“Yeah, some of us need some real help here,” another student said.
A cluster of thoughts circled in Ade’s busy mind, and she couldn’t choose between them. She rubbed at her temple, desperate to slow down her racing heartbeat and settle on the right advice. “It’s just a signature, Madison. It’s not like anyone will even check back home. Jesus, I could sign it myself.”
Madison’s eyes flicked around, as if she was trying to work out some hidden meaning behind Ade’s remark. “You mean, fake it?”
“No.” Ade rolled her eyes. How did she get here? Advising a bunch of grad students when she was barely a few years older. “That’s not what I said.”
“Yeah. Got it, Teach.” Madison winked, her tears drying up with a wild grin. “That’s me figured out. I’ll send Scott your way.” She scooped up her bag and ran out the door.
Ade sighed, grateful to see the back of Madison but kicking herself for not having a firm grasp on the solutions her students needed. She looked up to the lumbering shape of Scott enteringthe room, wearing a sports vest. Whatever came next couldn’t be as bad. She couldn’t handle anymore ethical nightmares. On days like these, she really wondered why she was still here. To prove her bosses wrong back home? To convince her dad she could hold down a proper job? It sure was making her head hurt.
Montpellier’s festivities were in full swing. Opposite the opera house sat a giant globe made of a thousand tiny bulbs. The tree-lined promenades twinkled, leading to where the tall Nordman Fir, surrounded by a hundred and one gifts, presided over the merriment.
Ade squinted up at the tree, blurring the bulbs like fireflies one by one until they bled into a single glow. She loved this time of year back home, but here, the chill had finally made itself known across the south, and where modern met ancient, the season trebled in significance.
Under the canopy of fairy lights, the unique shadow of Sylvie strolled up, right on cue. “Hey, stranger.”
“It’s been a while.” Ade had counted the days they had spent apart.
“Miss me much?” Sylvie asked.
Ade’s whole body lightened in her presence. “I don’t usually miss people while they’re not with me, but yeah. I’ve missed talking with you.”
Sylvie broke into the widest smile Ade had ever seen. “Me too. Shall we walk?”
Ade offered Sylvie her arm. “How was it? Your trip?”
“Mixed. Wonderful to be in Paris again. Isa humored me by visiting most of my old haunts.”
“And the speech?” Ade asked.
Sylvie’s smile faltered. “Challenging, actually. I wish you’d been there to listen in.”
Excitement and intrigue flowed through Ade’s veins. She would’ve dropped everything to go to Paris with Sylvie. “Why? What do you mean?”
“I was exploring the same old themes in my previous books. I touched on the new stuff. But the audience was pretty provocative when it came to old feminist theory and new thinking. They really went at me about gender constructs and discrimination against trans people.” Sylvie drew her closer. “It was a tough gig. It made me think about how I present my ideas in the new book. Maybe change it up a little and challenge some of the theory and language.”
Silence extended between them as Ade waited for a specific question before she gave her feedback.
“Sorry, I don’t want to go on about it. It wasn’t that bad; it just wasn’t a smooth ride.” Sylvie’s spark seemed to fade a little.
“Did you need my input on it? Or did you just need to say it out loud?”
Sylvie laughed, her beautiful jaw line extending above her scarf. “I love the way you clarify things so perfectly. Most people would just head right in there and say what they think.” She stopped for a beat and turned into Ade, holding onto her arm. “I would like your views on this. I feel like you might have something to say.”
“Gender is a complete construct and the discrimination against trans and non-binary people is completely fueled by old-fashioned misogyny and a hard core of trans-exclusionary radical feminists. But you know that.” Ade nodded.
“I do know that. But it makes me think that I have spent my life’s work defending theories which have fueled something divisive and hurtful.”
“Those theories stand on their own merit. It’s what people have done with them in a different context that can be divisive and hurtful, which is not on you or your work.” Ade held her hands, and Sylvie’s pulse beat in her thumb. “Don’t take responsibility for someone else’s errors or intentions.”
“Thank you. I don’t know why it got to me so much.” Sylviebumped against Ade’s shoulder. “Tell me about your day.”
They walked in step with each other for a few beats. “Strange one. I had a line of students for an open counseling session.”
“You did? That sounds like a headache.”
“It sure was.” Ade rattled off the story of Madison’s faked attestations.
