"Things come up," Theo barked. It wasn’t like Amber not to show up. Late, yes. She had a habit of that, but she always showed up. Worry ate at him.
"It's something new with her every day. Did you know she broke the coffee pot yesterday and she mixed up the meeting times for you? She's a pretty girl, Theo, but she's not the right fit for this job, and she's going to cost you if you keep her around."
Anger, fierce and protective, sparked in Theo, surprising him with the intensity. “Mistakes can be corrected, Neal,” Theo said with an edge of steel in his voice. “I think we can all agree Amber’s brought creativity and energy to this office, which has been missing.”
Neal’s face pinched. “I understand that you think she’s...different, Theo, but these distractions add up and we can’t afford that this close to the election.”
The unspoken challenge made Theo’s jaw clench and he locked eyes with the man he had thought of as another fatherfigure. “I appreciate the concern but let me be clear: Amber’s potential outweighs her mistakes, and I intend to give her a chance to prove that.”
Neal opened his mouth, then seemed to think better of it. “Understood,” he said stiffly.
Theo headed to his office to call her. No answer. Anger and worry gnawed at him until he gave up pretending that he could do any work today without finding out where Amber was. He threw on his suit jacket, grabbed his keys, and headed out.
"Don't yell at her, Theo," Charlotte said as he walked by.
"Maybe bring her a milkshake," Todd suggested.
When he reached Diane, she silently handed him a Twinkie package. "Give her this."
Unbelievable.
For once, Theo drove to the Phoenix above the speed limit, and took the stairs to Amber's apartment two at a time. He knocked on the door and waited, his heart pounding with a mix of anxiety and something else. He knocked again. "Amber?" he called, his mind creating images of things that could have happened to her.
The door across the hall swung open, revealing a woman in a white button-down shirt and black slacks, a half apron tied around her waist. She looked to be only in her mid-forties, but there was a weariness etched into her features that made her seem older.
"Can I help you?" she asked. "Oh, hi, Mayor Clairmont. You don't want to go in there,” she said once she noticed where he was standing.
"What? Why?" Dread filled him.
“Amber’s sick. I checked on her this morning, but I have to go to work now. My new manager is a real prick about calling out before a shift.” She turned back to her door and locked it.
"She's sick? What's wrong?" he asked.
"They all are. My girls are sick. Everybody's sick. They hada Sunday dinner at her sister and brother-in-law’s house, and somebody shared a flu bug,” she said tiredly.
Theo winced. "Stomach flu?" He could handle a lot of things in life, but the stomach flu made him blanch. “Does she need anything?”
"She’ll be okay,” she said. “I’ll try to come home on my break if it’s slow and check on her again. Doesn’t she work for you?”
“Yes, she’s my assistant. I can handle it," he said decisively. “Can you let me in, please?” Theo knew his position as mayor made him more trustworthy than most people, but he held his breath while he waited for her answer. He didn’t want to have to make a scene by calling the building’s super, but he would in an instant to make sure Amber was okay.
The woman sighed. “All right. I have a key. I'll let you in. I don’t really get a lunch anyhow, and I can’t take any more time off or they’ll cut my hours.”
She unlocked the door, and Theo stepped inside. His first impression was of a chaos of color. There were fabrics and ribbons, even a feather boa on a mannequin in the corner, but Theo’s attention quickly shifted down a hallway.
"Sandy, don't come in here. I don't want you to get sick," Amber said from somewhere in the back. She sounded weak and thready.
He quickly walked to the door of a bedroom and paused. Amber was lying in between the bed and the door, curled up on her side in the fetal position. His heart stopped. He bent down and put a hand against her forehead. It was hot and dry to the touch.
“Amber, what's wrong?"
She opened her eyes, and it took her a moment to focus on him. "You're not Sandy," she said.
“Is he a friend of yours?” Sandy asked from the doorway.Sandy stood in the doorway with her arms crossed, ready to toss him out if Amber said the word.
“He’s my boss,” Amber said, then squeezed her eyes shut and groaned. “Are the girls okay?”
“They’re better than you are. Their grandma is coming over to take care of them. I have to go to work, but I’ll check in with you later,” Sandy said. “Just rest and I’ll bring you some soup when I get off.”
