She shakes her head. “Don’t worry about me. This is your time. Just don’t give up without a fight.” She strides out of the bathroom.

Christina steps forward. “What can we do to help?”

I rub my jaw as I begin pacing. “If I’m going to present this idea to Marlen, I’m not limiting myself to the Galápagos. I’m scaling up. What if I proposed the creation of a company-wide conservation initiative that touches all of the regions we operate in? A major pivot toward ecotourism?”

“Like a company-wide rebranding campaign?” says Christina.

I nod.

Tory blows out a long breath. “That’s complicated. You’d need to identify organizations that we could partner with in every region, preferably nonprofits that overlap with our itineraries. Then there’s the cost of handling guest donations, and the legal framework to protect us from liability. We’d have to update the website, all of our printed materials…”

My shoulders slump.

Tory pulls out her cell and taps the screen. “One second, let me make a call. Hey, babe,” she says into her phone, and walks over to the far side of the bathroom, murmuring quietly.

My own phone dings. A notification has popped up. Lunch w/Walsh in 10 minutes. I shoot her a quick text, letting her know lunch may be off and to stand by.

Tory returns and slips her phone into her back pocket. “I told Michelle about your idea, and she says she’ll help. She can advise on some of the legal aspects and I’ll work the numbers.”

The bathroom door opens again and Barbara reappears. “I talked to Rose, Marlen’s executive assistant. I got you a meeting with Marlen this Thursday morning at ten. Sorry it’s so soon, but it was the only opening he had for the next two weeks.”

My heartbeat accelerates. That’s less than forty-eight hours from now. “Thanks, Barbara. You’re the best.”

“Planning meeting at your place tonight?” says Christina, pushing off from the counter and brushing her hands together. “Tory, does that work for you and Michelle?”

“Of course.”

“Barb, you in?” she adds.

Barbara nods. “Wouldn’t miss it.”

Three pairs of eyes study me expectantly, and I find my own misting. “You don’t know how much this means to me.” Lips quirking, Tory wraps an arm around me just as Christina does the same. I return the hugs. How did I get so lucky to have such good friends? “Tonight it is.”

My phone buzzes from my pocket. Walsh is calling. I answer. “Hey—”

“Hey yourself! What’s going on? What happened to lunch?”

“I found out about the promotion. I didn’t get it, but I’m moving to plan B. Christina, Tory, and some others are coming over later to help me prepare a presentation for our CEO.”

“Are you okay?”

With my sister by my side and my friends at my back…