Then Mom, voice tight.
“She’s… helping with coats.”
Silence.
The kind that precedes earthquakes.
“Governor Martinez,” Mom added quickly, “I’m sorry. Helping with—”
“With what?” His voice cut through.
“Coat check. She volunteered to work coat check.”
I heard footsteps coming toward the coat room.
Jane looked at me with wide eyes.
“Honey, I think you need to go out there in a minute.”
The doors opened.
Governor Martinez stood there in his tuxedo, looking confused.
Then he saw me.
His face went from confused to shock to absolutely furious.
“Amy, what are you doing back here?”
“Checking coats.”
He looked at Jane.
“Is this a joke?”
“No joke,” I said. “My mother asked me to help with coats, so I’m helping with coats.”
He stared at me, then at the apron, then back at me.
“Take that off right now.”
“Governor—”
“Amy, you run a $2.1 billion foundation. You designed the program I just announced. You’ve been named one of the most influential education leaders in America, and you’re checking coats.”
“My mother thought—”
“I don’t care what your mother thought. Take off that apron and come with me.”
I untied the apron and handed it to Jane, who looked like she was watching a movie.
Governor Martinez offered his arm.
“Let’s go introduce you properly.”
We walked into the ballroom together.
The ballroom was packed. Four hundred people in formal wear, all turning to look at us. Governor Martinez led me to the stage. Didn’t let go of my arm. Looked genuinely angry.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I need to address something. When I asked Director Chin to stand, I was told she was helping with coat check.”
He paused for effect.
“Let me be very clear. Amy Chin is not staff. She is not a volunteer. She is the director of the California Education Excellence Foundation. She manages more money than most corporations. She impacts more lives than most elected officials. And she should never, ever be checking coats at an event celebrating work she accomplished.”
The silence was absolute.
Mom was three tables from the stage. Her face had gone from pink to white to gray. The champagne glass in her hand was trembling.
Governor Martinez continued.
“Amy, would you like to say a few words about the literacy initiative?”
