She could say no, and still have the life she wanted. This was how they tempted you, by presenting the way of the market as the only way to achieve what you want. It’s me or What’s New in Henderson forever, honey. But she could move to San Francisco on her own, she could finish her stories, query a few agents, wait the excruciating months or years before someone at the gates decided to let a young woman from the forgotten periphery of America inside the secret world of Letters. She could forget all this even happened.

She would say no, because she had to. Didn’t she?