Chapter 29
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
“I’m sorry I wasn’t able to make it. I was so excited to actually see you in person, too,” I tell Aisha as I pull up to Ryan’s house. Since Savannah and Theo’s wedding, we’ve been like two ships in the night with our schedules, and I’ve been looking forward to this weekend for the last two weeks.
I’ve missed him more than I expected, and what’s even more surprising is that I know he feels the same way. I don’t know if I’m used to missing someone, and not only that, but to be missed by them as well.
“The usual suspects were all there, although I think you would have gotten a headache from some of the egos on a few of the panels.” Aisha goes on to tell me who was all there.
One evening, she went to dinner with some of our colleagues.
Aisha—an expert in trauma-related memory reliability—was joined by escalation trajectory modeling expert Dr. Quentin Truett, competency threshold evaluation expert Dr. James Elliot, and digital behavioral expert Dr. Graham Tremblay.
The group was almost everyone that helped me create the Case Prioritization Matrix, except for Dr. Talia Rosenburg who wasn’t able to attend this year.
"And you know how Quentin and James are when they're together, especially when we're all sharing a few bottles of wine at the table," Aisha continues, setting an all too familiar scene.
I laugh, because those two are always debating. It’s never competitive—it’s basically the foundation of their friendship, almost sport-like for them. "What was the topic of debate this time?"
“You would’ve enjoyed this one. They were arguing about the role of intent in escalation.”
"Oooo, sounds like a party to me."
She laughs. "This is why we're friends."
“So, who won this time?” And why do I feel like one—or both of them—keeps literal score of their debates?
“It was pretty balanced. Quentin thought intent mattered, but only if there was awareness behind it. Then Graham said something about how people don’t always know why they change behavior—they’re just aware that something feels better than it did before.”
"Yeah, that’s on-brand for Graham. I'm surprised Quentin and James let him have the final word."
"Well, the dessert cart came by at that point."
"And we’ve identified the true winner of the debate—the cheesecake.”
“It was actually tiramisu, and it was delightful, thank you very much.”
I giggle at that comment just as Ryan opens his front door and lifts his hand in greeting. “Hey, Aisha, I’m going to have to call you back. I just got to Ryan’s.”
“Uh-huh, sure, girl. I know what that tone means, and all I have to say…”
I close my eyes as I brace myself for whatever comment is about to be delivered.
“You go, girl.”
Aisha’s dry reply makes me burst out laughing, which has Ryan tilting his head from the porch. I wave to him as I say goodbye to my friend.
“Thank you for your vote of confidence.”
“No, seriously, Harlow. It’s time. You need to get it, girl. In fact, you should consider getting it multiple times. Turn off your phone, turn on your man.”
“Okay, I think I’m losing you. I’ll have to call you later,” I say a little too loudly, which has Ryan laughing at my obvious attempt to stop this conversation.
But when a doctor gives you advice, you’d be foolish not to listen.
And I am anything but a fool.