Girls with Bright Futures

by Tracy Dobmeier

  You are one courageous young woman.

  All the best,

  Jack

  P.S. Any thoughts about the family question yet?

  34

  Alicia

  From: EBA College Counseling, Tuesday, December 15, 6:30 a.m.

  To: EBA Senior Class Parents and Guardians

  Subject: Sensitivity during College Decision Season

  Dear Senior Class Parents and Guardians,

  As colleges begin to release their early admissions decisions, we ask that you please keep in mind this is a sensitive time for many students. Many will receive a rejection from at least one school over the course of the admissions season, and some will be rejected from several top choices. While we understand you may feel invested in your student’s college journey, remember that come fall, their dorm room will not be big enough to accommodate you or your ego. This is a solo flight, Amelia Earhart–style.

  While you may express your pride in the privacy of your own homes, we ask that you be mindful of our community values and beg you to refrain from: (1) public boasting about your student’s accomplishments, (2) gossiping about other students’ results, and (3) making value judgments on various schools. Never forget—one student’s safety school is another student’s dream.

  We are confident that all our seniors will end up at very fine institutions of higher education. Please be the adults in the room.

  The EBA College Counseling Team

  P.S. Our office will be handing out treats to seniors this week (Chocolate Hugs & Kisses, Smarties, Nerds, Good & Plenty, 100 Grand bars, Starburst, Sour Patch Kids, Now and Later, etc.—you get the idea). All will be nut-free. Please do not complain to us about giving your kids candy. Trust us: sugar will be the least of your concerns next year when your students are navigating daily life without your helpful guidance.

  * * *

  Pacing around her office, Alicia repeatedly checked her phone to make sure the volume was turned up and that she’d turned off Do Not Disturb mode. Her eyes lit on the red bag with the giant Stanford “S” sitting on the conference table. Festooned with matching tissue paper, ribbons, and bows, the bag had been filled by her assistant, Charlotte, with nearly every item offered on the Stanford University Bookstore website in anticipation of Brooke’s acceptance. Maren never would have assembled such a garish-looking gift, but it would have crossed the line to delegate this task to her longtime personal assistant.

  When her phone finally rang and displayed the magic 650 area code, her heart raced. “Hello, this is Alicia Stone.” She hadn’t been this eager since the day she’d walked into the Aspyre boardroom knowing she was about to receive the offer to become CEO.

  “Mrs. Stone, this is Pauline Danforth. I’m the assistant to Assistant Provost Martin at Stanford University.”

  Why was Stanford’s version of Double Ass calling her? She’d expected the call would come from the director of admissions or even the president. Not some low-level secretary. Maybe her job was to get Alicia on the line. “Hello, Pauline, how are you?”

  “Fine, thank you, ma’am. I’m calling today about your daughter Brooke’s application to Stanford,” Pauline said.

  “Great,” Alicia said. Was no one else getting on the phone?

  “OK. Stanford received more applications than ever for next year’s incoming class. This is by far the most diverse group of applicants coming from all fifty states and nearly seventy countries. We are looking for students who will bring their diverse experiences, backgrounds, and cultures to our university.”

  Was she reading from a goddamn script? “Pauline, can we just skip ahead to the part about Brooke?”

  “I’m sorry,” Pauline said. “I was told I have to read everything in a certain order.”

  “Fine.” Alicia slumped over her desk with her phone pressed to her ear while Pauline recited the rest of the boilerplate admissions mumbo jumbo.

  “OK, here’s the part you’ve been waiting for,” Pauline said. Alicia could hear her opening an envelope. “Brooke is a remarkable young woman. She was certainly a unique applicant, and it was our pleasure to get to know her through the admissions process.”

  Alicia pressed her lips together in anticipation.

  “However, at this time, Brooke’s application has been deferred,” Pauline read. “Including scholar athletes, Stanford will be accepting several Elliott Bay Academy students as part of the early admissions process. Should any one of these students choose not to enroll at Stanford, the university would be pleased to offer that spot to Brooke.”

  “Are you kidding me?” Alicia exploded. “After everything I’ve done for Stanford, this is how my daughter is treated? This is how I’m treated? You’re going to let in a bunch of dumbass athletes but not the daughter of a trustee who’s given the school a massive donation? This is completely unacceptable. I demand to talk to the director of admissions.”

