“It’s such a spectacular view, isn’t it?” I say, leaning on the rail next to her.

“Not a place I ever thought I would be visiting when I grew up.” Cherie laughs to herself.

“Yeah, but we all know money isn’t everything. It doesn’t guarantee happiness. And for so many, money just makes them entitled assholes because they haven’t worked to get it. You, on the other hand, my friend, have earned the right to feel proud of what you’ve achieved, from what I’ve heard.”

Cherie shrugs her shoulders at me, and I can tell she doesn’t like to hear praise. “When you come from the bottom of the ladder, the only way is up, but you need to want to climb it. Don’t take the easy way out and jump off when you feel comfortable at that level. You need to keep climbing every single day.” Her words make so much sense, and I can tell why she is so good at working with the youth who are struggling to stay on the right side of the tracks.

“Besides, what about you? From what I know about the situation with your father, you had nothing either, and look at you now,” Cherie says, standing and turning around so the water is at her back and leaning against the railing.

Moving so we are standing the same way, I laugh. “True, but I also had Felisha to help me climb my ladder, and she would’ve picked me up if I fell.”

“Bullshit, you are a ball breaker. I’ve seen you in action when there is a crisis and the few times you have helped me out with things on the charity. You didn’t need her help. I can imagine you worked so hard on your own to get to where you are now. If you were shit at your job, no matter how good of a friend you were, Felisha wouldn’t have you as her second-in-charge. Own that.” There is something about Cherie that makes me feel empowered when she speaks.

“Thank you,” is all I can answer to that. But I know my time with just the two of us standing here on our own is running out, so I need to ask my questions.

“Can I talk to you about Forrest?” I blurt out.

She just smiles, takes another sip of her cocktail, and looks at me. “Let me guess. Because of the kind of man he is, he told you that he thought he felt something for me, but after I pushed back, he discovered we are totally wrong for each other. But you want to know my side of that. Do I want your man?” Just like I expected, Cherie is straight to the point, and that’s what I need.