The law offices of Genereux, Meyers, Ennis & Young were in a medium-size building in midtown. I had been here a lot when I was younger—back when I was thrilled to spend time, while my dad was working, in a conference room with a stack of papers, coloring diligently and telling anyone who passed by about the important work that I was doing. When I’d outgrown my coloring phase and moved into middle school, I’d still liked to go to the office—even just doing my homework while I waited for my dad felt somehow exciting. There was something about working in wood-paneled offices, with shelves and shelves of uniform law books all surrounding me, that made doing English or social studies homework seem somehow elevated.

But as we approached the building, and Matty pulled the door open for me, it was hitting me that it had been a while since I’d been there. The lobby was the same as ever—fairly stark, white marble, and a guard behind a desk reading the Post.

“Hi,” Matty said, giving a winning smile. “I’m here to pick up something from my mom’s office. Joy Lampitoc?” The guard just raised an eyebrow at him but didn’t say anything. “She said she would call,” Matty said after a pause, glancing at me, his expression clearly saying ruh-roh. My stomach clenched. Were we, now that we were on the verge of finally getting the keys, going to be stymied at the very last minute?

“Lemme check on that,” the guard said, closing the paper and turning away from us as he picked up the phone.

“Welcoming place,” Matty said quietly to me.

“Yeah,” I said, silently praying that this would all be resolved, and soon. Whatever her flaws, Joy really did seem on top of things—so hopefully this was just a failure to communicate. “I hope I don’t have to go through this every day this spring.”

Matty frowned at me. “Why would you?”

“Oh—I’m applying for an internship here,” I said, standing up a little straighter as I said it.

“Oh?” His expression hadn’t become less confused at this explanation.

I nodded. “It would be great to have on my CV. I’m hoping to get into Northwestern, prelaw. Double major in history and political science, then straight to Harvard Law.”

Matty looked taken aback by this. “Wow. That’s—quite a plan.”

“Thanks,” I said, giving him a smile, even though I wasn’t sure he entirely meant it as a compliment.

“Northwestern, then Harvard for law school,” he said slowly. “Isn’t that the same thing Stephen did?”

I flexed my toes in my unfamiliar boots and crossed my arms. This was hitting a little too close to what Kat had said in the subway. “Yeah,” I said, not liking at all the defensive tone that was coming into my voice. “So?”