man.”
Mia cut a knife-edged glare at her dad. “Don’t pretend you liked him. It was obvious you didn’t.”
“All I mean is that I can see what it is you like about him. Simplicity can be attractive. There’s comfort in the uncomplicated. But I wouldn’t want you to get too comfortable.”
“What does that mean?” she asked irritably.
“I’d hate to see you settle for less than you deserve.” Her father glanced over at her before returning his gaze to the road ahead. “Challenges are what keep us sharp. You need intellectual stimulation and the company of like-minded people if you want to stay at the top of your game. It’s admirable that you seem to have made the best of your time in this godforsaken place.” His lip curled slightly as he glanced out the window. “Maybe you’ve even grown to like it here.” He slid another look at Mia and shifted into an admonishing tone. “Complacency is the enemy of excellence. Don’t delude yourself into thinking that you could be happy in a place like this. It would be foolish to let your emotions get in the way of your career or prevent you from realizing your potential.”
Swallowing the bitterness and resentment churning in her gut—along with a disconcerting feeling that there was at least some truth to the things her dad was saying—Mia turned her face to the window again. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
Chapter Twenty
TO: Dr. M. Ballentine
FROM: Madison Tate
SUBJECT: New STEM student group
Hi Dr. Ballentine!
I’ve gotten approval from the Student Activities Office to create a new organization on campus with the goal of encouraging and retaining diversity among science, technology, engineering, and mathematics majors on campus. The Diverse Voices in STEM Network will provide resources, programming, community support, and networking opportunities for members of underrepresented groups, including but not limited to women, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and disabled students. (See attached mission statement.)
I’m writing to you because I’m hoping you’ll agree to sign on as a faculty sponsor. I promise it won’t take up much of your time, and I think you’d be a terrific asset to the organization. I’d be happy to provide more information or answer any questions if you have them.
Best regards,
Madison
Before she’d found out about the Annals, Mia would have been thrilled by Madison’s request. She was still pretty thrilled about it, but she’d also been hit with a bittersweet feeling.
The idea itself was terrific, and she had no doubt Madison was the right person to put something like this together. Beyond that, she was touched Madison had come to her for help. Mia’s eyes had prickled unexpectedly as she’d read the email.
She would have loved to be a part of something like this. Helping the students get it off the ground and watching them take off with it would have been incredibly rewarding.
But Mia wouldn’t be here long enough to do that. That had always been true, but now it felt more real. Harder to ignore.
She didn’t answer Madison’s email. Instead, Mia decided to break the bad news in person. But she did forward the email to her non-university account, because she wanted to have a copy of it to keep after she’d left Bowman.
The next time her calculus class met, Mia approached Madison as she took her usual seat in the front row.
“Did you get my email?” the girl asked hopefully.
Mia nodded. “Let’s talk after class, if you have a minute.”
She was extra conscious of Madison’s attention on her as she went over the homework problems and then walked the class through a lesson on definite integrals. Fifty minutes later, she sent the students on their way with a new set of homework problems, and waited for Madison to pack up her things. Antonio had also hung back as the rest of the class filed out, and Madison waved him over as she got up and slung her backpack over her shoulder.
“Antonio’s going to be one of the club’s officers,” Madison explained as he joined them at the front of the classroom.
Well that doesn’t make this any easier. It was hard enough saying no to Madison, but the prospect of letting Antonio down sat about as well as curdled milk.
“Did you have any questions for us?” Madison asked, shifting her overloaded backpack to her other shoulder.
Mia sucked in a breath and offered Madison a smile as she prepared to deliver the speech she’d been reciting in her head for two days. “Your email and mission statement explained everything extremely well. I think it’s a