Chapter Twenty-Four

After a week of psyching herself up about living alone in her very grown-up apartment, Gray had expected to spend the evening after her date leisurely unpacking and celebrating her big step. But instead, she spent it with Veronica. Remembering her evening with Veronica. Wondering what Veronica was doing now. Noticing the smell of Veronica on her sheets. Imagining Veronica's kisses still lingering on her skin.

At first, Gray was floating on air. Her? Having this erotic dream of an evening with that Veronica? When she'd had no idea Veronica was even queer a mere six hours ago? Who'd have guessed?

Slowly, that elation drifted into a few heavier questions. Why had Veronica decided to go on a date with Gray? And what was up with that whole "just friends" thing? Was it simply a congenial good time, and nothing between them would change? Was that even possible? Would it really happen again? Would Gray survive if it didn't?

Lying in bed, bewildered, Gray eventually looked at her phone to see it was almost 1 a.m. Her calendar app had flipped over to Tuesday, April 1. She wondered for a moment if it had all been some kind of elaborate April Fool's Day joke. Well, if it was, she couldn't be too upset about a joke that made her climax multiple times. That was the kind of punch line she could appreciate.

Then she realized: April. Gray's birthday was only three days away. The end of her zodiac dating project was looming, and she'd essentially forgotten about it since she first set eyes on Veronica at City Park. Even when she'd joked about Aquariuses, it hadn't fully connected in Gray's head that the challenge was almost over. She was now only one date away from Saturn return, from realizing her romantic destiny.

Wait. Was this her romantic destiny? Had Saturn return been guiding Gray toward Veronica all along? It made sense, in a way. She'd met Veronica the day after her first date. They'd planted the seeds of friendship over Gray's dating hijinks. It had blossomed into something more at the exact moment of her Aquarius date. Their connection had been undeniable. And Veronica was what Gray wanted in a partner: brilliant, funny, gorgeous, passionate, responsible, and a great parent.

Did Gray even really need to go on that last date with a Pisces? Hadn't she found what she was looking for already? This was the happily ever after the planets wanted her to find, wasn't it? She'd come to Madame Nouvelle Lune with a question, and she'd finally found her answer, just days short of her birthday. Gray grabbed her phone and deleted the Mercurious app. There. Goodbye forever, dating apps. She'd gone on her last first date.

For a moment, right as she drifted off to sleep, she could almost believe that the pillow tucked behind her back was Veronica, still holding on to Gray as they breathed in rhythm.

The next morning dawned overcast and damp. Gray wondered for a moment as she dressed how the Singing Oak's chimes sounded in the rain.

Despite the weather and a pronounced lack of sleep, Gray had a bounce in her step when she arrived at the SCCA administrative office building, ready to focus on an enrollment campaign for the elementary school. The middle school board drama had taken up most of Gray's time since starting her new job. It was refreshing to redirect her focus for a little while. She pushed aside her rolling chair in favor of her large blue balance ball and settled in at her desk, bouncing softly from left to right. Sunlight from the window behind Gray usually made her small office feel larger, cramped as it was with file cabinets and bookshelves that apparently couldn't be stored anywhere else in the building. But today, nothing could bring Gray down, not the gray sky or her full inbox or the decades' worth of the historical school documents cluttering her space.

The morning went by in a pleasant haze. Gray had almost forgotten about the threatening clouds by the time she made it to the building's front door to pick up dumplings from her favorite food truck. She had to turn back for her umbrella.

"Gray!" said Dr. Donovan's assistant, Patty, when she spotted Gray coming down the hallway. "There you are. Dr. Donovan needs to see you."

"I'm headed out to lunch," Gray said breezily as she pulled her umbrella from a hook on her office door. "Can I catch him later?"

It wasn't until Gray was closer that she noticed the tense look on Patty's face. "Your lunch will have to wait," Patty said.

"Oh." Gray dropped her umbrella on the floor and backed out of her doorway. "All right, then. Thanks, Patty." As she walked to the opposite corner of the building, Gray's mood darkened, wondering what had gone wrong with the board or the parents' group or alumni this time. She wished the spring festival were over with so they could stop talking about who was and wasn't protesting which parts of it and how they planned to respond. Then again, Gray knew that's why she'd been hired in the first place: to be a voice of calm in the storm.

