“Now?”
The others fidgeting, but he just smiled. “Now.”
Damian stood and walked to the window, standing with his hands in his pockets, watching the birds chase each other in that vast sky, flick around. Planes high above. A soft murmur in the background as people stood, went to the toilet, to the coffee machine.
Feeling Harold step next to him, his voice soft. “This is madness… You can’t just give it up.”
“You would take it to court.”
“It’s formality… Damian, I…”
He turned to that man, a bit puzzled that he didn’t mean anything anymore, seeing him for whom he really was. “It’s ok. No need to justify yourself.”
“I’m sorry… I had no choice…”
“Just cut it. I hope you get to stay CEO.”
“That’s the plan.”
His lips curled up into a bitter smile. “The dream.”
“A bit… yeah…” Trying to comprehend what Damian was seeing in that pale blue sky, but he couldn’t, so he left, just patting his back.
An hour, until Harry had finished, stepping to him. “All fine, as far as I can see.” He raised his eyebrows. “It’s a fortune. What they are offering.”
“I expected nothing less for something that cost several lives to build.” He pushed that lump down his throat. “Alright…”
Harry walked with him to the table, all eyes on them. He pointed at the final sum, the terms of payment. “If you sign now, it’s not legal yet, but in a few days, you’ll exist again, so it doesn’t make any difference. This is the agreement, so you won’t change your mind. The rest will unfold. There will be more stuff to sign, but I’ll collate it and you can just come in and sign all of them…” His eyes on Damian, trying to understand what was happening.
Those steel eyes on that final sum, the line at the bottom with his name. Lives drowned. His hand splayed on the paper as he leant on the table, those lame fingers curled up against his palm. A split second during which he picked up that pen with the firm’s logo, a poor little plastic marketing pen which had somehow ended up on that polished table. Smiling at the irony of it, but he held it tight and signed his name, those bold letters flowing on the paper, that scratching sound too loud in that dead silence.
He threw the pen on that last page and looked at a stunned Harold. “It’s done. Let me know when I need to come back to sign the rest.”
“Damian…”
“Spare me the pathetic bullshit.” He put his suit jacket on and pocketed that miserable pen. “See you, gentlemen. Wishing you the best of luck.”
They had stood and started clapping, those fools, but he had already turned, trailed by Harry, the door closing on their cheers. He blew a breath, that sudden freedom almost making him reel, as he waited for the elevator. Staff just saying ‘hellos’, good to have you backs’. He smiled. That weight lifted, somehow.
Walking to the suite on that plush hotel corridor, his jacket on his arm, lost a bit in his thoughts. He swiped his card, stepping into that quiet space. Too quiet. He arched his eyebrows, his voice filling the room. “Gabe?”
Shrugging, he threw the jacket on the sofa, tearing at his tie. A small smile when he remembered, so he left it smoothed on the sofa. Unbuttoning his shirt’s top buttons, tearing a bit to free his neck. Kicking his shoes down, almost moaning, it felt so good.
He jolted when the door to Cassie’s room burst open. “Surprise!”
Gabe and her, pushing a huge cake in with candles glowing on it. He just watched, a bit wide-eyed, as they pushed it close and went to hug him.
“Happy birthday!”
He just stood, stunned.Birthday? What…
Cassie got two packages from under the cake and held one to him. “Here. Your present. You didn’t know? You forgot! I knew it!”
A mild pity in Gabe, a small fright, seeing his face, almost in shock, pale. But Damian took the package, kissing her. “Thank you… yeah, I had no idea…”
“Open it!”
He tore at that dark green paper, opening that box. A large watch, displaying the time, the date. Breathing a bit against that sudden anxiety at that tangible time, which had become an endless flow of bliss on their island. Everything chopped up and artificially rhythmed in their new world. His eyes darted to her, and he let her put the watch on his wrist.
