Love, Theoretically

“I wasn’t making a statement. All I wanted was Laurendeau out of physics—and I failed, clearly. Since after screwing over my mother, he’s been busy fucking up the life of the single person I’ve ever been in love with.”

“He was my mother’s main collaborator, Elsie. He was the reason she couldn’t go back to work after I was born. He was the reason she felt—it was the most important thing for her, Elsie. Her work defined her, and he took it away and—”

“Because of you, Elsie.”

“I had a . . . conflict of interest.”

“I can’t blame you for voting for her.”

“Have you considered that maybe you’re already the way I want you to be? That maybe there are no signals because nothing needs to be changed?”

“Shall we Grubhub champagne and cupcakes? Celebrate that I won’t be polluting the shades of the Smith estate?”

“You think that’s the reason I’m happy?”

“You and Greg never dated. He doesn’t . . .”

“Jacky has a thing for you. Like, he stares all the time. And he asks so many questions about you.”