As she reached the end of the hall and the door to Dr. Donovan's corner office, Gray put on her most competent and relaxed facial expression, ready to save the day. "Hi, Dr. Donovan, Patty said you wanted to see— Oh. Hello, Ver— Principal Taylor." Gray's smile faltered for only a moment upon seeing Veronica already seated across the desk from the superintendent. Veronica barely looked at her before turning back toward Dr. Donovan. Although the way Gray smoothly dropped into the chair next to her seemed completely normal, she could feel the temperature of her skin rise a couple of degrees simply being in the same room as Veronica. She mentally swatted aside images of Veronica's bare skin between the buttons of that green dress, trying with all her might to focus on whatever it was Dr. Donovan had already started to say.

"…highly inadvisable, the timing couldn't be worse. I have no problem with it, of course, but the optics are difficult to manage, wouldn't you say?" he said, fiddling with the end of his tie.

Gray noticed as she looked at Dr. Donovan, trying to catch up to whatever conversation was already midstream, that she'd never seen him look so uncomfortable before. And that was saying something, as "uncomfortable" seemed to be his resting state.

"Sorry, what are we talking about here?" Gray asked when she realized he was staring at her and waiting for a response.

Dr. Donovan cleared his throat and swallowed, then gestured between Gray and Veronica with an open palm. "Your relationship."

Gray's heart pounded in her ears for a brief moment, thinking the superintendent was talking about their newly discovered romance. Reason quickly took over. There was no way he could know about that, unless he was having them tailed. "Our professional relationship? Couldn't be better, I'd say. We're on the same page and have been making great progress with getting the website and advertising copy in line with the new curriculum goals—"

"Gray," Veronica said quietly. Gray looked to her right to see Veronica give her one swift shake of the head.

Dr. Donovan sighed heavily, then turned his computer monitor so Gray and Veronica could both see the screen. The first thing Gray noticed was the beautiful sunset, the leafy green oaks, the bright colors like a scene in a movie. But then she noticed the couple kissing on the picnic blanket at the bottom of the image. Not just kissing, but making out. And not just any couple, but…Veronica and Gray.

"Where did you get this?" Veronica asked, her voice carefully controlled.

"A parent of a student at the high school," Dr. Donovan said. "They emailed it to me and the board president. Said they saw the two of you at City Park yesterday evening and found the situation highly unprofessional."

"First of all," Veronica said, a fiery edge to her voice, "it's a complete invasion of privacy to take a picture of anyone in an intimate moment like this, and even more inappropriate to email it around with wild accusations. And second, there's no way to prove that's us." Veronica pointed toward the figures at the bottom of the screen. "You can't even see their faces."

Dr. Donovan hit a button and a second image appeared. It seemed the photographer had moved slightly farther down the walking path around the pond, now aiming the camera from closer to Gray's and Veronica's feet. From this angle, you could clearly see the shaved side of Gray's head and her nose ring, and while Veronica's face was partially obscured by her hair, it was clearer than in the first photo. Even more damning was the St.Charles Collegiate Academy tote bag at her feet. And even worse than that, Veronica had her knee pressed between Gray's legs, giving a shadowy view under her sundress.

"For god's sake, take that away," said Veronica, turning from the computer screen.

Dr. Donovan's face showed that he didn't want to be having this conversation any more than the two of them. "I believe it will be rather challenging to refute that the two of you are in these images," he said as he clicked out of the window and shifted his computer monitor back to its normal position. "Especially seeing as the parent who took the photos says she recognized both of you, Principal Taylor from when her child was in your history class in middle school, Ms. Young from the focus groups last week."

Veronica and Gray sat in tense silence, neither making eye contact with the other. Gray could feel her cheeks burning. The branches of the oak hanging over them had made the moment feel so private. Gray had never envisioned the consequences of their actions coming to such a terrible head.

"While there's technically nothing stopping you from pursuing a romantic relationship," Dr. Donovan said slowly, "it does create an opportunity for criticism. Some might call it—or rather, already are calling it—a conflict of interest. Inappropriate. Not to mention…other more political comments."

"Because we're two women," Veronica said, saving Dr. Donovan from having to admit this point of contention himself.

