BEN:Hah, sorry.
BEN:I’m being weird aren’t I
ANNIE:A little
BEN:Just wanted to see if everything is OK?
ANNIE:Why wouldn’t it be
BEN:Pretty quiet over on your side of the table today, that’s all
ANNIE:Think you might need to direct your comments to the bridge troll on my left
He types and then stops three times. It feels like he’s choosing his words carefully. I can hear the tap of the delete key from here. All I can see is the very top of his fiery-red mop, bobbing up and down.
BEN:Did you guys have a fight or something?
BEN:Before the meeting I mean
BEN:I was there for that part
ANNIE:Maybe he’s just in a bad mood today
BEN:He wasn’t before
It’s like Connor senses we’re talking about him. He pulls his headphones off and directs a question at Ben, effectively bringing our furtive conversation to a close. He’s turned away from me completely—his back may as well be a brick wall. It really brings new meaning to the phrasegiving the cold shoulder.I can feel none of his usual warmth.
I scroll back through my conversation with Ben, which feels weirder the more I think about it, even for the fact that he had it with me and not Connor. My mind snags on Ben’s suggestion that Connor wasn’t in a bad mood before, which, if I really think about it, I guess seems true. I’m just not exactly sure why Ben’s first thought is that it has something to do with me. Why doesn’t he just askhim?
—
Uncharacteristically, Connor is the first one to leave. Thisneverhappens.
He stands from his chair, and I look up at him, waiting.
“See you tomorrow?” I ask cautiously.
“Going to work from home, I think,” he says, addressing this to the button on his coat rather than tome.
“Oh.”
“See you guys.”
I watch the back of his head retreat toward the elevators, my frown growing. Connor never works from home. What’s goingon?
I look over at Ben. He raises his eyebrows likeare you going to deal with that?
And you know what? Yes I am. I can’t handle both him and Shannon being mad at me at the same time, it’s too much. If Connor wants to be annoyed with me about something, he will have to get in line.
He’s already gone by the time I reach the elevators, which means he’s also no longer in the lobby when I finally hit the ground floor. I push through the doors and scan the plaza around me, craning my neck to see around all the people coming and going.
There’s no sign of him. It’s like he’s disappeared. I can only guess the direction he’s going in. If I get this wrong I’ll never find him now, and will have no choice but to follow him all the way back home. Like a weirdo. Or a stalker.
My luck holds—I pick the right direction and catch sight of the back of his head on the corner right before he cuts across the street. I want to dramatically call his name, but even if he did hear me, he’d turn around right in the middle of the crosswalk and then be flattened by a taxi. Which Ben would probably also blame me for, cryptically, over messenger.
By the time I race across the street it’s me who is almost hit by a taxi, but I don’t let this stop me. I jog the extra ten seconds until I am right behind him. Connor jolts when I reach forward and grab his arm, turning with a noise that sounds something likewargh!
He frowns when he realizes it’s just me, looking back towardthe office likewhat are you doing I thought I left you back there.
