caitlin off when Camille looks at me like this as a result of her actions. I’ll hash it out with her later.

“What did you tell Jack?”

“I just told him I needed you for something very personal on Thursday morning, which isn’t even a lie.”

I shake my head. “I still can’t believe you would go behind my back like that.” I look at Josephine to gauge what she thinks of all of this, but she just sits there smiling as broadly as Caitlin. They must have concocted this plan together.

“Thank you very much,” Camille says. “I would have been happy with even an hour extra.”