Gray closed her eyes and dropped her head even farther toward her chest. She caught herself before saying "Fuck," instead releasing air on the F sound and then going silent.

"Well, there's quite an easy solution for this, then," Veronica said after a moment, sitting up straighter in her wooden chair. Gray and Dr. Donovan both turned to look at her, surprised. "It never happens again. We tell everyone what it was—a shortsighted mistake. We apologize, and eventually it goes away."

Gray turned to Veronica, feeling a bit like she'd just been slapped upside the head. A shortsighted mistake?

"That's one option," Dr. Donovan said. "However, I think you might be underestimating the board's memory. At least the memory of certain members, who I don't see letting this go so easily. The pictures have already been making the rounds among the board members and parents and alumni who are…less than supportive of your mission, Principal Taylor. I've heard rumors there's already a petition for your removal being circulated."

Veronica's shoulders fell, and Gray saw a look of shock cross her face. They all sat in silence for a moment, letting Dr. Donovan's statement wash over them. All of those people had seen photos of Gray and Veronica's passionate moment. It felt only slightly less invasive than if someone had managed to catch a snapshot of them later in Gray's apartment.

After a moment, Gray felt a sense of calm wash over her as the answer became clear. "I'll be right back," she said before dashing out of the office, leaving the confused faces of Veronica and Dr. Donovan behind her.

It took less than ten minutes for Gray to sweep back in, interrupting the principal and superintendent's discussion of potential options, which seemed fruitless so far. Gray dropped a sheet of paper, still warm from the printer, onto Dr. Donovan's desk.

Dr. Donovan pulled a pair of bifocals from the inner pocket of his suit jacket and put them on to inspect the few sentences in the letter.

"What is that?" Veronica asked.

Finishing reading the statement, Dr. Donovan nodded. "Well, this is probably the cleanest solution, although I regret it had to come to this," he said, then stood up from his desk and tucked the sheet of paper into a file folder. "I'll take this to HR immediately and proceed with next steps." He offered his large palm to Gray, and she shook it firmly. "It's been a pleasure, Ms. Young. Up until now, of course."

"Thank you for the opportunity, Dr. Donovan," Gray said, her voice lighter and more confident than she expected it could be in a moment like this.

"Wait," Veronica said, realization dawning. "What's going on? You're not—"

Dr. Donovan had already reached his doorway. "I trust you know what to do, Ms. Young."

"Yes, I'll be out before the end of the hour," Gray said. "I hope I can count on you for a reference?"

"A glowing one," Dr. Donovan said with a small smile and nod, clearly pleased to have a troublesome problem so quickly solved.

Once his shadow cleared from the door, Gray started to follow him, but Veronica grabbed her sleeve and stood to block the door. "Gray, what was that? Please don't tell me—"

"My resignation letter," Gray said simply, then tried to step around Veronica. "If you'll excuse me, I need to go pack up my office."

Veronica placed a hand on each side of the doorframe, trying to make her petite body as much of an impediment to Gray's exit as possible. "No. You can't do this."

"I already did." Gray lifted one of Veronica's arms and slid past her.

Veronica chased after her down the hall, taking two quick steps in her heels for each of Gray's confident strides. "Gray, stop. There must be another answer! Take a moment to think about this."

"I did," Gray said. "And I made my decision." She pushed open the door to her office, and Veronica followed her inside.

"Gray, you can't just quit like this. You can't let them win," Veronica said, more ruffled than Gray had ever seen her before. In a professional context, at least.

Gray found an SCCA-branded backpack she'd been given at orientation in the bottom drawer of a filing cabinet. She unzipped it and began collecting her personal items, but Veronica kept trying to get between Gray and her desk.

"There must be something else we can do, something that will let you keep doing your job. We tell them it's photoshopped, it's a deepfake. Or we tell them the truth. It's not a relationship, it was a momentary lapse in judgment."

Gray felt a jab in the ribs at that, knowing a relationship was exactly what she was hoping would come next. Calling it a lapse in judgment was a massive oversimplification of a night that Gray felt certain would change the course of her life. In fact, it already had. "It's the only way, Veronica," Gray said, shifting past her to collect her framed diploma from the University of Tulsa from the back wall. "You know how set some of these board members and parents are against you. There's no way they'd just let it go. At this point, how many people have already seen the photos? Do you want to have to go in front of the entire SCCA community to argue for our right to be together?"