  “Ma’am, I can pass your message along. Best of luck to you and your daughter.”

  Alicia opened her mouth to argue, but she heard the telltale three beeps. Whoever this Pauline was, she’d ended the call. Dashing to her private bathroom, Alicia slammed the door and proceeded to let rip every single expletive she knew, but her profane vocabulary was inadequate to the task. She stared at her crazed reflection in the mirror. How was this fucking possible?

  * * *

  Alicia sat atop her bed to watch the maelstrom unfold firsthand in a secret EBA Facebook group set up as a supposed parental “safe space.” Like a lion hunting her prey, she waited for the lucky Stanford winner to reveal her good fortune.

  EBA PARENTS SECRET FACEBOOK GROUP

  This is a SECRET group, for parents of EBA seniors ONLY. Share your college results here! Acceptances, rejections, questions, final decisions all welcome! DO NOT invite any EBA faculty to this page…we don’t want to get busted!

  Robin Riley: OK EBA Moms! I’ll start the ball rolling! No big surprise because Alexis received her likely letter from Harvard months ago, but it’s official! She’s still not 100% sure crimson’s her color, so she might end up tossing in a few more applications for regular decision. Who knows!?! I highly recommend D1 recruitment! Makes the whole college process so much less stressful.

  COMMENTS:

  Donna Peterson: Congrats! What a superstar! Between Alexis and Winnie, hope there’ll be a few spots left at top schools for the rest of us poor schmucks

  Barbara Jackson: Jason got into Tufts! If Alexis goes to Harvard, they can meet up in Beantown!!!

  Robin Riley: Congrats to Jason! It’s a trek from Cambridge to Tufts, but maybe they’ll be on the same flights to Boston?

  Barbara Jackson: Jason should be so lucky

  Sarah Silver: Did anyone else get into Middlebury? Hannah’s hoping she’ll have some buddies in Vermont!

  Laura Simms: I heard Scottie Chapman got rejected from Princeton. Too bad—he’s a great kid. His parents must be super bummed with both of them alums and all. Gotta be an athlete to win the big prizes!

  COMMENTS:

  Robin Riley: Well…a SCHOLAR athlete anyway!

  Sarah Silver: Ha! Touché! I forget—did Alexis take AP math & science or just regular? Just want to know what’s possible for kid #2

  Amanda Russell: OMG! OMG! I was so sure Audrey wouldn’t get in anywhere that I went a little crazy! We spent a fortune visiting 15 schools—most of them twice! Once to get a feel and show early interest and the second time to do the full-court press, meeting with classics professors, orchestra program heads, interviewing, etc. So proud of how hard we worked on her cello supplement—it was a masterpiece! Even after all that, I was still certain she’d get in nowhere (or be stuck going somewhere like Boston College or Occidental—not that they’re bad schools, they’re just not a fit for Audrey). Silly me! She got into Duke! We are just beyond shocked and thrilled!

 
; COMMENTS:

  Holly Strong: Rockstar!

  Sarah Silver: Anyone know if Greer Wagoner got into Vanderbilt?

  COMMENTS:

  Augusta Wagoner: Bless your heart for being concerned, Sarah. As a matter of fact, Greer did get into Vanderbilt and will carry on the Wagoner family tradition. #soproud

  Jennifer Tan: Lily got into Wash U! We’re so excited!

  COMMENTS:

  Amanda Russell: That’s amazing! Where is Wash U again? Is that in eastern Washington?

  Jennifer Tan: No, St. Louis. It’s Washington University in St. Louis.

  Sarah Silver: Oh! Is that dangerous? Isn’t that near Ferguson?

  Amanda Russell: Jeez, Sarah! Is Yale too dangerous? Or Columbia? What’s wrong with you?

  Sarah Silver: Oh, good point! Congrats to Lily!

  Amanda Russell: Breaking news! Brooke Stone just posted on Instagram she was deferred by Stanford.

  “What the fucking hell?” Alicia said out loud to no one in particular. Bryan was in bed next to her with headphones on, watching a Netflix show and not interested in hearing any of the comments that were so backhanded and cutting they belonged on Centre Court at Wimbledon.

