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"Yes I live with my father. Right on the city limits, so about an hour drive without traffic."
Yael nodded along. She expected something like that -- the Duboises were rich, and you couldn't get a big house anywhere inside the city center. "Hey, that's pretty cool, dude," she responded. "Living in the outskirts means not having to live in an apartment." Space, especially in such a tightly packed city like Big Apple, was a pleasant thing.
Yael would usually be much chattier, but not taking time to appreciate how smooth the ride was would have been an absolute sin. Yael didn't mind bumpier rides -- after all, it was what she was used to anyway -- but being in Bernadette's car felt practically like floating.
Suddenly, Bernadette's cell started to ring. Yael glanced at the other woman's bag in the back seat, and opened her mouth, preparing to ask if Bernadette wanted Yael to get her bag; before she could, however, the other woman answered the call through Bluetooth. Hey, that works too. Getting Bernadette's bag and sifting through it to find the phone would definitely have been a hassle, but Yael understood the desire for private conversations.
Yael leaned back in her seat and looked out the window, trying to tune out the talking in the background. Of course, it didn't work; Yael ended up unintentionally eavesdropping, but an illusion of privacy must've been appreciated regardless.
What's up with her dad? Yael wondered. The worry in Ivette's tone (whoever she was) felt strangely ominous.
"I'm sorry," Yael turned her gaze from the window to Bernadette, feeling absurdly surprised at the sight she was met with. Worry was very clear in Bernadette's eyes. Yael didn't expect such an open display of emotion from the other woman -- Bernadette always seemed overly serious and composed. Whatever happened to her father must have been pretty severe.
"But I have to get home as soon as I can, I can't take you. I can wait for an Uber to pick you up? Otherwise, you would have to drive with me."
The last sentence felt like it was more out of politeness than an actual offer; Yael had never seen anyone offer to do something that would allow a stranger into personal matters.
"I don't have enough money for an Uber," Yael admitted grudgingly, feeling deeply ashamed. Her pride felt like it took a hit right to its heart. "You don't have to wait with me . . . but do you mind if I could borrow some money?" Asking for such a thing was paining Yael greatly; she was a prideful person, never one to accept assitance from her more successful siblings. Having to ask for money made Yael want to pull her hair out.
"I'll pay you back in full when I can," Yael assured; if she had to accept help, she certainly wouldn't do it for free, but promising to pay Bernadette back her money only made her feel worse. Yael knew she couldn't just wire money to the other woman as soon as she got home -- she didn't have that much money in reserve. Even when Yael wasn't intententionally focusing on the financial divide between her and Bernadette, she had to be hit in the face with it; Bernadette's wealth and Yael's lack of it impacted everything about how the two of them lived.
Yael nodded along. She expected something like that -- the Duboises were rich, and you couldn't get a big house anywhere inside the city center. "Hey, that's pretty cool, dude," she responded. "Living in the outskirts means not having to live in an apartment." Space, especially in such a tightly packed city like Big Apple, was a pleasant thing.
Yael would usually be much chattier, but not taking time to appreciate how smooth the ride was would have been an absolute sin. Yael didn't mind bumpier rides -- after all, it was what she was used to anyway -- but being in Bernadette's car felt practically like floating.
Suddenly, Bernadette's cell started to ring. Yael glanced at the other woman's bag in the back seat, and opened her mouth, preparing to ask if Bernadette wanted Yael to get her bag; before she could, however, the other woman answered the call through Bluetooth. Hey, that works too. Getting Bernadette's bag and sifting through it to find the phone would definitely have been a hassle, but Yael understood the desire for private conversations.
Yael leaned back in her seat and looked out the window, trying to tune out the talking in the background. Of course, it didn't work; Yael ended up unintentionally eavesdropping, but an illusion of privacy must've been appreciated regardless.
What's up with her dad? Yael wondered. The worry in Ivette's tone (whoever she was) felt strangely ominous.
"I'm sorry," Yael turned her gaze from the window to Bernadette, feeling absurdly surprised at the sight she was met with. Worry was very clear in Bernadette's eyes. Yael didn't expect such an open display of emotion from the other woman -- Bernadette always seemed overly serious and composed. Whatever happened to her father must have been pretty severe.
"But I have to get home as soon as I can, I can't take you. I can wait for an Uber to pick you up? Otherwise, you would have to drive with me."
The last sentence felt like it was more out of politeness than an actual offer; Yael had never seen anyone offer to do something that would allow a stranger into personal matters.
"I don't have enough money for an Uber," Yael admitted grudgingly, feeling deeply ashamed. Her pride felt like it took a hit right to its heart. "You don't have to wait with me . . . but do you mind if I could borrow some money?" Asking for such a thing was paining Yael greatly; she was a prideful person, never one to accept assitance from her more successful siblings. Having to ask for money made Yael want to pull her hair out.
"I'll pay you back in full when I can," Yael assured; if she had to accept help, she certainly wouldn't do it for free, but promising to pay Bernadette back her money only made her feel worse. Yael knew she couldn't just wire money to the other woman as soon as she got home -- she didn't have that much money in reserve. Even when Yael wasn't intententionally focusing on the financial divide between her and Bernadette, she had to be hit in the face with it; Bernadette's wealth and Yael's lack of it impacted everything about how the two of them lived.