Veronica moved to block Gray's path away from the back wall. "You can't make this decision for the both of us. At least give us a minute to think through alternatives."

"The faster we put an end to the speculation, the sooner you'll be able to get back to doing your job," Gray said. "You're the principal. You're the visionary for this whole school. Those kids need you to keep doing what you're doing. And me, us, this…" Gray pointed from her chest to Veronica's. "I can't let it ruin your credibility. You're too important to me."

"But you're doing the work too," Veronica said urgently. "You're making a difference for those kids too."

"Without me, you find another PR person, and I find some other job, and SCCA goes on," Gray said, placing the framed diploma on the ground. "Without you, the board replaces you with some puppet principal they control. All the curriculum changes you've fought for, all the scholarships and initiatives to bring in new students and teachers, all the updates to the mission to make it more inclusive and equitable, it all just disappears." She moved around her desk and grabbed Veronica's hands between them. "And besides. If I don't work with you anymore, there's nothing to stop us from being together."

"Together," Veronica said, staring down at Gray's fingers wrapped around her own.

"Yes. We can go on another date. A hundred dates. Don't you see? This is what Madame Nouvelle Lune said, this is what Saturn return was leading me—"

"Stop talking about fucking astrology," Veronica said abruptly. "All you can think about is your horoscope and your frivolous dates and your theoretical future kids. The work you're doing here actually matters, but you only care about your imaginary family that's too perfect to ever really exist. You're giving up on SCCA for an unrealistic dream."

Gray scoffed, trying to hide the hurt she felt from Veronica's stab. "Of course I'm not giving up. If you know me at all, you know I don't just give up on things when the going gets tough."

"Maybe I don't know you at all," Veronica said. "And maybe you don't know me either. We've both just blown up our lives and you've quit your job for someone you slept with one time."

Gray whipped around to face Veronica, her packing forgotten. "How can you say I don't know you at all? Sure, I may not know your every secret, but after last night, surely you can see we've got a connection. And I'm doing this because of that, because being together is our destiny."

"Don't," Veronica said, her voice heavy with emotion. "Don't do that, don't make this your big romantic gesture. I want to do my job, and I need you as my colleague to do it."

"But you care about this job, and I care about you, and I can't let you get pushed out or fired from something that means so much to you. You matter to me, way more than SCCA, way more than a paycheck, even though I…God, I just signed a lease. But I'll figure it out, because you're what matters. You matter more to me than anyone I've met since I moved here, more than—"

"It's too much!" Veronica said. "This is exactly what I don't want, this responsibility and guilt hanging over my head because you care about me too much."

Gray was caught off guard by Veronica's reaction. "I'm not trying to make you feel guilty, I'm trying to fix this mess we've gotten ourselves into," she said defensively.

Veronica backed away toward the door. "This was all such a huge mistake," she said, sounding as if she was talking more to herself than to Gray. "I've got a daughter to raise, a school to manage, so many students who count on me. I can't believe I let myself get so wrapped up in this, in one night of regrets."

Gray followed her, touching Veronica's cheek tenderly. "I don't regret a thing, Veronica," she said softly. "I wouldn't take back last night for anything."

"Yeah, well, I would," Veronica said, twitching her head away from Gray's hand. "You've got this whole happy ending mapped out, but it's not my happy ending. I don't want a new spouse and a ton of kids and a white picket fence. I want to help navigate this school into the future, and I can't do that while living out some little fairy tale you made up."

A curl of hurt twisted in Gray's chest. "We can have both," she said, trying to ignore Veronica's argument. "I'll find some other PR job, you'll keep doing amazing work with the students. It will blow over in no time, and we'll still—"

"We'll do nothing," Veronica said. She grabbed the doorknob, determined, cold in her classic professional way. "You're quitting, so it's all up to me now. You'll go off on your frothy little dating adventure, living your fancy-free sitcom life, and I'll be here picking up the pieces."

"Veronica, stop," Gray said. "You know there's more to it than that. And I want to help you!"

"You've done enough," Veronica said over her shoulder before slamming Gray's office door behind her.