  Livid, Alicia threw back the covers and stomped down the hall to Brooke’s room. “Are you fucking insane?” she yelled at Brooke, who was in bed typing away on her phone. “What were you thinking posting our most humiliating news on social media?”

  Brooke snorted. “It’s only humiliating to one of us.”

  “We’re going to get you in there one way or another. When we do, do you really want the whole goddamn world knowing you got in off the waitlist?” Alicia gripped the doorknob. “Delete that Instagram post. Now. Or I’ll have my IT team shut down your account.”

  “Go for it,” Brooke said with a smirk. “Wish them luck finding my Finsta.”

  “What are you talking about? What’s that?”

  Brooke just grinned.

  Alicia slammed Brooke’s door, returned to bed, and hit Refresh.

  Diana Taylor: Tenley is going to Stanford! Hooray!!!! So proud of my beautiful girl!!

  COMMENTS:

  Peggy Wainwright: Holy crap! Congrats! But I thought Tenley applied early to Brown?

  Diana Taylor: Changed her mind at the very last minute. Crazy!

  Kelly Vernon: WTAF!!!!! DIANA YOU’RE SUCH A BACKSTABBING BITCH! YOU LIED TO EVERYONE ABOUT BROWN! RESPECT THO—YOU PULLED OFF THE COLLEGE HEIST OF THE CENTURY. CAN’T BELIEVE I MISSED IT! FUCK YOU!

  Maren Pressley: Congrats to Tenley, Diana Taylor! Must have been two spots after all. Winnie got in too!

  Kelly Vernon: OH FUCK NO! CAN’T BELIEVE WINNIE GOT AWAY WITH LYING ABOUT A FIRST-GEN HOOK. EVERYONE KNOWS YOU FUCKING WENT TO COLLEGE, Maren Pressley. GO HOOSIERS!

  Kelly Vernon: WHAT ELSE DID YOU LIE ABOUT??

  Kelly Vernon: OH WAIT…LET ME GUESS

  Kelly Vernon: DID YOU WAIVE YOUR USUAL ESCORT FEE FOR THE STANFORD ADMISSIONS DIRECTOR IN EXCHANGE FOR WINNIE GETTING IN?

  Kelly Vernon: LOOK AT THIS CUTE LAPD MUGSHOT I FOUND! WAS IT JUST LIKE ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK?

  Tenley Taylor: Hey lovely ladies…this site isn’t as secret as you think

  Tenley Taylor: Gee, I wonder if this had anything to do with me getting into Stanford: Taylor Family Foundation Donates $30 Million to Stanford Center for Entrepreneurial Studies

  Tenley Taylor: Thanks, Mom and Dad, for gifting me a school I didn’t even want to go to

  Tenley Taylor: Come to think of it, all you parents suck. Don’t you agree Ted Clark, EBA Senior Class?

  Ted Clark: I order this page to be taken down immediately. Kelly Vernon, you and your family are hereby referred to the EBA disciplinary board for possible expulsion pending review of multiple egregious violations of EBA community values.

  “FUUUUUUCK!” Alicia yelled. “There were two spots, and Brooke didn’t even get one of them?”

  “What?” Bryan pulled out one earbud.

  “Tenley got into Stanford!” she sniped.

  “I thought she applied to Brown?” he said.

  “That scheming, underhanded, calculating bitch,” Alicia said, clicking on the link Tenley included in her post. “Brooke blabbed to Tenley about my $15 million donation. I saw it in a text. Diana must have found out and bought the fucking spot right out from under me for $30 million. No wonder she’s been avoiding me.”

  “No shit,” Bryan said.

  Bristling at the tone of respect in her husband’s voice for Diana’s brazen move, Alicia pushed her reading glasses up on her head and slammed her laptop closed. “By the way, Winnie got in too. What a massive fucking betrayal after everything I’ve done for them.”

  Bryan didn’t register the Winnie news. Or maybe he didn’t care at this point. He had already put his earbud back in and returned his attention to the screen balanced on his knees. Alicia was pleased she’d at least refrained from posting something embarrassing in the online melee like Kelly, thus averting a PR disaster, but that was about the only silver lining.

