“Hey, girl,” Paula/Pauline said, with the overly familiar inflection certain white women use when talking to Black women. “Great to meet you.” As if they hadn’t already met and as if Vivian hadn’t made a strong impression. “We’ve met before?” Vivian said. “I work at Wellhaven, we did that panel—” “Oh right! Of course, you do that super-important work. I remember you, duh,” Pauline said, profusely apologizing. Strike One, Vivian thought. They fake-hugged and Vivian felt Pauline’s bones.
So uncomfortable