  Sliding out of bed, Alicia crossed the hall to her office quaking with anger at Diana and Maren. That idiot Stanford Double Ass had said one of the EBA kids would need to decline their offer for Brooke to get a spot. Even if Tenley didn’t want to go to Stanford, Alicia knew better than to think Diana and Michael would give up the spot after spending $30 million. Sitting at her desk, Alicia forced herself to focus on Maren. Winnie taking Brooke’s spot was a bridge too far. As much as it would turn her own life upside down and risk bringing further police scrutiny, without a doubt, this was the end of the line for her long and useful relationship with Maren. And Maren had only herself to blame. But before Alicia shitcanned her, she needed Maren to give up Winnie’s spot, and she knew exactly which buttons to push to make that happen.

  * * *

  After ten years of ceding her daily life management to Maren, Alicia stayed up all night trying to sort it out. It was a little scary realizing just how much she relied on Maren. To her credit, the woman was meticulously organized. Color-coded binders that included maintenance records, inventories, and warranties for every car, home, and appliance they owned. Online folders with holiday card mailing lists, packing lists, grocery shopping lists, gift lists, preferred vendor lists. Even a file with photos of every outfit Alicia owned, including when and where she’d worn them. Calendar reminders for everything down to when to change the filters in each refrigerator. As the sun came up, Alicia sent her security team and IT specialist emails notifying them to block Maren’s access to the house and their internet server later this afternoon as soon as Alicia sent word, and she emailed her lawyer to draw up an eviction notice. Her last email was to Ted Clark, alerting him she would not be paying for Winnie’s final semester at EBA.

  Before getting in the shower, Alicia texted Maren:

  Here’s a link to a good article about organizing. Says you should have backups of all your favorite things. Check your email for a list. Please plan to pick up all these items this morning. And let’s meet at Vital at noon for lunch. We need to celebrate Winnie’s success.

  35

  Maren

  “I’ll see you at three,” Maren said to Winnie as they pulled into the drop-off zone at school. “Try to steer clear of any college conversations if you can.” It was the morning after early admissions results, and emotions would be running high on campus.

  “Not a problem,” Winnie said sardonically.

  Maren touched Winnie’s shoulder. “Don’t forget what we talked about last night. Kelly is nothing but a pathetic, vindictive loser. She’s the one who should feel ashamed. Not me, and definitely not you. Don’t let anyone make you feel bad today.”

  “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.” She opened the car door. “Good luck with Alicia. Love you, Mom.”

  “Love you too, swe
etie,” Maren replied. As she put the car in Drive and checked her side-view mirror, she heard a loud knock on the passenger side of the car. She looked up, and there was Kelly Vernon pounding her fist on Maren’s window. Standing there in the rain, Kelly looked like a rabid coyote. Her eyes were bloodshot and swollen, hair wet and pasted to her face, and Maren could have sworn that was a pajama top peeking out from the collar of her puffy coat.

  Maren leaned across the seat and cranked the window down a smidge. She didn’t have time for Kelly’s next-level bullshit. Nor was she about to let the inside of her car get soaked on account of this woman.

  “I’m so sorry for what I did last night,” Kelly said, crying. “I was so drunk. I totally lost my mind.”

  “Yeah, I’ve heard that one before. I don’t get it. What were you trying to accomplish by publicly humiliating us? It wasn’t going to change Krissie’s Stanford result. Did it make you feel superior? Is that it? But to pull my daughter into this is unforgivable.”

  The car behind Maren honked, which was not in keeping with the EBA parent code of conduct. Then again, Maren was currently violating at least three different drop-off procedures. The backup of cars behind her stretched out as far as she could see. She needed to get out of here. Pronto. As far as Maren was concerned, this little chat was over. But before she could pull away, Kelly practically threw herself onto the hood of Maren’s car.

  “No, please, I’m so sorry!” Kelly hollered at the windshield. “Isn’t there anything I can do to make it right?”

  “Why? So you don’t get kicked out of EBA?” Maren yelled back.

  Kelly’s silence said it all.

  “Fuck off, Kelly.” Maren prepared to inch the car forward, with or without Kelly attached to her hood, but then reconsidered. Ignoring the growing chorus of horns behind her, she rolled down her own window. “Actually, you know what? There is one thing. Tell me exactly what you heard Bryan say at Chihuly.”